Chapter 7 - The DelugeThe tidal wave of water slammed into Daniel and Evelyn, knocking them off their feet as the room flooded within seconds.
"Daddy!" Lily screamed as the water current swept her off her feet.
Daniel fought against the churning torrent, swimming desperately through the rising water. He caught Lily by the collar of her jacket just as she was being swept toward the shattered glass wall, hoisting her up onto a high mahogany bookshelf that remained above the waterline.
"Stay here, sweetheart! Hold on tight!" Daniel shouted over the roar of rushing water draining into the lower levels of the mansion.
He scanned the flooded room frantically. Where was Vanessa?
Through the churning, debris-filled water, a dark figure was lunging toward the open French doors leading out to the second-story balcony. Vanessa was making a break for her getaway car parked in the courtyard below.
"Oh, no you don't," Daniel muttered through clenched teeth.
He dove into the water, swimming with powerful strokes toward the balcony doors. Pushing past floating lamps and papers, he hauled himself up onto the dry stone floor of the balcony just as Vanessa was swinging her leg over the wrought-iron railing to grab the external fire escape ladder.
Daniel lunged forward, grabbing the back of Vanessa’s jacket and yanking her backward onto the concrete deck.
She shrieked, swinging her elbow backward and catching Daniel square in the jaw. He grunted, stumbling back, but managed to tackle her legs, sending both of them crashing hard onto the wet stone.
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"Let me go!" Vanessa screamed, scratching and clawing at his face like a cornered animal. "I'll kill you! I'll ruin you!"
"You're done destroying lives, Vanessa," Daniel said grimly, pinning her wrists to the ground with one hand while using his free hand to click his smartwatch emergency beacon, transmitting their precise coordinates directly to local federal authorities.
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