Midnight Prince

The computer's soft glow provided the only light in the dark room. Too much light as far as Reece Maddox was concerned. Any moment now a security guard might see light where there shouldn't be any and send someone to check it out. The party was spread across several rooms, all on the far side of the building. He needed to get back to the boisterous affair before someone other than his date noted his absence. The last file finished loading. He pulled the flash drive from the computer, aware that he had taken far too long to find and move the files he'd been sent to find. The sound of male laughter from beyond the closed door carried to where he crouched beside the desk. Several men, talking freely, were heading in his direction. He doubted his host would believe he'd been looking for a bathroom if he was found in here. Reece stood. There was no time to shut the computer down. He shoved the flash drive in his pocket and surveyed the room. The bank of second-story windows was the only other way out. Not an optimum choice. Still... He ran to the window and peered down. He'd break his fool neck. Or he could let the men nearly at the door do it for him. Reece opened the window. Too late, he spied the sensor. To his partial relief, no audible alarm sounded, but he knew he'd just tripped a silent one somewhere. Swearing softly, he eyed the rough stone facing on the side of the house. His expensive Italian leather shoes weren't made for rock climbing. Too bad there wasn't any choice unless he could reach the balcony that jutted out a short distance away. He could hang from that and drop and he'd probably only break his leg. If he'd ever needed luck, it was now. He climbed onto the windowsill and leaped for the wrought iron railing. Lady Luck smiled. His right hand caught the bottom rail, nearly wrenching his arm from its socket as he dangled above the ground. Biting his lip against the pain, his feet sought and found a niche in the stone facade while his left hand did the same. That took some of the strain from his right arm and shoulder as light suddenly bloomed in the room he'd just left. No time for finesse. Reece let go of the rail and tried to relax his muscles as he dropped. The stretch of manicured bushes running along the base of the wall broke his fall, but it was hardly pain or noise free. Excited voices were suddenly raised above him. Reece scrambled to his feet and pasted himself against the rough stone. His dark hair and black tuxedo should help him melt into the shadows as he inched his way toward the brightly lit front of the estate. Security would come from the rear of the grounds, but it wouldn't take them long to alert the entire staff to watch for a prowler. Barely out of sight of the floodlights, he paused at the corner to brush dirt and greenery from his clothes and strip off the latex gloves. He shoved them into a pocket and finger combed his hair. There was no time to do more. He walked toward the well-lit front door as if he had every right to be out for a stroll amid the landscaping. Lady Luck was still in a generous mood. A large group of noisy partygoers was coming out the front door, talking and laughing as they moved past the bored security guards. One of those people was Curtis Long. Luck couldn't have provided anyone better for his needs. The portly importer looked weary while his wife chatted animatedly with a young couple who were probably friends of their son. Reece calculated his odds and stepped over the raised stone wall that edged the front steps as one of the women in the group dropped her bag while searching for her vehicle's claim ticket. Reece bent with the other males present to help collect lipstick, coins and assorted items that had tumbled out. The woman giggled tipsily and apologized in fluent Italian. Thanking the luck, he maneuvered himself alongside the older man. "Evening, Curtis." "Reece," Curtis greeteSinclair, Dani is the author of 'Midnight Prince ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780373887774 and ISBN 0373887779.