THE TWO MEN AT the top of the stairs remained motionless, their faces cloaked in shadow. The heavyset man turned to the leaner one. “I told you they weren’t the proper zip-ties. We should have kept someone in here to keep an eye on them.” Charlotte’s and Janet’s attention remained fixed on the landing as the men stepped into the dimming light. One of them was Camilo.

“Damn it! Maybe so. But, how the hell did they get out of them?” retorted Camilo. “I&...