Now wasn’t the time for analysis.I gave her as brief of an answer as I could without opening myself up to a longer discussion.“She dumped me at boarding school so her husband wouldn’t find out about me.”
Ellie’s face fell.
I circled the car to sit in the driver’s seat.As I did, I scanned for dark sedans and anything out of place.Nothing seemed wrong.The streets were almost dead.But as in any big city, there was traffic, albeit sparse, and some action near the intersection where a late bus picked up passengers.Normality.Or as normal as life could be for me.
I started the car.I hit the seat warmers so Ellie would be more comfortable, then started south.
My rental would be safer than her condo.But it was also almost a half hour away, even with the non-existent traffic.I pulled into the lane and circled her block before pulling in the parking lot.
“I’d thought you’d missed the place at first.”
“I’m being careful.”
She turned to face me.“Orders?”
I nodded.It was time to remind myself that I was here on business, not pleasure.Ellie would be safer if I wasn’t visible in her life.What kind of insanity had gripped me when I promised to be at that party on Saturday?
“Well.Thanks for the ride.”
Her hand hit the handle, and I barked out, “Stop.”
She huffed and crossed her hands on her lap.“What now?”
“Let me open your car door and walk you inside.Please?”
After visible but silent argument with herself, she shrugged.“You’re going to do it anyway.”
Damn right I was.I opened her door and kept her on my weak side so I could draw on anyone stupid enough to approach.When we got inside the lobby, I demanded the keys.
“Stay in the hall.”
“I hate you.”
It wasn’t said with venom, just frustration.I’d usually quip back that the feeling was mutual, but it wasn’t.I was so far gone I couldn’t even lie about it anymore.I slipped the key in, but before opening the door made her stand to the side where the wall would take the punch out of any bullets.
Nothing but darkness.Good.
I scanned the room for any unusual shadows or telltale smells or sounds that signaled danger.Something was in the air, but perhaps I imagined it.
Behind me, Ellie flicked on the light.
I blinked the temporary blindness away.“Warn me before you do that.”
“Not everyone was born half cat like you were.”Her sarcasm floated in the air behind her as she moved to the kitchen.I checked the corners, the spare bedroom, the bathroom with her little signs and tchotchkes, then opened her bedroom door.
The air was cold.
I slipped my gun out and hugged the wall.The shadows were all harmless.The broken window, not.
“Hey Ringo did you want a cup of— oh shit.”
My heart rate damn near tripled.I tried my best to not yell at her.“Ellie,pleasestand in the hallway, and don’t go near the windows.Please?”
She put her hand on my shoulder before doing as I asked.
I knew she wanted to argue, but probably took one look at the unmade bed, the broken window, and the general disorder of her room and understood why I was being so careful.
Her suitcases had been dumped onto the floor.Their contents mixed, searched, and trampled.The dresser where she kept her jewelry displayed like a decorating theme, ransacked.There was broken glass under the window.
