“They’re all over. Sydney wanted an extensive list for anycircumstance. I don’t think she really considered this one though,” he admitted as he expertly parallel parked the SUV.
“Talented.”
“You can’t parallel park?”
She snorted. “I can’t drive.”
Beckham frowned. He clearly didn’t like that news. “I could teach you.”
“Really?”
“I escaped death once. I can probably do it a second time.”
Reyna shook her head. “He has jokes.”
“Are you ready for this?”
“Right,” she muttered. Her eyes met his once more and she nodded. She was ready. Whatever may be.
They exited the SUV and regrouped on the sidewalk. No one paid them any attention as they ducked their heads against the wind and hurried down the street. Reyna could see her breath. She shivered. This was probably the worst day to do this. But none of them had been prepared to wait until after the snowstorm hit.
Beckham gestured for them to take the stairs to an inconspicuous brownstone. They pulled open the front door and entered an apartment building lobby.
Reyna moved to the list and scanned it for apartment 4B. Her finger hovered over the button. “Should I buzz up?”
Beckham nodded before he bent down to look at the door.
She took a deep breath and then pressed the button. It buzzed noisily, echoing off of the walls. Then everything was silent.
“No one home?” Reyna said to Beckham.
His leaned to the middle of the door, messing with the lock. “Try one more time.”
She laid on the buzzer, hoping that would do the trick. “Hello, anyone home?”
But once she removed her finger, nothing happened, again.Either no one was there or everyone ignored her. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. She probably wouldn’t trust someone buzzing if she was in hiding.
“And now,” Beckham said, as the door popped open. He held it wide for her with a cocky grin.
“Oh, nice.”
Beckham grinned at her. Then they were both climbing the endless staircase. One story, two, three, four. Beckham wasn’t even breathing heavily. Reyna didn’t care how much she ran on a treadmill. Stairs were an entirely different ballgame. And she hated them.
“Okay,” she said, trying to regulate her breathing. “Apartment 4B.” She started down the hallway. “G, F, E, D, C, and B.”
She stood before a nondescript doorframe with 4Bin gold letters on the front. The peephole was covered. But light came from a crack under the door.
Reyna nodded her head toward the light and arched an eyebrow as if to say,Someone’s home.Beckham steadied himself, preparing himself for a fight. The only thing Reyna wanted to prepare for was seeing her brother.
She took a deep breath and then knocked on the door. “Hello, anyone there?”
Again, silence.
“I don’t like this,” she whispered.
“Me either.” He moved between her and the door. “Stand back.”
“Becks.”
