“Sir?” the operator said quickly. “Are you all right? You sound out of breath.”
“Just get her some help. She’s running after the killer…and I’m running after her.”
“All right, sir. Stay on the line and I’ll call for some help.”
Stay on the line?He slipped the cell in the pocket of his suit coat, and ran with all of his might. He was certainly wearing the wrong shoes for such an activity!
He kept his focus on the woman darting in and out of people, yelling at Derek and the blonde to stop. The people on the street screamed and jumped out of her way, thankfully. The faster Brittany rushed toward Derek, the more her ponytail of black, silky hair, flapped on her back. He kept his eyes on that since she was getting farther ahead.
Austin’s sides burned—along with his lungs—but he wouldn’t stop. Brittany needed his help in some way. He wouldn’t abandon her.
When she turned and headed west, he could picture her location. This was an alleyway. Derek wouldn’t be able to escape. Thankfully, Brittany had her gun. She wouldn’t let them get away.
Sweat poured down his face, and his muscles screamed with exertion, but he kept pushing onward. He quickly lifted the cell to his ear. The operator was still trying to get him to answer her. “Officer Russell turned down an alleyway between the Huntsman building, and Subway, going west.”
It hurt to talk. Hurt to breathe. He mustn’t stop.
Through the air, he heard a gunshot. His heart dropped, and he said a quick prayer. Then another gunshot exploded through the air.Please, Brittany…be all right!
He finally made it to the alley, and he turned, slowing down his steps. Up ahead, near a dumpster, Brittany lay on the ground. Blood coated her gray t-shirt below her left breast. Her gun was on the pavement, out of reach. Sprawled on the ground next to her was the blonde woman, unconscious. But no blood stained her. Standing over Brittany was Derek.
With a gun!
Austin’s mind scrambled. Derek didn’t know he was here, yet. If Austin could sneak up on him, maybe he could grab the man from behind and disarm him.
Taking careful steps, he moved toward Derek.
“If you hadn’t stuck your nose intomybusiness, I wouldn’t have to kill you,” Derek was telling Brittany.
Color was disappearing from her face quickly. Austin prayed again, that she wouldn’t die.
“Why…why are you doing this?” Brittany gasped for air as she clutched her side. Blood colored her fingers and trickled down her arms. “Why would you set up your best friend for murder?”
“You don’t understand,” Derek yelled. “This was all Hillary’s fault. If she had just been doing her job to begin with, none of this would have happened.”
“Her job as a call girl? But Hillary was Austin’s cousin.”
“I know that,” Derek snapped. “Hillary was supposed to find something about Austin so we could blackmail him—just as we’ve been blackmailing the other wealthy and powerful men. But no! Austin is too pure, too sweet.” Derek’s voice turned sarcastic. “That man’s a freakin’ fairy tale, I swear!”
Austin bunched his hands, keeping them by his side. Every word from Derek’s mouth was ripping him apart.
“Is that why you killed Hillary?”
Derek gave an evil laugh. “Can you believe it? She was trying to turn the tables on us…and blackmail us! Her own employer!”
“Is that…” Brittany took a ragged breath. “Is that why your blonde friend poisoned her?”
“Yes, but when that didn’t work, I stepped in and whacked Hillary over the head with Austin’s weapon.”
Austin was almost upon Derek. He thanked the Almighty for not allowing Derek to hear Austin.
Brittany nodded. “I must hand it to you. That was a clever plan. Your friend would have never known.”
“But now you do know,” he yelled. “And after I finish killing you, I have to kill Austin.”
“What about the security guard?” she asked. “He knows, too.”
Derek spit out more cuss words. “Fine. I’ll kill him after Austin. But first,” he raised his hand and pointed the gun at her head, “I’m going to make sure you are out of the picture for good.”
