“Shit,” I hissed and yanked the door back open. Cool, floral-scented air greeted me on the other side. The fresh cleanse made me realize I’d broken a sweat in my escape. I walked to the registration counter as casually as I could, all the while wanting to scream into my earpiece. But I needed to get inside behind a locked door as soon as I could.
“Hi, checking in for Thomas?” I said to the smiling clerk.
“Sure thing, Ms. Thomas,” she said and tapped her keyboard. “I see we have you with us for one night, and you’ve already paid in full. Will you need help with your—?” She cut off when she noticed I had no luggage.
“I travel light,” I said with a tight smile, telling her not to ask anything more.
“Of course,” she said with her pearly teeth still showing. “You’ll be in room 1447. Wi-Fi is in the room info packet, and breakfast is served from six thirty to ten. Please call down if you need anything.” She slid two keycards across the desk. “All I need is a signature.”
“Thank you.” I swiped the cards to stash in my pocket and scribbled something remotely resembling Lauren Thomas on the electronic pad.
“Enjoy your stay,” the clerk said.
I tightly smiled and quickly turned away. “Fourteenth floor is a long way to run for an escape, Ramesh,” I muttered.
“You’ll take what I can give you on short notice.”
“At least you didn’t pick the hotel that started this all. Where’s Bray?”
“You’re listening to the same channel I am. He’s gone dark.”
I cursed again and hit the elevator call button. The elegant lobby blurred around me. All I could think of was getting into my room and throwing the dead bolt. Maybe sitting on the bed with my gun pointed at the door. “Bray, answer us, damn it.”
“I have eyes on the garage he must have cut through, but he hasn’t come out the side he should have,” Ramesh said.
The elevator arrived, and I climbed in. My jaw was so tight, I was grinding my teeth to dust. I couldn’t bear the thought of him bleeding out in a parking garage because of me. “How far is that from where I am?” I asked.
“Four blocks. At a run, he should be there in five minutes, tops.”
“Well, if he’s not here in ten, I’m going to look for him.”
“I have to advise against that.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not the best rule follower.”
“He mentioned that about you.”
The elevator arrived on my floor, and I stepped out into the hall. “God damn it, Bray. Had to be a hero.”
“I’m sure he’s fine,” Ramesh said.
“He didn’t sound fine. That sounded like a gunshot.”
“He’s taken a few of those before.”
“Is that supposed to be comforting?” I gaped at what he’d said while I swiped my keycard at my door.
“Sorry. I’m just saying, he’ll pull through.”
“He better.”
I entered my room to the same smell that had filled the lobby: fresh florals. Curtains at the far end framed a view of the surrounding buildings in the fading light. I immediately walked to the minibar and uncapped the bottle of water sitting there.
“How long has it been?” I asked when I finished gulping.
“Two minutes,” Ramesh reported.
“Any sign of him?”
