Page 53 of Until the End

“Yeah. I was only going to take it as a precaution, but I have a refill in my apartment.”

“Good.” One less thing for him to worry about and even more reason to get in there.

They climbed out of the SUV and walked to her building. A fall wind kicked up, rustling Kit’s dress and drawing his gaze to her legs. She zipped up her vegan leather jacket with a shiver, none the wiser about the GPS trackers he’d planted on her.

They entered the brightly lit, spacious lobby. Her heels clicked against the tile floor, echoing in the atrium. Castle was on full alert, his weapon locked and loaded in his shoulder rig, his gaze roaming.

Kit addressed the twentysomething man seated at the concierge desk by name. He greeted her with a bright smile that said you’re one of my favorites. “Kit, it’s good to see you.”

They were on a first-name basis and she didn’t put on airs with the concierge. Castle liked that Kit wasn’t a snob—with those unaffiliated with government agencies anyway.

“I’m so sorry,” the guy said. “I heard about what happened to—”

“Thank you,” Kit said, “but I’m still processing.”

“Of course. If you need anything, just call down.”

“I’m not staying. I’m only here to get a few things and then I’m leaving. But thank you.”

“Excuse me.” Castle stepped up to the desk. A quick glance showed him there were no monitors connected to security cameras. “Have you noticed anyone unfamiliar or suspicious lurking around the premises the last couple of days?”

He furrowed his brow. “Not that I can recall. But I only work nights and I was off yesterday.”

The pros hunting Kit were good. So good they would’ve been able to slip in unseen, search her place, and duck out without anybody paying attention to them. To compound the situation, anyone entering from the attached garage didn’t have to pass by the concierge desk to get to the elevator.

Keycard-only access to the penthouse was the one real safety feature and it’d been compromised.

The bank of windows on the way to the elevator provided a view of the common area. An Olympic-size pool sat adjacent to Kit’s building, with a courtyard on the other side.

Kit hit the call button. A moment later, the elevator arrived, and they got on. After inserting her keycard into the slot on the panel, she hit P for penthouse.

He glimpsed a flyer inside announcing a Residents’ Columbus Day Weekend party and notice of the pool closing soon for the season.

The ride up in the metal box was smooth and quick and had his gut clenching. They needed to make this quick. In and out.

His instincts buzzed, every muscle coiled with readiness. Years of training as a SEAL had prepared him to operate in the harshest conditions, to handle shitty odds, to draw on every ounce of strength, to complete every mission. Even if it cost him his life. But it was Sanborn who had taught him to be physically harder and mentally stronger than any adversary. How to embody his motto of FEAR.

Face everything and rise.

The doors slid open in a slick, silent motion that whispered of money. They stepped into the apartment. Behind them, the elevator whooshed closed and returned to the ground floor with a smooth, low hum.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness and he took in her apartment.

Beside him, Kit gasped and froze.

Castle’s gaze swept over the cause of her shocked disbelief. The penthouse had been ransacked. Moonlight spilling in through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room cast a spotlight on the disaster zone. Furniture had been trashed throughout the main space, cushions torn open, and stuffing covered the hardwood floor. Artwork on the wall had been shredded, and the gas fireplace completely dismantled. Shattered knickknacks lay in scattered pieces.

Every inch of the space had been turned inside out and picked over with a fine-toothed comb. The only way those hard drives were still here was if she’d stowed them in an unremovable, invisible safe.

This must’ve been a sweet pad before it was tossed to pieces. He’d never seen anything quite like it in real life. Something that would’ve been featured on an episode of MTV Cribs. A palatial living room connected to a dining area and a second space ideal for lounging. Beyond the French doors off a long balcony, he saw the stairs leading to the private rooftop terrace. Probably had the best view in NoMa.

Beside him, Kit teared up. The damaged stuff was replaceable. Her insurance would cover it, and he assumed Kit was aware of that. It was probably seeing firsthand the violation of her home that was getting to her, especially after everything else.

The state of her apartment hadn’t surprised Castle. It was to be expected. But with his shoddy working-with-a-civilian skills, he’d failed to consider how she’d react. He should’ve prepared her for this scene, especially since this was personal for her.

A cough came from a room on the right end of the penthouse, followed by laughter.

They weren’t alone.