He turned to pick up his jacket, intent on covering his blood-splattered shirt, but frowned. He should have placed it further away: spots of blood and bits of skull splattered a random pattern on the light grey fabric. Alex emitted a frustrated moan. He donned the ruined coat regardless and left the room.
He exited the main floor of the hospital without incident, Nate falling in behind him. Cool air tickled Alex’s dark brown hair, ruffled again from the exertion upstairs. He ran steady fingers through his waved locks to put them back in place, took a breath in and sighed, then entered the waiting blue car.
“Where to, boss? We leaving the city now?” Nate asked.
“Just a moment.” Alex fished his cell from the depths of his pocket and unlocked it. The screen’s bright rectangle illuminated his face.
Alex tapped the screen a few times and opened the tracking app on his phone. Emma’s mark was with Isaac’s, in an apartment complex near the Shayanne District. His mouth twitched into a smile. He provided the address to Nate, and sat back as the driver moved the vehicle forward onto the street.
—-
Emma approached the door of Isaac’s apartment, pulling her hastily packed luggage behind her, throwing wide-eyed glances over her shoulder at the empty hallway she’d crossed. She rapped quietly on the wooden door, knuckles next to the large golden “205.” Something nudged her knee, and she glanced down at Laska. There’s no way I was leaving you at home for Alex to find. She scratched her dog’s head.
Isaac opened the door before she reached it, and she hastened inside, noting the frantic look on his face. Without a word, she dropped Laska’s leash and grabbed Isaac, hugging him fiercely. She wept into his light blue shirt as he silently held her.
Eventually, her tears slowed, and she was left with nothing but a painful pulse in her temples.
“I need a drink,” she said, and let go of Isaac.
“Not right now. We need our heads clear.” He peered through his door’s peephole for a moment, then glanced at Laska. “So that’s what took you so long.” Isaac knelt down and ruffled the fur behind the dog’s left ear.
“I couldn’t leave her.”
He looked up and smiled. “I never could have, either. Now let’s move.”
Emma picked up Laska’s leash while Isaac snatched the handles of a black duffel bag that rested by his couch and together, they hurried out of his apartment and toward the elevator.
Careful not to crush the three rolled sketches in her purse, Emma reached out and pressed the button for the ground floor. She had spent too long agonizing over her drawings, things that hadn’t been dear to her until the moment she knew she’d have to leave them behind. Finally, regardless of her panic, she had carefully rolled up the one of Isaac at a cabin, a fresh sketch of Laska, and the one of her mother with angel wings, then tucked them away next to her fully loaded Ruger.
A gentle whirring signaled the elevator car’s movement. She squeezed the leather strap in her hand. A soft ding sounded and the metal doors in front of them slid open with the barest whisper. Emma stepped forward, but Isaac didn’t move with her.
“Fuck,” he muttered. He was patting his pockets - first the front ones on his jeans, then the back, up to his shirt, then back down again - with a wild look in his eyes. “No, no, no.”
“Isaac, what is it? Let’s go.”
“I left something.”
“Whatever it is, we’ll get another later.” The elevator started to shut, and Emma threw her hand up, waving it until a sensor picked up the motion and reversed the doors.
“No, not this. I’m sorry, I’ll be right back. Stay here.” Isaac turned and sprinted back down the hallway, keys still in hand.
Frowning, Emma contemplated a moment. There’s no way in hell I’m standing out here alone. If Alex— The thought of the cold, green eyes staring at her while he had pulled the trigger and ended Cassie’s life was enough to propel her after Isaac, who had disappeared back into his apartment.
She stepped inside, shut the door behind her, and locked it. Just in case. The sound of drawers opening came from his bedroom. Curious as to what was so important, Emma peeked into his messy room just in time to see him pull a small, black, velvet box from beneath a mound of unmatched socks.
“What...?”
Isaac’s gaze snapped up to her, and he tucked the box into his shirt pocket. “Let’s go.” He moved past her without making eye contact and walked briskly out of the room.
“Oh, hell no.” Emma followed him and in a few quick steps, planted herself between him and the door. “What is that?” She nodded at his chest pocket, which now bulged.
“Not now, we need to move. Please.”
“Alex doesn’t know where I am. He doesn’t know I’m here.”
“I don’t care. The sooner we’re out of the city, the safer we’ll be.”
Emma’s confidence faltered for a moment, but she focused her mind on Laska’s name and stood her ground. She reached out and touched his fingers lightly.
“Is that for me?”
Isaac’s frantic look softened, and his face changed entirely. Within moments, determination and tension melted, replaced with longing and a nervousness she’d never seen in him.
—-
Charles Snead of apartment 201 had been microwaving a TV dinner when the knock sounded at his front door. He grumbled and ignored the intrusion, but it came again, the sound harsh in the small flat. Charles shuffled his slippered feet across his home and looked through the peephole on his door. A well-dressed man stood outside.
“Whaddya want?” Charles asked without opening the door.
“I’m Detective Gaffner. There’s been an incident and I just need to know if you’ve seen a certain person of interest around here.”
Charles frowned, unlocked his door and pulled it open. “Sorry, detective, I—”
A single bullet from the well-dressed man’s silenced pistol ended his life, and his body fell to the floor with a thud. The man reached forward and quietly closed Charles’ door with a click.
—-
Melissa’s cat jumped from the bed, waking her a moment before she heard a knock at her front door. She frowned and looked at the clock by her nightstand. Who’s here at this hour? She cautiously moved from her bedroom, down a short hallway with a closet on her left, and stopped at her door. She looked through the peephole to see a stunning man with dark hair and a professional smile standing in the hall. “Who are you?”
“Ma’am? I’m Detective Gaffner. I’m so sorry to bother you this late, but we’re looking for a suspicious person, a woman. Our leads have us believing she may live in this building under a false name.”
“Oh,” Melissa said. “What name?”
“We aren’t sure of that information. However, we did receive a call tonight about a new victim of hers, and we’re just securing the area. Would you mind looking at a photo to let me know if you’ve seen her?”
“Of course, just a moment.” Melissa shut her door, removed the chain, and admitted the detective into her home. He brushed by her quickly. “Would you like any tea?” she asked and turned around to face him. His closeness startled her. Too late, she noticed the dress shirt he wore was speckled with blood.
“I won’t be staying, so no.”
He wrapped an arm around Melissa’s waist and, before she could scream, something cold and round was pressed to her forehead. Her world went dark.
—-
No one answered as Alex knocked on the door of 203. He listened carefully, but couldn’t hear any movement from inside. He waited a moment, and looked to his left down the hallway, back at the entrances to 201 and 202. He turned to the right and eyed the single apartment door that faced down the hallway, 205, when a sudden voice behind him caused him to turn.
“Do you need somethin’?” A short, balding man stood in the doorway of 204.
He smiled and faced the man, then walked toward him, hand outstretched. “I’m detective Gaffner,” he said. “M
y partner and I,” he gestured at a shorter, larger man to his right, “are tracking down a dangerous suspect that we believe is hiding in this building.” They shook hands. “Have you heard or seen anything out of place tonight?”
“No,” said the occupant of 204. He eyed the large, black object that leaned against the hallway’s wall next to the officer.
“Don’t worry,” the detective said as he gestured at the battering ram. “This is only in case we find her here, if she locks herself in somewhere.”
“Her?”
“Yes. You haven’t seen anyone suspicious at all?”
“Lemme see your badge.”
“Certainly.” The detective reached behind him and, in a quick motion, lifted his silenced pistol and aimed it at the balding man, who only had a moment for his face to register shock and fear before it fell slack as a bullet tore through his skull.
—-
“Isaac?”
“Yeah?” He was shocked to find his heart had stilled, that his mind remained calm, even though he was finally at the point in his life where he and Emma could finally disappear together.
“Is it for me?” Her blue eyes didn’t falter.
“Yeah.” He said in a soft voice. “Of course it is.” He pulled her closer and wrapped an arm around her waist. Laska chuffed once and retreated to the bedroom attached to the living room with a half-gnawed bone sticking out from her jaws. “Once this night is over, once we’re free of Alex and Vance, it’s going to be just you and me.” The butterflies he felt from her closeness fluttered every which way inside of him.
“Let’s find a cabin in the middle of nowhere.” She reached up to rest a hand along his cheek.
“Yes. Somewhere Vance would never think to look. It’ll be just you and me, McRae and Krouse, seeing the sights, living the life.”
Emma tossed her head, face alight with laughter. “Your last name is so German.”
“Hello,” he said in an exaggerated German accent, accentuating the hard H at the beginning. “Mai name ees Isaac Krouse!” He bowed, then laughed along with her until a burst of courage surged in him, and he put a gentle hand back along her hip.
She was so close to him. The feel of her in his arms, her body pressed against his, stirred the love he had harbored for her back to the surface in an overwhelming surge. The threat of Alex faded to the back of his mind as he said, “I...”
Isaac paused, his eyes locked with hers. This was his moment. This would define their future, either together or apart, and he’d never been more terrified. I’m in love with you. He formed the words in his mind, too nervous to speak them to her. Just say it, you idiot.
“Just spit it out.” Emma pulled him closer, her eyes hungry now. His doubt was replaced with determination. Isaac took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and their world exploded around them.
Emma let out a scream as the front door flew inward. Various wooden splinters flew every which way into the apartment, and the door’s trim was flung to the floor. A pinging noise sounded as the entire deadbolt landed on the floor near the kitchen. Isaac pulled Emma against him and shielded her body with his. The door hurtled open to reveal Alex, wooden slivers in his dark hair, a black police battering ram in his hands.
Alex lowered the heavy object and withdrew his Glock, silencer in place, from the back of his dress pants, which were dusted in debris from the attack. A manic grin was plastered on his face. “Hey, baby,” he growled, and aimed the firearm in Emma’s direction. Isaac pushed her behind his body and withdrew his own weapon from the back of his jeans.
“Oh, come on, I’m not here to shoot either of you. I just want Emma. We have so much to do.”
“Put the gun down, Alex,” Emma said. “Then I will.”
“Nah.” His eyes flicked down to take in their packed bags. He took a step toward them, anger now livid in his eyes. “Going somewhere?”
Isaac backed up, shielding Emma from the real-life monster. How the fuck did he find us? He felt a brief displacement of air, which didn’t connect with him until Emma was slowly approaching Alex.
“Promise you won’t hurt him,” she said to him.
“Emma, no!” Isaac reached out.
“Of course I won’t. I already said I wouldn’t.” Alex’s eyes moved to watch her progress, and Isaac lunged for the man’s Glock. A bullet flew past his left ear. Emma jumped back from them, arms raised in front of her face.
“Dammit, seriously? I was telling the truth. I wasn’t going to hurt you, but now I’m irritated. Hand it over.” Alex stretched his bloody left hand in Isaac’s direction. They stood less than four feet apart. “I’ll kill you quickly, but won’t hurt her.”
“Fuck you.” Isaac tightened his trigger finger. He knew Alex would most likely shoot him the moment he fired, but he saw no other way out of the standoff.
Before he could fire a round, Alex balled his hand into a fist and snapped it forward into Isaac’s face, underneath his right eye. He heard his gun fire as pain lanced through his cheek, and he staggered back. Alex grunted as Isaac’s bullet punched through his upper right shoulder, and his arm drooped. He was fast, though, and before Isaac could bring his Glock back up, he saw a burst of white pinpricks as Alex hit him again. He never felt the gun slip from his fingers, but watched it clatter to the floor. Alex bent over to pick up the pistol, already running forward, and Isaac wasted no time.
He turned and bolted into his master bedroom, and locked himself and a very scared Laska inside. He had barely moved away when a bullet tore through the cheap, hollow door. It passed Isaac’s right shoulder and embedded itself in the wall above his bed. Another bullet punched its way into the room and joined the first. He knew she could take care of herself, but couldn’t help but hate himself for leaving Emma with Alex.
Oh, God, what do I do? Isaac looked around as the handle of the bedroom door rattled viciously, his eyes wide, his breath frantic. There were only two feasible items within reach: an empty glass vase he never used and a small, solid decorative statue of a lion, its mouth open. The vase was closer, and Isaac’s right hand closed around it just as the door buckled underneath Alex’s kick.
Laska started to bark, her tail between her back legs, but she stood defiant next to Isaac as he squatted on the carpeted floor, arm cocked back. The moment Alex’s face appeared in the room, Isaac chucked the vase in his direction. Alex saw the movement and raised his right arm. Glass shattered all around him. A large, jagged piece sliced his bare skin, and Isaac saw a bloody line form on his forearm, but the man acted as if he hadn’t felt a thing. He did, however, pause in his assault, and Isaac took the moment of hesitation to lunge toward the other man.
Isaac felt pain in his jaw as Alex’s fist connected with his face, and he stumbled backward, blood of his own dripping out of his nose. He stumbled over his own feet and tipped backwards to the floor, landing with a thud. Without a moment’s hesitation, Alex pulled his leg back and kicked Isaac across the face, knocking him to one side.
—-
“I’ve always wanted to put a bullet in you.” Alex aimed at Isaac, but a brown and white blur moved forward, and sharp teeth closed around his left ankle, piercing his Achilles’ tendon. Alex grunted as his leg weakened. He turned toward Laska, who was fiercely latched onto him. He kicked with his right leg but stumbled, her teeth digging deeper into his calf. He reached out to steady himself with one hand on a low dresser, then kicked at the dog again.
Laska saw the attack coming. She let go and bounded away from Alex the moment before his foot could connect. She lunged again. This time she leaped high into the air, aiming for his throat, but Alex lifted his injured left arm up, and her teeth clamped down on his forearm. He stumbled back against the dresser and slid down under the weight and ferocity of the dog, his face contorted with rage. He could hear Isaac moving as he struggled to stand, still dazed from Alex’s kick to the head. Grimacing, Alex rested the nose of his Glock against the dog’s head, and pulled the trigger. Blood sprayed the white dr
esser in a random pattern, and she crumpled.
Alex quickly heaved the dog’s body off of him and stood. He turned toward Isaac and his head snapped back as the younger man punched him in the temple. His fingers loosened around his gun and it dropped to his side. Isaac was screaming wordlessly. Alex’s head lurched back once more as Isaac hit him again, and he fell against the wall next to the dresser as blood trickled down his chin from a split in his lower lip. He saw a fist fly toward him again, but Alex brought his knee into Isaac’s stomach before the hit could connect, doubling the man over. He pushed himself away from the wall and wrapped his hands around Isaac’s throat, then squeezed, fury nearly blinding him. Gurgles were the only thing that he heard for a moment as he choked the life out of Isaac, and an excited grin spread across his face.
“Alex!” Emma stood behind him. “I’ll fucking shoot you.”
He turned and took in the sight of her aiming her Ruger down at his head, and he laughed. “You won’t shoot me. You love me.” His eyes danced as he grinned. “And you might hit him.”
“You think I won’t risk that?”
“Judging by how close you two were when I came in, no. However.” Alex softened his voice. His hands loosened on Isaac’s throat, and he heard the man gasp for air. “If you give me your gun and come with me, I’ll let him live.”
“Liar,” Emma spat. The nose of her gun shook slightly, and he grinned.
“No. I’ll keep my word. Promise.” He extended his left arm from his position kneeling above Isaac, palm up, hand outstretched, completely unfazed by the gun in his face. “I won’t kill him,” Alex reassured.
When she didn’t move, he rolled his eyes. “If you don’t, I will kill him. So your best bet is to give in and see if I keep my word or not.”
“Emma.” Isaac coughed from the floor underneath Alex. “Just go. I’ve got this.”
Grim Ambition Page 22
