Mandy was halfway between the fourth and fifth floors when she heard the door to the stairwell shut. She sucked in a breath, forcing herself to pause so she could listen. The door had a spring that caused it to close slowly instead of slam shut. That didn’t mean someone hadn’t followed her into the stairwell before it closed.
After a few moments, Mandy let herself breathe again, continuing her descent without the dreaded echo of footsteps haunting her back. Each floor she encountered made her feel that much better. She was almost to the main floor and safety. She would stand in the middle of the lobby, where the light was brighter and the front doors offered an archway of safety, and everything would be fine.
When she finally arrived on the main floor she stilled as she reached for the door handle. If the man from the sixth floor hadn’t followed her into the stairwell, where was he? Had he taken the elevator down to throw her off? Was he waiting for her? She considered going back up a floor and hiding until James arrived, but she realized she’d left her cellphone sitting on her office desk and there was no way she could risk retrieving it. Which meant there was no way of contacting James. The lobby was her only option.
Mandy sucked in a breath and pulled the door open, stepping into the wide expanse of the lobby to face her fate.
JAMES was frustrated. He’d texted Mandy twice to tell her he was almost there, but she hadn’t responded. He didn’t like it. She always replied. There was no way she hadn’t seen his texts … unless … .
James pushed his foot down on the accelerator of his Explorer, cutting off an elderly woman in a Taurus as he navigated through traffic. He practically jumped out of his skin when his phone rang.
“Where have you been?”
“It’s nice to talk to you, too, bro,” Grady replied. “I can just feel the family love.”
James blew out an annoyed sigh. “I’m sorry. I thought you were Mandy.”
“I thought you were picking her up?”
“I’m on my way,” James replied. “I was running late. She’s not answering my texts. I don’t like it.”
“Maybe she’s just not near her phone.”
“Why would she be separated from her phone?”
“Maybe she’s in the bathroom,” Grady suggested.
“I told her to stay in her office.”
“Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go.”
James growled. “Why are you calling?”
“Oh, yeah, I might have something.”
“What?”
“It might be nothing,” Grady cautioned.
“Tell me.”
“Well, something popped up that is just … odd.”
“What?”
Grady laid out his discovery and, when he was done, the pieces slid into place for James.
“Are you absolutely sure?”
“Yeah,” Grady said. “I’m absolutely sure.”
THE LOBBY was empty – at least at initial glance. The knowledge should have made Mandy feel better, but it didn’t. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.
“I didn’t realize anyone was still here.”
Mandy recognized Clint’s voice, but she couldn’t find him in the eerie emptiness. It was still light outside, but the sun had started its inevitable descent to the horizon and the shadows were growing longer and stretching further into the lobby with every passing minute. The waning sun filtering through the lobby’s growing shadows was creating a filmy haze that caused Mandy’s mind to flit to her beloved horror movies.
“I’m just going to meet James outside,” Mandy lied. Her heart told her Clint was innocent – that he was safe – but her head wasn’t sure. Why hadn’t he showed himself? Where had he come from? Had he just been up on the sixth floor?
“James, huh? You’re spending a lot of time with him. You must really like him.”
He was somewhere on the east side of the room, Mandy ascertained, in the same vicinity as the elevators. That didn’t make her feel any better.
“I like him a great deal,” Mandy said. “He’s … .”
“He’s one of those macho guys,” Clint supplied. “All beef and brawn. I can see what you see in him.”
Mandy was fairly certain that James would balk at being called “macho,” but she didn’t verbalize the thought. “He’s very attractive,” Mandy agreed. “He also has a big heart and a kind soul.”
“So, he’s the whole package?”
“Yes.”
“I want to be that someday, the whole package I mean,” Clint said, his voice wistful.
“How do you know you’re not already?”
“You weren’t interested in me,” Clint pointed out. “You barely knew I was alive.”
Mandy took a step forward; scanning the area where she believed Clint was hiding. “James has always been it for me,” she admitted. “I’ve been in love with him since I was a teenager.”
“He didn’t feel the same, though?”
“No. He was older than me. Most eighteen-year-olds aren’t interested in middle school girls – at least the good ones.”
“What changed?”
“I grew up.”
“And that’s when he noticed you?”
“Yes.”
“I guess that’s sweet,” Clint said after a beat. “I’m glad you’re happy.”
“Thank you.”
Clint lapsed into silence and the only noise Mandy could hear was the heavy beating of her own heart.
“Clint?”
“Yeah.”
“Where are you?” Mandy forced her voice to remain even. She didn’t want him to know she was suspicious – or terrified, for that matter. She wanted him to think everything was normal.
“I’m right here.”
Mandy narrowed her eyes, peering into the heavy shadows. “I can’t see you.”
Clint stepped forward, revealing himself. His face was unreadable, but Mandy was convinced that it wasn’t happiness she saw reflected there.
“Can you see me now?”
“Yes,” she said, blowing out a shaky breath. “I can see you.”
“Why are you acting so weird?”
“What do you mean?”
“You seem like you’re scared of me.”
“I’m not scared of you.”
“Then why are you trying to get to the lobby doors and keep your eyes on me at the same time?”
“I’m just anxious to get home,” Mandy lied. “It’s been a long day.”
Clint didn’t look convinced. “I would never hurt you. You know that, right?”
“Of course you would never hurt me, Clint,” Mandy said, trying to placate him. “It’s not in your nature.”
Clint took a step toward her, causing Mandy to shuffle backwards. His brow furrowed. “You are scared of me.”
“No. I’m just tired. I already told you that.”
“Let me walk you to your car.”
“I’m waiting for James.”
“Is he running late?”
“I’m sure he’s right outside,” Mandy said. “I’ll just wait for him out there.”
“I can wait with you.”
Mandy was moving faster now, focusing on the lobby doors. She fought the urge to glance over her shoulder and lost. What she saw when she finally focused on Clint again took her breath away.
Clint was standing next to one of the pillars, hands on his hips, but he wasn’t following her. Behind him, another figure had detached from the darkness and was closing the distance between him and Clint.
Mandy opened her mouth to issue a warning, but it was too late. The figure was on Clint in seconds, a knife gleaming in the dark. Clint screamed when the blade pierced the tender spot between his shoulder blades, dropping to his knees for a moment before ultimately collapsing on the floor.
Twenty-Six
Mandy was glued to her spot, the lobby doors behind her and the ominous figure ten feet in front of her. Clint hadn’t moved since hitting the floor. S
he had no idea if he was dead. She knew he was in imminent peril. So was she, for that matter.
She was facing a conundrum. The front doors were right behind her, but she would have to escape through the smaller side door if she wanted an escape. The big, double-doors weren’t an option because of the timer. The two doors would slow her – and the man wasn’t far enough away to make up the difference.
Mandy slipped off her shoes, leaving them on the floor, never taking her eyes from the menacing figure. She couldn’t make out any facial features. It was too dark and she was too far away. She didn’t recognize the man’s build, and nothing about the way he stood jogged her memory. He was just a shape, nothing more.
“I don’t know who you are,” Mandy said. “I don’t know what you want. I don’t know what I’ve done to you. Maybe you can tell me, and we can fix this without anyone else getting hurt.”
The figure laughed harshly but didn’t respond to her offer.
Mandy made her decision, running in the opposite direction of the front doors. It probably was a mistake. She was hoping it would catch him off guard long enough for her to run out the back door, the one that led to the back patio.
Mandy didn’t bother looking over her shoulder. She knew it would just slow her down. She hit the metal bar on the back exit, shoving as hard as she could, escaping into the cool, dusk air.
The figure was only a few steps behind her now.
JAMES banged on the front doors of the lobby fruitlessly, shaking them as hard as he could. He had no expectations of being able to open them. He could only hope that a security guard would investigate the ruckus and let him into the building.
After two more tries, James pulled away, running his hand through his hair in abject frustration. How was he going to get inside?
James turned back to the doors, placing his hand over his eyes so he could peer inside. What he saw caused his blood to run cold. There were a pair of black pumps – the ones he was sure Mandy had been wearing when he kissed her goodbye this morning – discarded in the middle of the floor. A few feet away, another pair of shoes – these ones clearly belonging to a man – were barely visible in the ring of light. After a second, James realized those shoes were attached to legs, which meant someone was either dead – or unconscious – in the middle of the floor.
James didn’t hesitate. He pulled his gun from his belt holster, disengaged the safety and fired. He aimed at the glass pane in front of him, unloading a full clip into it. Then he lifted his leg, kicking hard, causing the glass to shatter in a mini explosion.
James glanced around the lobby once he was inside. He couldn’t see any movement.
He moved to the body on the floor, frowning when he recognized Clint. He pressed his fingers to his pulse point, detecting a faint beat. James pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed 911. He told the operation what was going on, disconnecting while she was still asking questions. He stood up and slammed another clip into his gun.
He had to find his blonde.
MANDY was at the edge of the patio, which was elevated about four feet above the grassy ground below. She could jump. It wasn’t too far. Where would she go after that, though? The busy Gratiot corridor was right behind the building, but she wasn’t convinced running into traffic at the tail end of rush hour was a great idea.
Her assailant was standing a few feet away, his chest heaving. A nearby streetlight cast a ghostly pall on his face, letting Mandy get a look at him for the first time.
He wasn’t extraordinary. His hair was dark and cropped close to his head. His eyes were flat and brown. His features were blunt, neither handsome nor ugly. He was just a man – and she didn’t recognize him. Still, there was something there. What was it?
“Who are you?”
“You don’t know?”
“I’ve never seen you before. I don’t understand. What do you want?” Mandy clenched her hands at her sides and waited.
“I want you to die, that should be fairly obvious.”
“Why? What did I do to you? Did you come through the court before or something? Is that how you know me?”
“I don’t know you,” the man corrected. “I know of you.”
Mandy frowned, confused. “It’s not exactly like I’m famous. How do you know of me?”
“Through my mother.”
Mandy shook her head. She was stalling now. If she could distract him, James would have time to find her. They were outside of the building. There were no doors standing in his way. The problem was, how would he find her at the back of the building? How would he know where to look?
“Who is your mother? Was she in court for some reason? Is that what you’re mad about? You know, I don’t hand down decisions. I have nothing to do with that.”
“What makes you think I’m mad?”
“Why else would you be doing this?”
“Because you have something I need,” the man replied.
“And what is that?”
“Money.”
Mandy was flabbergasted. “I don’t have any money. Why would you think I have money?”
“You don’t have any money yet,” the man corrected.
Realization finally dawned on her, memory snapping into focus. “You’re Troy, aren’t you?”
The man smiled, revealing a row of crooked teeth. “Ah, so you do know who I am. I see all that posturing was just an act.”
“I saw a picture of you once at my dad’s house,” Mandy admitted, biting her lower lip. “Sheryl had it on the end table.”
“But you didn’t want to meet me, did you?”
No, she hadn’t. Her father getting married again had thrown her for a loop. She’d agreed to meet Sheryl, even liking the woman without building a bond with her. As an only child, she’d never felt the need for any siblings. Adult stepsiblings weren’t an exception. He was nothing to her. She didn’t want to know him.
“Don’t you live in Idaho or something? I’ve never felt the urge to travel to Idaho. I mean, I like potatoes as much as the next person – especially when they’re paired with eggs – but Idaho isn’t a real vacation destination in my world. How would I have met you?”
“We could’ve sent each other cards or something,” Troy replied smoothly. “My mom told me to stay away from you. She said you weren’t my concern.”
“I still don’t understand,” Mandy hedged. “How does all of this add up to you wanting to kill me? And how does that get you any money?”
“Well, if you’re dead, then my mother will get all of your dad’s estate,” Troy replied. “The will is still in probate. It’s not settled. If she gets it all, then we can make amends. I’m sure she’ll be willing to share.”
“Or you can just kill her in six months and claim all of it for yourself,” Mandy suggested.
Troy grinned. “The thought has crossed my mind.”
“Your mom got a fair settlement,” Mandy said, wringing her hands nervously. “She’s got plenty of money to live on – and my dad left her the house. She’s set.”
“And yet you’re going to get a million bucks,” Troy countered. “How is that fair?”
“Because he was my father.”
“And he was her husband,” Troy shot back. “Everything should go to her. He chose to marry her.”
“She signed a prenup,” Mandy pointed out. “She didn’t want the money. She’s not greedy like that. She’s a good person. Wait … she didn’t send you here, did she?”
“Did she send me here to kill you so I can inherit everything in a few months? Um, no. She has no idea I’m even in town. I went to great pains to make sure people would still think I was in Idaho. I didn’t want to be tied to the area.”
That was some solace to Mandy – although only a little. She was glad she hadn’t been wrong about Sheryl. “You know, even if you kill me, your mom won’t get the money.”
“That’s a lie.”
“No,” Mandy replied. “That’s not how it works. If I die, the probate conti
nues and then the money passes on to the person named in my will.”
Troy’s face fell. “You’re lying.”
“I work in the court system,” Mandy reminded him. “It’s not a lie.”
“And who will get it when you die?”
“My mom, which means there’s absolutely no way your mom will ever see a dime of it. Do you really think my mother is going to give money to her ex-husband’s new wife? You’ve obviously never met my mother.”
“This is unbelievable,” Troy groaned. “I had it all planned out.”
“Not very well,” Mandy said. “I guess your plan to kill me is moot now. You can still get away. There’s no reason to … .”
“Finish what I started? Do you really think I’m going to leave you alive? You know I killed that security guard. You can identify me. If I kill you, though, there won’t be a witness. I’ll be safe. I may not have the money, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let you live just because I misread the situation.”
Mandy swallowed hard. She knew it wouldn’t be that easy.
Troy took a step toward her. Her calves were already pressed against the cement lip of the patio. She had no choice. She was going to have to jump and take her chances on the busy road. She was out of options.
JAMES heard her voice and let the relief wash over him. She wasn’t dead. She wasn’t hurt. She certainly wasn’t safe, but he would die before he let that freak touch her.
He stepped out onto the patio quietly, his gun ready. Troy was closer to Mandy than him, but not close enough to physically put his hands on her. Yet. He had to draw his attention away from her.
“Don’t come any closer,” Mandy warned.
She hadn’t seen him yet, James was certain of that. She kept glancing behind her, at the ground beneath the wall of the patio. James realized she planned to jump.
“I don’t have a lot of time here,” Troy said. “I need to take care of you and then get out of here. I have a feeling that your little boyfriend will come looking for you sooner rather than later – and I really don’t want to have to kill him, too.
“He almost got me the other night outside of your apartment,” Troy continued. “I didn’t realize he was there. I should have. You two have been humping like rabbits. I should have known he wouldn’t leave you vulnerable. It’s just luck that I managed to get to you tonight. I hid in the building – in the bathroom – until I was sure everyone was gone. Finding you so … exposed was like fate, and you can’t ignore fate.”
Deadly Intentions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 1) Page 19
