My Iphone rings as I'm packing a suitcase. I don't recognize the number so I don't answer. I'm thinking Ray's boys might come for revenge soon, even if Ray tells them not to. I don't want to slow down for anything until Lucy and I are on our way to Rowan's. I tell myself I'll check messages once we're in the car.
She's sleeping in my bed under the quilt my brother helped make when he was in rehab the last time. A lot of the girls there had wanted a project to do together and he was the only guy there who worked on it, too. He was always soft like that.
Her bag of clothes is already in the trunk of the rental car, as well as my small bag of toiletries. I'd already taken down a load of stuff after dressing in clean clothes and re-arming myself with Ben's guns. I finish packing my clothes then put together a purse-worth of ammo for the guns I'm carrying. I make another trip down to the rental car then back up to get Lucy. I'll have to carry her down. I don't think she'll wake up anytime soon. I'm hoping she sleeps through the two-hour drive.
I come back up the back stairs, since I parked in the alley. I hear the elevator bell ring as I open the stairwell door to the floor of my apartment. I instinctively step back and let the door close to a slim slit, just enough space for me to see out. Four men in matching dark suits and ear pieces step out of the elevator and turn away from me, walk toward my apartment. They're not Ray's boys; I don't recognize any of them.
I hear soft footsteps in the stairwell, maybe one floor, maybe two, below me. I know in my bones, the same way I knew my mother was going to kill my brother, that these men are people I need to kill before they kill me and Lucy.
As quickly and quietly as I can, I close the door and screw the silencer back onto the piece Rowan gave me. I still don't understand why her husband had such an extensive collection of firearms, but it's not like I'm going to complain.
The second I verify the person coming up the steps matches the other men -- same outfit, same earpiece -- I shoot him in the chest. Even with the silencer the blast makes a small noise, amplified by the concrete stairwell. I'm hoping no one hears it.
When I crack the door open again and look down the hall the men have disappeared. I make a quick, silent sprint down the hall to my door. It's closed. I crouch below the sightline of the peephole in the door and press my ear against its cracked and peeling paint. I hear footsteps, maybe. Or maybe it's my imagination. Maybe they went one door down to talk to Mr Oberfitch about his cat.
Then I hear a heavier noise and a muffled voice saying, "Just the one. Want me to carry her out?"
"No," I hear, "Don't touch her. I hear the hit girl's got a trigger finger. I don't want to give her any excuses."
It takes all my self-control to keep from charging in and shooting shit up. That's my shit in there and, anyway, I don't want to accidentally hit Lucy.
"Did Mark check in?"
"No. Probably can't get his fat ass up the stairs."
"Arnold?"
"Yeah, lobby's clear."
"Where the fuck is she, then?"
There's a long moment of silence. I stay crouched, listening hard. One of them starts to hum.
"Shut up. No noise."
More silence, then, "Still no Mark?"
"Nossir."
I hear footsteps come toward me. I shift back so I'm clear of the door and hold my gun up, ready to fire. Nothing happens. I start to lower my weapon, thinking I'll try to listen again, when the door opens. A man walks out, his hands up, empty. I swallow and take aim.
"We're just here to talk, Rebecca," he says.
"About what?" I ask.
"Come inside and we'll have a little chat," he says.
I blink hard, resisting The Loop. I remind myself that Rowan's daughters might not be safe if I do as he tells me. It works; the muzzle of the gun dips a bit but I straighten it out and stand my ground.
"Thought you'd heard The Loop," he says, looking surprised.
"Fuck you and fuck The Loop," I say. I don't know what to say next. My original plan had been to shoot first, not have a conversation. He looks like he doesn't know what to say, either. We look at each other in silence for a moment.
"That your girl in there?" He finally says, tipping his head back a little to indicate my apartment, "Heard Ray gave her to you."
"A parting gift," I say.
"Would be a shame anything happened to a pretty gift like that."
"The more you threaten, the more likely I am to put a bullet in you," I say evenly.
"I've got three men in there," he says.
"I know."
"Not enough time for you to take all of us down before one of us gets to her."
"I know."
"So put your gun down and we can talk and your gift doesn't get hurt."
"No," I say, even as my gun momentarily dips again. I'm staring into his eyes and he's staring right back. In my peripheral vision I can see shadows shifting behind him in the dark hallway of my apartment.
"You shoot a man in a stairwell?" he asks. I don't say anything. He sighs.
"Listen," he says, "We didn't come to shoot anyone. We came to escort you to Reynolds'."
"I broke his arm," I say. His serious expression breaks and he grins.
"I know," he says, "One reason why I brought five men with me. I should have come alone, maybe, but, between your reputation and Ray's goons. . ."
"I'm not going to Reynolds'."
"You're going to Reynolds' if you want Lucy to survive the night. I know what Ray does to his honey pots, Rebecca. Reynolds is the only one who can help her."
"Rowan says he doesn't help anyone," I say.
He sighs again before saying, "Is the guy in the stairwell still alive?"
"Possibly."
"Fine. Look, I'm going to leave now and take my men with me and see if we can save Mark, okay? I'm sorry I bothered you, I'm sorry I came unannounced," he kept his eyes on me as he turned his head slightly and, raising his voice, said, "Guys, we're leaving empty handed, 'kay? No funny stuff, just head to the rear stairwell."
"Keep your hands where I can see them when you come out!" I call.
The men come out one by one, their hands up above their heads. I step back until my back's against the opposite wall of the hallway, so I can keep an eye on all of them. The guy who was talking to me backed away once his men were past him.
"When you get to Reynolds', tell him Williams said hi," he says, before he turns and follows his men down the hall and through the stairwell door.
I wait until the stairwell door closes behind him before I go into my apartment. I lock the door behind me then take a look around. Nothing's been touched. I do a double-take at the wine rack before I remember that there are empty spots in it because I packed a few bottles.
I'm not sure how to carry Lucy down. I'm not strong enough to carry her in one arm and shoot with any accuracy with the other. I don't believe Reynolds' friends won't be waiting for me somewhere between here and the car.
There's a timid knock at the door. I look out the peephole.
"Hey, neighbor," says Mr Oberfitch, his wrinkled face and bald pate distorted by the lense, "you okay?"
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