Page 144 of Guarding Grace

I clasped the tiny compass Terry had given me, and my choice was clear. Sneaking out without notifying Constance or Zane was the only way to free Marci. I had no idea how this guy could see me, and if leaving my office would provide any cover. And knowing the Hawk people, if I let them know about the call, they’d either prevent me from going or follow me and put Marci in danger.

When it had only been about me and Elliot, calling Terry had been the smart thing to do, but calling now, or letting Constance or Zane know, would doom Marci. It might even lead the monster to attack another of my employees.

As the phone went into my big handbag, I noticed my keyring, and a plan formed. I had a key to disarm the alarm bar on the emergency exit by the bathrooms at the back of our offices. I only needed to avoid having Zane or Constance see me slipping out that way.

Noticing the Pain Pen Terry had forced on me, I shifted it to the bottom of the bag. Then I remembered the phone he’d given me. I didn’t dare risk calling him, or having the phone ring when I met Mr. Evil, so I powered it off and hid it in one of the inside pockets that zipped shut. With any luck, I might get to use it later.

The tremor in my hand had stilled. Fear had turned to anger. It was time for this momma bear to take care of her people, and I would gladly Taser this guy’s ass into next week. Nobody, but nobody, got to hurt my family.

Hefting the bag, I strode out of my office and looked right.

Zane looked up. Constance was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Constance?” I couldn’t risk running into her during my escape.

Zane stood. “She’s on a Starbucks run.”

“Bathroom,” I said and turned toward the ladies’ room.

Zane jogged over.

“You going to listen to me tinkle?” I chided.

He fell into step next to me. “Terry said to not let you out of my sight.”

I stopped at the entrance to the short hallway with the restrooms. “Maybe you could give me a little privacy and guard the hallway from here? Or do you need to come in and help me with my tampon?”

His nose wrinkled, and he pulled out his phone. “Here is good.”

Success.The more masculine the man, the more the T-word affected him.

I pushed open the door to the ladies’ room and looked back. Zane stood at the end of the hallway with his back to me, scrolling on his phone.

I let the door close and tiptoed down the hall and around the corner to the emergency fire escape. Careful to keep quiet, I retrieved my keyring and located the odd key for the alarm bar. Which way did it go?

The key slipped in my sweaty hand. I tried both directions, but it didn’t budge.

“Hey, man. Can I use the bathroom?” It was Paul.

“Sure,” Zane replied.

In this location around the corner from Zane, but directly opposite the door to the mens’ room, I was out of time. Pulling out my phone, I sent a quick text to Paul.

ME: Come

Not a great message, but it was all I had time for. With my blood rushing loudly in my ears, I almost didn’t make out the sound of Paul’s phone chime.

His footsteps stopped, then started again, but going away rather than coming toward me.

I let out a breath. That had been close. With a very short time before Paul found my office empty, I pulled out and re-inserted the key. This time, it turned.

But had I properly disarmed it? My heart was in my throat as I pushed on the bar.

A whoosh of incoming air from the stairwell greeted me as the door opened. Quickly, I slid through and gently closed it behind me. My nerves were shot, and the sound of the door latching again might as well have been a gunshot, as loud as it sounded to me.

The clock was ticking for Marci as I hurried down the stairs and out into the alley on the side of the building. When I rushed to the street, Constance was returning with her haul from Starbucks, so I slipped back into the alley.Tick-tock, tick-tock. I waited until I heard the door to our building open and close.

A careful glance around the corner showed the coast was clear, and I hurried down the street to the bus stop, guessing I wouldn’t have to go farif the monster could see me through my office window. My phone rang as soon as I sat on the bench.