Page 97 of Missing Justice

“Don’t do this,” a woman said, her voice calm but riding the edge of it.

Shit. That was Caroline.

“Caroline?” Taylor mouthed.

Matt nodded.

“Let me check on my husband.” Caroline again.

“Pfft,” Ros said. “He’s not your husband.”

“Actually, he is. We did the whole Vegas wedding thing, complete with Elvis. Please, I won’t try anything. Just let me check on him.”

Silence. Seconds passed. Whatever was going on back there, they needed to get moving. Taylor, once again in perfect sync, pointed toward the hallway and Matt started moving.

The two of them duck-walked along the half-wall until it connected with a full-sized one. At the mouth of the hallway, Matt held up his hand. Taylor had seen Glaw in that hallway. If they swung around the corner, they’d be the best goddamn targets a shooter had ever seen.

Distraction.

They needed one. Pronto. Matt held up one finger then hustled to the reception desk, a tall L shaped deal that looked like solid teak. Ros sure didn’t skimp on the accessories. The top of the desk held only a phone and three metal stacking trays. Below though was a set of drawers. He slid the top one open and his gaze zoomed to the stapler.

He picked it up, tested its weight. Perfect. He glanced at Taylor, made a throwing motion and she nodded, immediately holding her weapon up, readying herself to charge into the hallway.

Matt mouthed a countdown. “One, two, three.”

Winding up, he hurled the stapler against the far wall hard enough to knock a chunk of drywall out of it. That would get some attention.

“What was that?” Ros said. “Check it. I’ll watch her.”

Staying behind the wall, Taylor pivoted, waiting for Glaw to step into the opening. Matt hustled back to where she stood and she snuck a glance at him. He saw it, that glint in her eye, the adrenalin overload that could send the mind to the worst possible places.

“Relax,” he mouthed.

She nodded, raised her weapon again and Glaw, idiot that he was, rushed into the opening, a giant .45 in his hands.

“Freeze!” Taylor said.

Glaw stopped, but still held the gun.

Matt drew down on him. “Drop that weapon! Now!”

But Glaw only smiled, a tiny smirk that told Matt all he needed to know about this asshole.

Matt trained his nine-millimeter at center mass and for effect pressed the button on his laser. The red beam dropped a dot on Glaw’s chest. “Not to be trite,” he said, “but go ahead, make my day.”

With two weapons pointed at him, Glaw made the smart move and lowered his. “Put it on the floor and kick it over here.”

Glaw complied, putting his hands up as a bonus.

“What’s going on?” Ros hollered from the back of the suite.

Matt jerked his chin at Taylor. “I got him. Go.”

Taylor angled around Glaw, giving him a slight push as she went by.My girl. He always did love a ballsy woman.

“On the floor,” he said, grabbing a couple zip ties from his back pocket.

“Stop!”

Caroline’s voice.

Shit.

“Matt!” Taylor’s voice came through his earbud. “Get down here. Now!”