Page 136 of Scarlet Promise

With a bark, he takes off, sniffing. At first, he heads to the elevator. She would have taken it to get up here in the first place, but after a sniff, he discards that idea and takes off around the corner.

Then he starts to bark in earnest.

We both follow him and behind us come the footsteps of Erin and Isla. It’s quiet up here. We round the corner.

There’s a service elevator and the emergency stairs. Like where I got shot.

“Wait.” He steps back and points to the stairs. “If they got on this elevator, we’ll be able to see which floor when we call it. We’re getting ready to open up some new floors for us. But they’re not ready but as those will be the ultra-secure floors, this elevator isn’t in use.”

“Which means if they used it, it’ll be called from the floor it’s on.”

Erin sweeps up Albert, and the two women step back with the dog.

“So, I’ll call it,” I say.

“No one’s using this one. At least they shouldn’t.” He waves a hand in the air then pulls out his gun to check it.

“You’re saying if they got on here, the elevator will be called from where they got off?”

He nods as he slides the clip back into place. “Yup. But press it now, and they’ll know. It’s one of four floors they’ll have gone to, because right now, the elevator’s locked from the lower floors.”

“I’ll take the stairs up,” I say, “and you press the button once it comes down so they think we’re in the elevator.”

“We fucking wait for backup,” Demyan says. “We don’t know if they took off to another floor. Cameras aren’t in the stairwell to the floor above yet. It could be a double bluff. And we don’t know how armed they are. You go through the door up there you’re a dead man.”

I narrow my eyes. “Albert knows they went in the elevator. And I’m not leaving her a moment longer.” I pull my gun. “I’m ready.”

He shoves me against the wall. “Like hell you are. Get killed, and she might die, too.”

“I stay here, and she will. You’ll have to kill me to stop me, Demyan.”

We stare at each other.

Then I lunge past him and press the button.

Floor eight lights up, then seven, then six. Now five. It dings.

I swing my gun up as the doors open.

It’s empty.

I shove my foot in the door to stop it from closing. “This is the plan. I’m taking the stairs. I’ll text you when I’m almost at the eighth floor. Then you press eight and let me know when it gets there. Then I’ll fucking take them out.”

I don’t wait for him to respond. I pull out my foot, leaving him no option but to put his in the way of the door.

It’s a good plan, I think as I take the stairs, turning my phone to silent.

If they see the elevator coming up, they’ll think we’re in there.

By taking the stairs, I’ll surprise them and kill them.

It’s risky. I know that, but it should work.

There’s no other option but for it to work.

Alina’s life is in my hands.

I text Demyan when I’m almost to the eighth floor. When I reach it, I press my ear to the stairwell door.