Page 48 of The Deputy's Secret Double

Lawson had to give it to the woman. She had spirit.

She scrambled to her feet and hurried backward so she was opposite him, the corner behind her. Despite being in a dress that didn’t seem too comfortable and boots with a noticeable height, she fell into another fighting stance.

The elevator was slowing.

He had no doubt Deputy Collins would meet them when those doors opened.

Lawson couldn’t go another round with this woman or her date.

He needed to finish what he’d come to do. Seeing the deputy had already been a complication. He didn’t need any more than he already had.

So Lawson pulled out the knife that security had missed.

It was small, thin, but undeniably effective.

And the woman must have realized it. Her stance went from attack to defense, her forearms raising slightly so she could cover her face if she needed to quickly.

Something Lawson wasn’t keen on testing at the moment.

He spelled it all out for her.

“You might be able to get some hits in on me, but with this, no matter how good you are, I’ll be able to return the favor.” He shook the knife. “And this will hurt a whole lot more than fists.”

The woman didn’t say he was wrong.

She also didn’t test his theory. She stood there in silence as the elevator doors opened again.

“Good to see you again, Deputy,” Lawson said in greeting to the panting deputy outside of the doors.

He eyed the weapon and then glanced at his date.

Lawson didn’t want to waste any more time. He pointed to the woman.

“Get out,” he growled. “Or I’ll shred both of you.”

If looks could kill, Lawson believed his time would have come to an end right then and there. Yet, the woman didn’t have the power. Instead, she shared a look with the deputy.

He nodded.

Only then did she slowly move along the wall and out of the elevator. Not one moment of that did she break eye contact with Lawson.

He had to hand it to her. She had been an interesting opponent.

Lawson turned the knife out and stood just inside of the elevator doors. The deputy moved but only to put himself in front of his date.

His stare was just as unrelenting as Lawson pressed the button for the first floor and then the close-door one next to it.

Lawson was glad to see that the deputy had enough sense to keep his position as the doors slowly started to close, but there was obviously something he wanted to say.

It just wasn’t at all what Lawson had expected.

“Marty Goldman was born from an affair. His parents lied. He isn’t adopted.”

Lawson’s head tilted in question just as the doors closed.

The ride to the first floor was faster than it had been on the way up.

Lawson made quick work of exiting it, and the building, without any issues.