Sarah, I got you.
Chapter 16
Sarah had seen Rod. She whispered to Drake and started for the open door of the elevator, ducking down to avoid detection.
Drake had stepped out of line and called Rod’s name.
What the fuck is he doing?
Sarah looked across the corridor and into the eyes of Rod Howley. He bolted into action, running at her, his face showing all his anger in an instant.
Sarah lunged out and grabbed Drake’s arm.
“Let’s go!” she shouted and pulled him toward the open elevator. There were too many people. The door crowded up.
She looked back over her shoulder. Rod was five feet away.
“Gun!” she shouted in the most hysterical voice she could summon. “He’s got a gun. Everybody, run!”
She expected instant chaos, but only a few people reacted, looking around to see who carried a weapon.
What is it with Toronto people? Does everyone have a gun?
She had succeeded in clearing the doors enough, but Drake had trouble. Rod was right behind him, reaching for Drake.
“Shoot him,” Sarah yelled. “Use your gun. Kill the scum where he stands.”
That got people moving faster. Rod had caused a scene by running at Drake and Sarah. Men and women ran away from the elevator. One woman shouted that she was calling the police. Another woman just screamed.
Sarah lowered her center of gravity and grabbed Drake around the waist. She pulled him into the elevator while three people edged past them on their way out.
The door began to shut. It got caught and opened again.
Sarah moved to the right and jammed her thumb on the close door button, holding it down.
“Drake, get that fucking door clear,” she yelled at him.
Whatever he heard in her voice, Drake complied. He pushed forward like a defensive linebacker, clearing the door far enough for it to close.
In the small gap of inches, just before the door closed completely, Sarah saw Rod’s face. His expression was complete and utter hatred for having to deal with her this way.
It must really fuck him up to always be chasing me.
Then she turned to Drake. There were three other men still on the elevator with them. All three moved away from her as she glared at Drake.
She brought her hands up, grabbed his collar and shoved him up against the wall.
“What the fuck were you thinking?”
One of the men on the elevator reached out and touched her shoulder.
“Hey, take it easy. It’s over. Let him go.”
Sarah slapped the hand off her shoulder. “Whatever touches me again gets broken. Don’t test me when I’m this pissed off.”
She looked into Drake’s eyes, nose to nose. “What was that all about?”
“Get off me,” Drake said. “We will talk when you’re not all up in my face.”
Sarah let him go and looked out the glass wall at Toronto rising to meet them.
“Is it true?” Drake asked. “Did you really knife your ex-boyfriend in the stomach and you’re wanted for murder?”
“Is that what this is all about? Did Spencer tell you that?”
Drake nodded.
“Believe what you want,” Sarah said as she stepped to the corner of the elevator.
“No,” Drake shook his head. “I want to hear it from you. Are you the hero I thought you were or a criminal on the run?”
Tears of disappointment edged into her eyes. “I will tell you this. I’m no hero.”
She couldn’t believe she had actually started to feel something for Drake. Sure he was hot, but she could do without the drama. If he was that easy to sway, anyone could tell him anything and he’d play for that team. Rod had almost got her again.
Rod would radio down to have cops waiting at the bottom. There had to be a way out. The roof was too high to try the square access door. The only way out was the main door.
She looked through the glass and Toronto disappeared as the elevator entered the building at the base and slowed.
She was out of time.
“Okay, you three, up front. Watch the doors.”
The three strangers did what they were told. After hearing talk of murder, she was sure none of them really wanted to test her.
“What are you doing?” Drake asked.
She definitely heard hurt feelings in his voice.
Yeah, well, I’m hurt too.
“Rod will have called down. People will be waiting for us. There’s no way I’m going back with him to his bunker.”
The elevator came to a complete stop. All five of them looked forward as the doors started to open.
Hunkering down low, with no sight on what lay beyond the doors, Sarah could feel the police presence.
No one on the elevator moved.
She glanced over the shoulder of the guy who had touched her a few moments ago.
More than half a dozen cops stood in a semicircle, their weapons aimed at the inside of the elevator.
It’s over. Rod has gotten me again. Fuck, how could he track me so good?
The lights on the elevator turned off. The power went out.
“Nobody fucking move,” Sarah said. “I’m very serious.”
“Sarah Roberts, please step out of the elevator,” a voice commanded from beyond. “It has been taken out of service. The doors will not close. You have nowhere to go. Come out with your hands up.”
Chapter 17
Elmore ran up to the back of the line of cops as the elevator doors opened.
He flashed his badge and turned to a cop beside him.
“I’m to take Sarah Roberts and her companion into my custody. I’m with the Americans. She’s to wait in my vehicle out front until they can rendezvous with me here.”
The privately hired armed security guards surrounding the elevator looked nervous. The one Elmore spoke to seemed eager to have Sarah off his radar.
“Sure, if you can get her off that elevator. We’re not going in there.”
Elmore edged between two guards and stepped to the elevator door.
“Okay, let’s go,” Elmore said. “You three, get off the elevator first.”
The three in the front hustled out and away from the door. He knew he was running out of time. At any second, real authorities would show up. He would be arrested. He had to get her now and do it fast.
He stepped to the open door and saw her silhouette in the darkened elevator. A feeling of major achievement washed over him. Sarah Roberts, the real Sarah Roberts was all his, to do what he pleased for as long as he wanted.
