squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the worst.
He launched into a myriad of curses before bolting from the room.
Slade exited the elevator to the sound of a woman’s scream. He sprinted down the hallway, and the nurse ran to meet him. “A man wearing a gorilla mask just ran through those doors.” She gestured to the stairwell.
Slade quickened his pace and shoved open the door. His boots thudded against the thick plastic floor as he took two and three steps at a time, gripping the rail for support. The rapid staccato rhythm of footsteps echoed as Slade hurried after the intruder.
The man was at least a level ahead of him and gaining speed.
A slam below indicated he’d exited the stairwell.
Slade jumped over the railing onto the main floor and burst through the door into the garage.
The squealing of tires reverberated throughout the cement walls. A dark SUV skidded out of the building, its red taillights mocking the chase.
He’d been so close! Slade slammed his hand on the wall, then spun on his heel and pressed the button on his shoulder mic. “Intruder escaped. Put out an APB on a black SUV, newer model, no plates, headed southbound from the hospital garage.”
The dispatcher responded but her words were inconsequential. Once again, the criminal had evaded arrest.
Yanking the door open, Slade nearly collided with the female security guard on the other side.
She stepped back, eyes wide in question.
“He got away. I’ll need to see your security footage.”
“Yes, sir.”
He passed her and jogged up the steps with the guard trailing behind.
“We can view the video in my office,” she called.
“Negative. Bring it to room 422. I’m staying with my witness.” Since I nearly got her killed by leaving her.
Slade didn’t wait for the guard’s response or for her to catch up. He threw open the door to the fourth floor and ran down the hall.
Trooper Lacey Fisher lay on a stretcher, and an orderly pushed her from Asia’s room into the hallway.
Slade increased his pace. “Excuse me.”
The man paused.
“Is she okay?”
“Unconscious but breathing,” the orderly answered, then resumed his mission, moving past Slade.
Thank God. Fisher was alive.
Torn between following the orderly and checking on Asia, Slade chose to receive Asia’s well-deserved rebuke. She could’ve been killed thanks to his lackadaisical approach to her security, and he’d learned a valuable lesson. Whatever it took, he needed to remain at her side, because whoever had their target locked on Asia Stratton would stop at nothing to get to her.
Asia focused on the nurse’s name tag, which read Ramona, as she snipped through the plastic ties. In her peripheral, she saw Slade enter the room and halt by the door.
The pounding pulse beating in her ears muted the woman’s soft words, and she captured only, “You’re safe now.”
“I’ll never be safe.” Speaking the words aloud solidified their truth for Asia.
“You’ll be fine,” Nurse Ramona assured her. “They’ll catch the man.” She gathered the remnants of the restraints and turned to leave.
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