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Ryker was pretty sure Ezra wasn’t involved. There was a knock on the door and Ezra peeked through the peephole, turning back to Ryker with a grin. “You got some ‘splainin to do,” Ezra said in the worst imitation of Desi Arnaz that Ryker had ever heard.
With a grin, Ezra opened the door and let Detective George Middleton into the room.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” shouted Middleton. “I told you and that writer girl to stay out of police business.”
“What business would that be, Detective?” Ryker responded, standing his ground. “You haven’t even registered a crime. I suggest you do that before the MCU finds out you’re fucking around on their turf.”
“You threatening me, McKay?”
Ezra sat down on the end of the bed and looked between the two men with a grin on his face. He was enjoying this.
“No threat, just a gentle suggestion, followed by the threat that if you don’t, I will. Something makes me think that you, either directly or indirectly, have knowledge of the crime of Antony Cobain’s murder.”
“You can’t intimidate me, McKay.”
“I don’t doubt that. You’re too stupid to be intimidated. And I don’t care if you’re intimidated or not, I’m just telling you I’m going to the MCU with what I know, including your unwillingness to turn over this case or even properly investigate it.”
All the warning bells in Ryker’s head that had kept him alive in some of the darkest hellholes in the world suddenly started ringing. Lori was in trouble, and he knew it.
“I think you and I had better take this downtown,” Middleton said, reaching behind his back and pulling out a pair of handcuffs.
“I wouldn’t let him use those on me unless he bought me dinner first,” quipped Ezra.
“Ezra…” started Ryker.
“I know I’m going to regret this,” Ezra said, standing up and bringing a wine bottle that had been sitting beside him down on Middleton’s head.
“I owe you.”
“I know. I want an invitation to the wedding.”
Ryker grinned. “Done.”
“Should I call the cops?”
“You just clobbered one of their own. Call the MCU and ask to be put through to Slade Rafferty or Thorn Wilder. Tell them I’m going after Lori and give them the Everything Vintage address.”
“Will do. I’ll handcuff our friend here to something solid so if he wakes up, he won’t be able to interfere. Be careful.”
“Thanks,” Ryker said, running down the hall to the hotel’s only elevator. When he didn’t hear it moving, he sprinted to the stairwell and ran down the steps as fast as he could, rushing out into the night and hoping he wasn’t too late.
CHAPTER 17
LORI
Lori felt the darkness begin to claim her and knew that death was only a few moments away. She had two final thoughts: that she at least had found Ryker to love and be loved by, and then that she was not going to die and lose him. They hadn’t had enough time together.
Annette pulled the typewriter ribbon even tighter, shaking her as she did so. “Just die!” screeched Annette. “Die!”
The woman tightening the noose was unhinged and becoming enraged. Lori had once read that in the face of overwhelming odds and imminent death, those who survived were those who remained calm and thought clearly. Keeping her fingers between the typewriter ribbon and her neck, Lori gave what she thought would be heard as a final sigh escaping her mouth as she released her hold on the ribbon—without removing her fingers from beneath it.
Annette gave her a final shake, and Lori forced her body to remain limp.
“It’s about damn time,” Annette said with satisfaction.
Annette backed away, and Lori could hear her swatting at her clothes as if whisking away dust or dirt. Was she trying to banish the act of murder?
Lori cracked her eyes open to the merest slit possible. Annette moved from behind Lori, back into Lori’s limited vision and close enough that Lori thought she might have a shot at getting away. Holding onto the chair with one hand, Lori kicked out with both feet, connecting with Annette’s stomach, sending her stumbling backwards. Launching herself from the chair, Lori’s feet hit the floor at a dead run, reaching up to rip the typewriter ribbon from her neck. She reached for her cell phone. It must have fallen out when she came out of the chair. Maybe not. Lori vaguely remembered placing it on the shelf next to where she’d been sitting. She ran towards the door at the front of the store as Annette was between her and the door into the alley.
