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He was thinking that his father had taken nine shots.
So should she.
He drew in a breath and fixed the crosshairs on her white blouse.
You’re a dead woman.
Chapter 118
IT WAS QUIET NOW in the quadrangle. Rusty Coombs was either taking a breather or reloading.
Let’s do it. Me and you, pal.
I headed for the building in front of me. I felt a kind of controlled hysteria. Not good. I knew I was a target, and that Coombs could shoot.
Suddenly, I heard a gun burst behind me. I glanced and saw Jacobi firing at the tower.
Before Coombs could train on me, I darted under the cover of thick poplar branches, then around the building to within a few yards of the base of the tower.
I looked around and saw Jacobi with Kimes. He shook his head at me. I knew it meant, Please, Lindsay, stay put. I can’t do backup once you’re in the tower. I winked at him almost apologetically.
I ran around the tower until I found an entrance on the north side. I headed up the stairs and found myself in a marbled WPA-style lobby.
Elevator straight ahead.
I pressed for the elevator over and over, my gun trained on the doors. They didn’t open. In futility, I slammed my fist against the polished chrome doors. I screamed, “Police.” The shout echoed down the halls. I needed someone, anybody. I had no idea how to get to the top of the tower from here.
An older man in a maintenance uniform emerged from down a corridor. He recoiled at the sight of my gun.
“Police,” I yelled. “How do I get up there?”
“Man’s blocked the elevator,” he said. “Only way up is the auxiliary stairs.”
“Show me. Please. It’s a matter of life or death.”
The caretaker led me through a door and up to the third floor, then down a corridor to a narrow set of stairs. “You got yourself thirteen flights. Fire door at the top. Opens from both sides.”
“Wait in the lobby and tell anyone who comes that I’m up here,” I said as I headed into the narrow stairwell. “That’s a matter of life or death, too.”
“Yes ma’am. Understood.”
I started up. Thirteen flights. And I didn’t know what to expect at the top. My heart was racing and my blouse clung to my back with cold sweat.
Lucky thirteen. With each story, my breaths grew tighter and sharper. My legs began to ache, top to bottom, and I run four times a week. I didn’t know if I was crazy, going in there without backup. No, hell, I knew I was crazy.
Finally, I pushed past twelve and reached the top. Jesus. Only a solid metal fire door separated me from Chimera. My heart was exploding.
Through the door I heard more shooting. K-pow, k-pow, k-pow. He was at it again. I was scared that someone else might be killed. I was angry, pissed, I wanted him so bad. I checked my Glock and sucked in a breath. Oh God, Lindsay… whatever you do, do it fast.
The fire door had one of those heavy emergency levers that had to be pushed down to release.
I pressed it down and burst onto the observation deck.
Chapter 119
I WAS STRUCK with a blast of blinding sunlight. Then the chilling sounds: k-ping, k-ping, k-ping… the ejecting shells from the rifle jangling to the floor.
Rushing onto the deck, I spotted Coombs. He was kneeling in front of an opening with his rifle extended through the bars.
