Page 94 of Choosing Stella

“Stella!”

A security officer dropped a knee beside the gunman and reached for the weapon. I left him there and forced my way through the crowd.

My receiver vibrated against my ribs.

It was Stella’s alert.

The live channel opened in my earpiece with a burst of crowd noise and her voice.

“I’m not going into that room.”

I changed direction immediately.

The tracker showed her moving east, away from the ballroom and into the restricted interior corridor.

Volkov’s voice came through next.

“We don’t have time for this.”

“Then let go of me.”

A crash exploded over the feed.

Stella shouted my name.

I ran faster.

Two Exchange employees stepped into the corridor ahead of me.

“Sir, you can’t—”

“Stella Moon is with Volkov.”

I went around them before either could answer.

Her voice came through again, sharper now.

“You killed Antonio.”

A beat passed with nothing but movement and breathing.

Then Volkov answered.

“Antonio should’ve listened to your reading.”

Now I knew it was Volkov.

I ran harder.

“You knew about the reading,” Stella said.

“Antonio told me after you left.”

“And then you killed him.”

“He’d become careless.”

A door shut somewhere over the audio.