Page 106 of Rage

“No cell!” she cries.

I glance toward the hall, expecting Brooks to emerge, but the door is closed.

Clutching his face, Wingate lurches from the sofa, staggers toward me, blood gushing. Murderous eyes land on me. “You bitch!” he roars.

I look at the woman. “Shpringa!” Run!

And we sprint to the door.

CHAPTER 26

I slap the bolt lock open with my hand and we go through the door as a single unit.

“Hurry!” Kicking off her heels, Lucy runs down the walkway to the chain-link fence. She snaps up the lock. Her fingers tremble violently as she punches in the code. “They’re coming!” she hisses.

I watch the door behind us, expecting Wingate or Brooks to come through any second, pistol in hand. “Where’s Brooks?”

“I locked him in the back room.”

But I know that will only slow them down a few seconds. Wingate is likely already unlocking the door …

The padlock snicks open. She tosses the lock to the ground. I throw the latch and then we’re through the gate.

“Run to the club!” I tell her as we start across the parking lot at a dead run.

She looks at me as if to argue, but obeys.

We’re midway to the rear door of The Cheetah Lounge when I hear the clang of the gate behind us. I glance over my shoulder to see Wingate and Brooks charge through. I can tell by Wingate’s silhouette that he’s on the phone. Calling someone inside the club. Brooks’s hand is low and by his side. Pistol.

I reach the rear of the building with Lucy close behind me. To my left are the privacy fence and picnic table. I try the back door, but it’s locked.

“Shit.”

“I got it.” Choking back sobs, she slaps both hands against the door and pounds with her fists. “Let me in!” she screams, panic resonating in her voice. “Hurry!”

To my left, across the parking lot and through the trees, I can just make out the lights of a service station. A hundred yards away. I’m thinking about abandoning the club and making a run for it when the door swings open.

“Come on.” Angelica, one of the women I met before, hesitates an instant before stepping aside. “They’re looking for you,” she says to Lucy.

Lucy pushes past her. “He’s going to kill us!”

Angelica tries to close the door on me before I can enter, but I shove it open and muscle through. “Give me your phone.” I slam the door behind me and lock it. “Now.”

An instant of indecision plays across her features. “We’re not allowed to have phones,” she whispers.

“There’s one in the dressing room,” Lucy hisses. “They don’t know about it.”

“Take me,” I say. “Hurry.”

I’m not sure if I can trust either of these women; they could be setting me up for an ambush. Knowing I don’t have a choice, I follow. As we make our way through the storage area, I hear pounding on the exterior door behind us, telling me the men saw us enter the building. No doubt they’ll go around to the front and be on us in less than a minute. I have seconds to get to the phone and call for help.

“He’s going to kill us!” Lucy whispers.

“No he’s not,” I snap. “Stay with me.”

We enter a narrow hall. The music pours over us, too loud to hear anything else. To my left is the bar. Beyond, I see the stage lights. The silhouettes of patrons drinking and dancing. A few eyes turn our way as we walk along the back of the room and I’m keenly aware that Lucy is wearing nothing more than panties.

We enter an alcove. Ahead, I see another door, marked PRIVATE.