Page 114 of Chameleon Killer

I reached over and unlocked the passenger door before he could knock on it. He opened it two seconds later and climbed inside without waiting for an invitation. The interior light remained off even when the door opened.

A damn good precaution that Mallory had called me paranoid for. I grunted something unintelligible because you could never be too paranoid.

Rain beaded across the shoulders of Brewster’s overcoat. His tie was gone, his collar open and his expression was not friendly. He glanced from me to the curtain separating the back and he tugged it to the side to investigate all the surveillance equipment.

Only then did he look at me. “Where is she?”

“Good evening to you too.”

“Where?”

I debated ignoring him but his presence was already a problem. “She’s inside.”

He stiffened. “You let her go in there?”

“I don’t let Mallory do anything.” I didn’t bother to soften the implied asshole in my voice. If he wanted to take the insult to heart, well more fucking power to him.

“I’m sure that distinction will comfort everyone at her funeral.”

I curled one hand tighter around the binoculars until the metal bit into my palm. It grounded me long enough to remind me not to punch the dick.

“Get out.” The words came out hard and unyielding.

“No.” Brewster’s response was equally inflexible.

It took everything I had to not grind my teeth. I could feel the muscle ticking in my jaw. “It wasn’t a request.”

“Neither was mine.”

We stared at each other inside the cramped front compartment while rain ticked against the roof.

Brewster was the first one to look away, but I didn’t take that as winning any prizes with him. Actually, far from it, I got the impression I was more of a nuisance to him and far less a threat.

I was fine with that—for now.

“How long?” Brewster snapped.

As much as I wanted to ignore him, that seemed to be the worst of my options. Because I didn’t want him charging in there and blowing this for Mal.

With that in mind, I said, “Three minutes.”

“What floor?” Yeah, totally won points with him. The coldness in his voice dipped into something even frostier.

Since I didn’t know what I didn’t know, I said, “Eleven, probably.”

“Probably?” Disbelief punched up the three syllables like I was an idiot.

Maybe I was, but I wasn’t gonna react to his judgment. “The elevator stopped there.” Or it seemed to. That was the only light I’d seen.

I checked my watch, then shifted to slide into the back once more—after I made sure to pocket the keys.

He followed me. “You have eyes inside?”

“No.” I settled back in front of the monitors. With the curtain closed, the low light wouldn’t escape. I checked all the monitors so I could study the building for any sign of her.

“Audio?” Brewster crouched next to me after he glared around for another chair.

“No.” And I wasn’t giving him my seat.