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It was then that Boris straightened up. He couldn’t see the stairs on the side of the house, so where was the Russian trio running off to now? And why, at two in the morning?
He crouched back down, at a loss, and waited in the brush. Maybe it was time to hit the woods again, retreat to the van. Shev might have to fend for himself. The stupid kid got himself trapped in the house, and now they had two blondes in pj’s to kill.
Dr. Parks sailed past Veronica, who was patiently sitting with Bandit, and raced toward the basement stairs. The kitchen door swung open, temporarily pinning Shev in the corner behind it. He ducked and held his breath.
The doctor flew down the steps to the basement and crossed the vast space, pulling a cord to turn on a single light bulb on the way to the side door. She flipped open the lock and let the stowaways in from the cold.
“Lock up behind you,” she said. “Find a place to hide and kill the light.” She was gone in a flash, taking the stairs two at a time. “They might not come in. They probably won’t. Stay and be quiet.”
“We will,” Masha said.
Just as the doctor shut the door at the top of the stairs, the front gate buzzer buzzed. Shev was crouching behind the door to the kitchen as she blew past and answered the intercom next to the fridge. “Hello?”
Through the intercom, an officer spoke.
“Good evening, ma’am. My name is Officer John McKay. From the Beverly Hills Police Department.”
Fuck,thought Shev,that was fast. The police were at the gate already?
“Hi,” said the doctor curtly. “Hello.”
“We received a call from your neighbor about a disturbance. Is everything all right inside?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Your neighbor said he heard possible gunshots from your property. If you have a problem you cannot discuss, please say the words, I am okay.”
“Yes,” said the doctor. “No. Thank you. I was the one who used the gun—I shot at some coyotes in my backyard.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes. My dog got out. I’m sorry.”
“What’s your name, ma’am?”
“Elizabeth Parks. I own this house. There were coyotes in my backyard.”
“Can you buzz us in?”
“Really, officers. It’s not a good time. It’s late, and my neighbor’s here. The same one who called you. We’re fine. Do you want to speak to her?”
“Ma’am. Please. Open the gate. We’d like to make a quick house check.”
“Okay.” The doctor rolled her eyes. “But I’d like to get to bed soon…” She looked at Veronica, then buzzed the buzzer that opened the gate at the bottom of the drive. It led to the street. “Um,” she said, into the intercom, “head left as you come up the driveway. Park in the circle. I’ll meet you there.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” said Officer McKay.
Dr. Parks released the intercom. Veronica headed toward the mudroom door.
“I’m out,” she said. “You good? You feel safe?”
“Thank you so much,” the doctor said.
“I’ll call you in the morning,” Veronica called over her shoulder, as Dr. Parks turned and scurried from the kitchen, past Shev again.
“Thanks!” she called. “’Night!”
“’Night!” called the actress.
