Hey, everyone! Here's another chapter! Thanx 4 all the reviews…they rock! Enjoy!
"Night, Lindsey…" Stella yawned. "See you tomorrow."
She put the cordless phone back into its cradle and headed toward the bathroom to get ready for bed. She had just picked up her toothbrush and pulled out a tube of toothpaste when a creak from behind her stopped her cold.
Someone was in her apartment!
She quietly set her brush down on the sink and tiptoed toward the doorway. She peeked into her bedroom and saw no one there. Without a sound, she made her way toward the bed and reached under the pillow. Her fingers wrapped around the familiar cool metal.
With gun in hand, she slid into a dark corner of the room and waited…
The cop was gone—a fact that made his plan even sweeter. He'd sent the officer away on the pretense of relieving him and walked straight through the front door. He quickly made his way up to her apartment. He stepped up to the door and picked the lock. He twisted the knob and pushed the door open, withdrawing the gun from his hip. He took a deep breath, cocked the gun, and stepped into the room.
Moving fast, he slid through the apartment taking in the table, the kitchen, and the bedroom door to the left. He scanned the bedroom. Bed with rumpled blankets. No body.
A sliver of light snaked out through the slightly open bathroom door. He spun around. The floor creaked. She must be in the bathroom.
Moving more on instinct than with calculation, he flew across the room, shoved the door open, and trained his weapon on an empty tub.
Empty tub.
Empty room.
Empty apartment.
"Don't move."
Mac got off the plane, grabbed his things, and dashed out of the airport. He picked up his car at the lot and immediately headed straight for the lab. He was about halfway there when he got the phone call.
Stella was in trouble. He had to call Flack!
No, not now. Now he had to get to Stella.
Mac jerked his foot off the accelerator and slammed it down on the break. The car's tires squealed. A horn shrieked behind him. He swung into the left lane, ignoring another horn, and did a u-turn. He leaned on his horn and cut into the center lane with a brief glance in his mirror. He gunned the motor and shot forward.
His thoughts spun crazily as he drove like a madman toward Stella's apartment, breaking all the speed laws as he did. He had to get to her before…
"Drop the gun."
Stella had obviously been more alert than he'd guessed. She might not be as good a shot as he was, but with a gun at close range, she could kill just as easily.
He turned slowly, gun hand raised.
"I said drop it!"
He dropped the Colt.
He'd misjudged her, but if the CSI knew the extent of his skills, she'd have shot him while she had the chance. Instead, Stella thought she had the upper hand and intended to question him. Or use him.
He spread his empty hands. "Sastified?"
Stella stared at him. "You walk too loudly. I'm surprised you found a way around that officer sitting outside."
"It won't be your last surprise," the man said. "Why don't you kill me?"
"If you don't cooperate, I will. Now, who are you?"
"Why don't you ask the man you call your boss?"
"Mac?" Stella's eyebrows shot up. "How do you know Mac?"
"I know a lot of things. Things that could cost your friend his job."
"What are you talking about?"
The man let a shallow grin cross his mouth. Stella didn't know.
A noise in the hallway suddenly drew their attention. They both turned their heads toward the front door. With Stella momentarily distracted, the man twisted the gun from her hands and turned it on her.
Stella threw her hands in the air, now completely defenseless.
"Stay," he snapped, bounding for the door.
He could hear voices making their way up the stairs. The thought of being caught now mucked up his instincts.
Stella was reaching for the Colt behind him. He whirled around and shot the pistol from her hand. "I said stay!"
She cried out and snatched her hand close to her chest.
"Get up," he said, eyeing the window behind her. The fire escape was the only way out now.
He glanced out the window. Several squad cars were parked haphazardly down below including the one he'd sent away earlier. Stella's "bodyguard" had returned. Somehow, he'd figured out that the man who'd come to relieve him wasn't who he appeared to be. And he wasn't alone. He'd called for back up.
The loud pounding on the door suddenly reminded him of where he was. He pushed Stella forward, prodding her with his gun.
"Out the window!"
With no choice but to obey, Stella stepped out onto the fire escape. Her captor followed close behind. When she made no attempt to climb down, he shoved the barrel of his gun against her back.
"C'mon, move!"
She moved. He followed.
They were almost to the bottom when Stella spotted a familiar car pulling up at the curb. Her pulse quickened. It was Mac! The man saw what she was staring at and swore loudly.
"What are you gonna do now, tough guy? You'll never get past Mac."
"Shut up!" he shouted and pulled her roughly in front of him. He held the gun to her head and pushed her forward.
"What are you doing?"
"Mac is going to prove his love for you."
Ooo…exciting, isn't it? What happens next? Review to find out!