Wanting nothing more, Sophie rushed to her locker. She fumbled with the padlock a couple of times, her nerves and broken wrist making it more than a little difficult to get the combination just right.
When she finally got the lock free, she opened the metal door and pulled her bag off the hook.
“I’ll take that.” He grabbed it out of her hand.
“There. You have what you want. Just...go.”
“Thanks for your help, Doc. It’s been a pleasure.”
Sophie held her breath and waited. Colton turned to leave, but right as he took a step toward the door, the deadbolt turned, and another employee walked inside.
It was Daryl, one of the night security guards. He must have been out making his rounds. And since he was security, he had a key to the room.
At first, he looked confused, but then he recognized Colton’s face.
A second later, all hell broke loose.
“You’re that journalist. The one from the news.”
Moving lightning fast, Colton pulled his gun and wrapped an arm around Sophie’s neck. Using her body as a shield, he pressed the gun’s barrel against her temple.
“Remove your gun and toss it over to me.”
“Whoa!” Daryl held his hands up. “What the hell, man?”
“Just do it!”
“Okay, okay.” The kind man did as he was told. He pulled his weapon from his holster, acted as though he were going to throw it over to them. Instead, he decided to be a hero and raised the weapon in Colton’s direction.
In a panic, Colton fired his gun, hitting Daryl in the middle of his forehead. The poor man was dead before he ever hit the ground.
“Fuck!”
Sophie’s scream got caught in her throat. So much violence. God, she was sick of theviolence.
“You need to run,” she told the man holding her hostage.
“I can’t fucking run, now!” He yelled. “The cops will be swarming this place before I get the chance to leave!”
“That’s not true,” Sophie lied. “There’s no way someone didn’t hear that shot, so yeah. The cops will be headed this way. But you still have time. If you go right now, you can go out the way we came in. You’ll be gone before the police get here.”
He was considering it. She could practically feel his wheels turning.
Colton started to loosen his hold, but at the last second he held her tight and said, “Fine. I’ll go. But you’re coming with me.”
“What? No!” Sophie shook her head wildly. “You can move faster without me.”
“But if they do show up, I’ll need insurance. Something to keep them from shooting my ass. Come on.” He began walking them to the door. “You’re exactly what I need to get myself out of this mess.”
Walking awkwardly together, they made their way across the room and to the door. Sophie forced herself not to look at Daryl’s lifeless body, for fear she’d break down completely and get herself killed.
Oh, god.
She thought about Jason. Wondered how he was. Where he was.
And as they entered the hallway, Sophie wondered if she’d ever see him again.
****