Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Scarlet ran down the halls of North Pointe, screaming for an ambulance. “Someone help!”
She slammed into Alex’s chest and immediately began to pull him down the hall.
“Hurry,” she cried. By then, she caught the attention of Lance, two police officers, and a few dancers.
Alex directed the receptionist to call the paramedics, and he followed Scarlet to the locker room, where Nora was in hysterics, hunching over a woman’s body.
“I don’t think she’s breathing anymore!” Nora’s hands were bloody, and she was attempting to lay the woman down on the tile floor.
“What do I do?” Nora wiped tears from her eyes.
The area was thick with the remnants of steam, drenching everything with moisture. Alex loosened the collar on his dress shirt to relieve the sticky discomfort.
“Back up,” Lance ordered, entering the room. He pulled Nora off the floor and handed her to Scarlet before kneeling next to the fallen woman.
Alex gave Scarlet a reassuring pat before joining his friend.
Lance examined Lily’s head, wincing when he moved her hair aside.
“She’s pretty beat up,” he said. “But I feel a pulse.”
“Her leg.” Alex pointed. It was broken and had swelled up, turning a sickly shade of purple.
“She could have internal damage,” Lance commented. “Best not move her until the paramedics get here.”
As if on cue, sirens began to sound in the distance.
“Lily.” Alex leaned over and tried to coax her awake.
No response. Her skin was red and splotchy, but growing colder as the thick air cleared. He touched a few areas on her arms where the skin was starting to blister up.
“Get me more towels,” Alex barked at whomever would listen. “I need to elevate her leg.”
More dancers had filed into the locker room as well as some faculty. Madame Adele pushed forward and gasped at the sight before her. Her thick-rimmed glasses fogged up from the steam.
“Go get Edward,” Alex ordered her.
“He— he’s in a meeting with Mr. Brevic?—”
“Like I give a shit!” Alex’s voice rose.
The woman removed her glasses, nodded, and walked quickly from the room.
Lance stood up and held up his hands. “Everyone back up, give us some space.”
Scarlet sat the hyperventilating Nora on the tile, and moved to the edge of the shower room to grab more towels. She brought them back over and handed them to Lance.
Alex went over in his head the steps to stabilize trauma. The woman was unconscious, so not much could be done.
“Who is it?” one of the policemen asked.
Nora tried to control her breathing. “Lily Bennington.”
Alex let out a long breath, confused and angry at the situation. Beaten and dumped back here, he thought. Things weren’t looking good for North Pointe.
“She’s a diabetic,” one of the dancers spoke up. “Make sure you tell the paramedics that.”
“What’s happening?” another voice asked. “Are we all in danger?”
Alex blinked, wanting to answer the questions, but wishing for silence.
Mutterings began to run through the small crowed until Edward cleared a path with Andrej behind him. He surveyed the scene before telling the stray dancers to get out of the locker room.
Alex counted to fifty in his head before the paramedics showed up. He stepped back, letting them work, and wrapped Scarlet in his arms. She buried her face in his chest.
“Someone was here,” she said. “I sensed them moving around. I saw the shadows move.”
Andrej frowned at the back of Scarlet’s head, his eyes traveling up to Alex’s. He shook his head, kneeling to check on Nora.
Alex looked back at the police officers. “We should run a search on the area, lock it down. My team could use the help.”
The two officers looked at each other before nodding to Alex. Lance stepped forward and guided the officers from the room.
“Whoever did this threw her in the shower and then turned all the faucets to scalding hot.” Scarlet swallowed and winced. “Who does that?”
Alex didn’t have an answer for her. He was thinking about the reason the woman was dumped in the first place.
If she was kidnapped to sell, then returning her was out of the ordinary.
Was it a message, just like the last attack had been?
Or was it because she was a diabetic and therefore not worth the trouble?
Nora could have easily been taken, but she wasn’t. He wasn’t aware of any medical conditions.
It was a progression of events. Alex was overlooking something crucial.
Edward looked at them and shook his head.
“I’ll have to close. This is…” His voice broke and tears pooled in his eyes.
Alex’s heart went out to the man. He may have not been perfect, but he was family.
“Maybe it’s for the best,” Andrej said.
Alex squeezed Scarlet tighter and locked eyes with Edward.
“Give me twelve hours,” he said. “Close if you have to, but I’ll have something for you by morning.”
Alex was adamant. He was dead set on fixing things for Edward. Someone was purposefully making everyone’s life hell, and while Alex couldn’t give a shit about most of them, he cared for Edward, and he certainly cared for Scarlet.
He’d be damned if he let a few bullying thugs get the best of the people he cared about. The police were on his side; he just had to find the right plan of attack.
He took Nora and Scarlet home, made sure it was secure, spoke briefly to the two cops sitting in their cruiser in front, and then paused outside his SUV to figure out his next move.
Twelve hours, Alex thought as he glanced back up at Scarlet’s house. The white and blue building was hidden in shapes and shadows cast by the streetlight.
That was what he told Edward he needed. That would be his timeline. This was now some sort of end game that he had to figure out quick.
Uly, he thought. He should have something by now.
His phone rang.
Kyle Jackson’s voice sounded in his ear. “Meet me down at the station. Bring your men. I may have an idea and a lead.”
Thank God, Alex thought. “I’m on my way.”
“This Laurent woman says she’ll talk to us. She wants to come clean, and guess who her counsel is?”
Alex frowned. “Who?”
“Evelyn Delaney,” Kyle said. “Says they want to make a deal.”
Alex clenched his jaw. “So, Delaney is in on it.”
“In some way,” Kyle said. “But I get the feeling it’s not what you think.”
“I’ll be there soon,” Alex said, and ended the call.
Alex texted Lance to give him the info, and told him to get ahold of Uly. He’d just want to keep this simple. The three of them would be more than enough to get to the bottom of this.
“Alex,” a voice said from behind him.
He turned to look at Scarlet standing on the front stoop. Her hair fell in waves around her face, her gray shirt was too big and falling off one shoulder, and she hugged her arms tightly to her chest.
Alex walked up to her and tilted his head.
“I just wanted to say thank you,” she said. “I couldn’t get through all of this if not for you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, managing a small smile. “I feel like I’m pretty bad at my job, lately.”
His own words made him shake his head. A woman was still missing, and another was in the hospital with a fractured jaw, a shattered leg, and who knew what else.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t help Lily.” His voice cracked a little.
“That’s not your fault,” Scarlet insisted. “Guarding people seems to be a tricky job. I know what you’ve been through, and I’m sorry that people’s lives end up in your hands… ever the reluctant hero.”
Alex shifted his weight, looking up at the sky.
“Yeah,” he said. “But it’s my job, and I try to do it well.”
Scarlet reached out and grasped his hand. “You wouldn’t even let me get coffee by myself, and I argued with you to back off. I know that was frustrating. Throw in a group of defiant ballerinas all hell-bent on getting their way. Bet you didn’t think you’d be in for such a challenge.”
Alex gave her a short laugh. “No, I suppose not.”
“You probably even thought, ‘Ballet dancers? How hard could it be?’”
Alex shook his head and smiled. “I may have had a thought or two about my time being better spent among politicians and actors … at least they listen to me.”
“Right.” Scarlet smiled at him. “This isn’t your scene, but you’re doing your best, and I certainly have no complaints.”
She bit her bottom lip. “Like, zero complaints.”
Alex brought his hand up to her cheek and pulled her head toward his. “I didn’t see you coming.”
“I think we were both blindsided,” Scarlet responded.
“When this is over…” He sighed. “I’m going to take you out on a real date.”
Scarlet put her hands on his chest. “I’d settle for a quiet evening on my couch watching movies.”
Alex grazed her lips with his before pressing them hard against hers. He wanted to forget the bad stuff and just focus on her. Her lips and breath were sweet. He kissed her deeply, wanting to drink her in.
“That sounds great,” he said as he pulled away. “Until then, lock your doors and stay inside until I get back in the morning.”
Scarlet chuckled. “So romantic.”
“And keep that phone on you,” Alex reminded her.
“It’s here.” Scarlet patted her pocket. “Nora and I have wine, and we’re going to do some girly stuff since Edward said no rehearsal until next Monday. Call me later.”
She took a few steps up, keeping her eyes on him. “And please be careful, Alex. I know you want to get to the bottom of this, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of your own safety. I need you around.”
Alex’s guilt surfaced. Scarlet didn’t know the detective had basically told him to go neck-deep into the mess, that he would take Lance and Uly and probably go head-to-head with whoever was behind everything.
Scarlet would only worry, or get angry and try to talk him out of it and time was wasting away. She would understand. She’d have to.
“I’ll be careful,” he said.
Scarlet reached out and gently touched his shoulder. “You promise?”
Alex swore he felt his heart skip a beat. The word held such weight, and it was the base of all his issues. He swallowed, knowing how much could go wrong.
“I promise.”
He hoped it was a promise he could keep.