Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Hannah clicked through her emails on autopilot, her mind drifting down to the first floor of the building.
To him.
The look he’d thrown her way Monday when she strode across the lobby in her new sexy high heels and red blouse had turned her cheeks almost the same color as her shirt.
He’d watched her like a panther stalking its prey, his assessing eyes canvassing every inch of her body, looking like he wanted to devour her. She grinned. He’d been barely able to restrain himself when she came in that morning, catching himself only after he’d taken several steps toward her.
From the hungry look he’d given her, she knew it was driving him crazy. But he’d put the ball in her court, and he was waiting for her to make the first move.
Now that she had his attention, though, she wasn’t quite sure what to do.
She didn’t flirt with men—she didn’t know how.
She’d continue to put herself out there, tempt him, slowly draw him in and then…
then what? Was she ready to take the next step?
She drew in a sharp breath. Yes. It was time to move on.
She was done hiding behind flimsy excuses and ugly clothes.
She’d never been the instigator, never played hard to get.
The man addled her senses, turned her inside out.
All she knew was, she needed more—more of his touch, more of those addictive kisses that rocked her to her core.
The memory of his mouth on hers, his hands low on her hips, sent a rush of anticipation curling through her.
“Miss Hannah?”
She jerked her head up, heat blossoming over both cheeks. “Yes?”
Fiona smiled. “I’m headin’ home now, miss. You’ll be all right by yourself?”
“Oh. Yes, yes.” She waved her off. “Please just lock the outer door when you leave. I’m waiting for Dr. Stanton to finish up. We’re meeting up for drinks tonight.”
“All right, dear. You be careful and I’ll see you in the mornin’.”
“Thank you, Fiona.”
She smiled as the woman departed with a wink, the outer door closing with a snap less than a minute later. Pushing thoughts of Lucas Stone from her mind, she cleared up the last few emails and shut down the computer, then checked her phone.
Still no Audrey.
Since the office door was locked now, she’d expected her to call once she got up there, but she figured her last appointment had run late.
Gathering up her things, she made her way out of the office and locked up.
Her gaze darted between the elevator and the door to the stairwell.
She really should take the stairs. The cardio would do her good, but…
She glanced down to the three-inch heels adorning her feet and sighed.
The elevator it was. She punched the button for the second floor and relaxed against the railing as the car began its descent.
The doors parted with a soft ding and she stepped into the dim lobby on Audrey’s floor.
No one remained in the waiting room and the eerie silence grated on her nerves.
Straightening a chair as she passed, she walked toward the door leading to the inner office.
A handful of lights were still on, and she glanced through the rectangular window in the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of a familiar face.
She waited a beat, then knocked loudly, hoping to get someone’s attention. The door rattled loosely in its frame and she jumped back. Tentatively, she grasped the handle. Under the slight pressure, the door swayed toward her.
That was odd. Just like in her office, the doors were supposed to be locked at all times, for the safety of the staff as well as the patients.
Why would Audrey leave it unlocked? Maybe she’d guessed she would come down since she was running late.
Grasping the door handle, she jiggled lightly but it remained frozen in place, the locking mechanism still engaged. So why had the door opened on its own?
Ice slithered down her spine as she peered at the striker plate on the door, the catch jammed so it wouldn’t close properly.
She peeked around the door, but the labyrinth of hallways and patient exam rooms remained quiet.
Cautiously stepping into the inner office, she closed the door softly and approached the first exam room on silent feet.
The light was off but she peeked in, heart racing, half expecting someone to jump out at her.
Seeing nothing out of place, she continued down the hallway toward the back of the building where Audrey’s office was located.
Calming her racing heart, she forced her nerves to quiet and took several deep breaths.
The stress of the last few weeks was definitely catching up to her, making her anxious and jittery.
She just needed to wind down and relax a bit, and tonight would be the perfect solution.
A couple of drinks with Audrey would go a long way to relieving her anxiety. They’d both been under a lot of stress lately—she with the murder a couple weeks back followed by Rachel’s suicide and Audrey with her ongoing divorce. They both deserved tonight.
Maybe she’d even drop a hint to Luke on the way out, let him know where they’d be in case he wanted to show up. A little liquid courage never hurt, right?
A soft cry stopped her in her tracks, and her head swiveled left and right, trying to discern where the sound had come from.
A combination of fear and trepidation kept her from calling out as she moved quickly but quietly toward Audrey’s office where the lights blazed brightly.
The deep baritone of a man’s voice floated toward her, but she couldn’t make out the words.
She rested one hand on the doorframe before peering around the corner.
A man dressed in all black stood with his back to her, and the metallic object clutched in his left hand glinted under the harsh glare of the fluorescent lights.
Audrey lay on the ground at his feet, auburn hair fanned around her head, highlighting the gash that split her forehead.
Hannah’s soft gasp alerted the man to her presence and he spun around. His face was covered by a mask, obscuring his features except for the brown eyes that appeared almost black as he scowled and took a step forward.
A scream caught in her throat as she dropped her purse and fled back down the hallway, her only thought of getting away from him and getting help for Audrey.
She rounded the corner at a dead run and sprinted toward the door.
Afraid to slow down, she threw all of her weight against it, and it slammed against the outer wall with a loud bang.
She tossed a quick glance over her shoulder, but the man was nowhere to be seen.
Praying he was making his escape and not hurting Audrey, she bypassed the elevators and shoved open the door to the stairwell.
The high heels slowed her down, and as she rounded the last landing, the heel of her right shoe skidded precariously on the concrete.
Desperately trying to regain her balance, she grabbed for the railing as she pitched forward.
Propelled by the momentum, she tumbled down the stairs and landed in a heap at the bottom with a miserable groan.
Her back and bottom ached from where they’d bounced against the sharp angles of the stairs, and her palms and knees were red and skinned from scraping the hard floor. Adrenaline forced her unsteadily to her feet, and she yanked open the door to the lobby.
“Help!” She ran toward the small security office near the reception area, and a tall, broad form filled the space as the door swung open. “Luke! Thank God, we need to hurry!”
He caught her as she flew at him, his hands wrapping around her upper arms, pulling her close as she fisted her hands in his shirt. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s hurt!” She clutched at him, her breathing erratic, pulse pounding from the adrenaline flowing through her veins. “We need to get help!”
“Talk to me, sweetheart. What happened? Who’s hurt?” He eased her away, eyes searching hers.
She curbed the urge to fling herself back into his arms. “Audrey. I went to her office to meet her and there was a man standing over her and she was laying on the floor. Her head was bleeding and—”
“What did he look like?”
“I don’t know, he had a mask. I…” She winced as she brushed her scraped hands over her blouse and he grabbed her wrists, holding her palms up for examination.
“What happened?”
“I fell down the stairs.” At his hard look, she quickly elaborated. “It’s nothing. Just a few scrapes. I’ll be fine, really. We need to get to Audrey!”
His eyes quickly swept over her, catching on the reddened flesh of her knees. “Have Raúl clean you up and call the police,” he ordered. “I’ll go check on her.”
Luke took three long strides to the security office and yanked open the door. “Raúl, we need an ambulance—Dr. Stanton has been hurt. I’m going up to check on her and see if I can find anything. Can you clear the building and send them up to the second floor when they get here?”
The other man gave a sharp nod and reached for his phone. “On it.”
Luke turned to her. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
“I’m coming with you.” She started toward the stairs, but he caught her elbow and pulled her back to him.
“Let me make sure it’s safe first.”
She shook her head. “I need to be there for her, she’s my friend.”
“Doc—”
“No. I’m coming with you. I need to be there for her if…”
No. She shoved the thought away. Audrey had to be fine—she refused to contemplate the alternative.
Luke let out a heavy sigh. Grabbing her hand, he guided her toward the stairs as he pulled the pistol from the holster on his hip.
He studied her for a moment. “You sure you want to come?”
She lifted her chin. “Yes. I need to.”
He nodded. “All right. Follow my lead.”
Pushing her behind him, Luke pulled open the door and peered inside, checking each corner before cautiously entering the stairwell. “Stay behind me, back to the wall.”