Page 44 of Heartless Sinner

A girl in pink lingerie ran into the room from the back, screaming. “She’s been murdered! She’s murdered!”

Her hands were bloody.

The whole room went up into an uproar. Shit. There was no way I could keep a lid on this now. I drew my gun, nodded at Toby to draw his, then looked at the bartender. “If your bouncer’s any good, tell him to start damage control, now.”

I hurried through the room to the back hallway, Toby covering my six, until we got to the back alley.

“Come on!” someone, a woman, was saying. “Come on, stay with me! Stay with me!”

I knew that voice.

I hurried down the alley, past a large dumpster, my blood going cold.

Sonya lay on the ground, multiple stab wounds on her just like on Dmitri Preston. Kneeling on the ground, hands pressed to Sonya’s sternum and desperately trying CPR, was Marla.

“Come on!” Marla said, pressing her mouth to Sonya’s and then resuming the compressions. “Stay with me—stay with me—”

Sonya’s eyes were open and glassy. I didn’t have to check her pulse to know she was long gone. Marla was in shock.

I holstered my gun while Toby kept watch, and knelt down. “Marla. Marla, she’s gone.”

“She’s not gone,” Marla snapped, not even questioning why I was there. “She can’t be gone, I had to talk to her, she knew something—she’s not gone—”

I tried to pry Marla away and she fought me, first trying to elbow me in the face and then, when that didn’t work, trying to claw at me.

“Nice try, kitten.” I wrapped my arms around her and hauled her up. “C’mon, sweetheart, she’s gone. There’s nothing you can do.”

“She knew something.” Marla’s voice broke. “She knew something—”

“I know, I know.” I looked at Toby and indicated Sonya. “Take care of this.”

“Yes, boss.”

Marla let out a sob and I turned her so that her face was buried in my chest. “I’ve got you. It’s okay.”

Christ, there was blood all over her, probably from when it spurted out of the wounds as she’d done compressions, trying to save Sonya’s life. Marla started shaking—shock setting in.

“I’m getting her home,” I told Toby.

“By yourself, boss?”

“It’ll be fine.” I pulled my gun out again, just in case, and kept my other arm around Marla as I led her away.

Marla was still shaking when I got her to the car, but she wasn’t crying or hysterical. She was a strong woman. “Did you see who did it?”

She shook her head. “They were hidden by the dumpster. I yelled for help and then ran over and by then the person was already running away. I think I spooked them.”

“Come on, I’ll get you home.”

We drove in silence. Jack’s stunned expression when I showed up with Marla under my arm was priceless. “But… how?”

I opened the apartment door and we both saw the bookcase pushed back, revealing the dumbwaiter panel. I snorted out a laugh. “You’ve been outsmarted, Jack.”

He winced apologetically. “Sorry, sir.”

“This one’s a wildcat. You’re fine.” I would have to talk with Marla about giving her bodyguard the slip, which was not acceptable, but that lecture was for later.

I got Marla inside, ran a hot shower, and helped her strip down. Marla stared at the blood as it swirled down into the water while I gently washed it off.

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