Page 2 of Goodnight, Sinners

She knew Jozef should have both hands free in case they were attacked, but the warm reassuring squeeze of his hand against hers kept her sane as they searched the building. They came across two more bodies before they made their way to her mother’s apartment.

Shaun stood back, tears in her eyes and heart in her throat as Jozef went ahead of her and did a first sweep. He glanced back to where she was standing in the doorway and jerked his head toward the bedroom.

Shoving clothes aside, they reached for the back of the closet. Jozef punched the code into the safe room door panel. When the door opened, Shaun let out a cry of relief and launched herself past Jozef, wrapping her arms around her mother’s neck before Fatima fully knew what was happening.

“Oh, my baby!” she exclaimed, gripping Shaun tightly. “Thank god, you’re okay. I’ve been going crazy in here wondering what’s been happening. I can’t hear a damn thing.”

Shaun swiped at tears and glanced back at Jozef, who jerked his head toward the door, showing he was impatient to leave. She understood. He would want to check on his men and the club, round up any last attackers.

“Mom, we have to go,” Shaun said gently, unwinding her mother’s arms.

“No, you absolutely do not have to go,” Fatima snapped, standing to her full not-so-impressive height. “Or if you insist, then I’ll be going with you.”

“No, mom,” Shaun protested, trying not to sound impatient.

Jozef stepped between them and gently took Fatima’s face in his hands, then leaned down to kiss her cheek. When he let go, he made sure she was watching when he signed,you must stay here and stay safe.

“But my daughter,” she protested, waving her hand at Shaun.

She has battle experience. She knows how to provide medical care in combat situations. We’re looking for survivors. I promise, I won’t let anything happen to her.

She stared at him hard before finally nodding. “You better keep that promise.”

They left the room, Shaun’s parting words as they closed the door, “We’ll be back for you soon.”

Jozef locked the door, gripped Shaun’s hand and pulled her from the apartment, scouting the hallway before waving her forward. She cringed as she heard gunfire coming from the floor below them.

They checked each apartment, Jozef kicking in two of the doors that were locked. They were all empty except for one.

“Oh my god!” Shaun exclaimed, hand over her mouth.

The door was partially blocked, and they discovered why when Jozef gave the door an extra hard shove.

A dead woman lay face-down on the floor. The back of her head was such a mess of blood and bone that Shaun didn’t bother to check for a pulse.

Jozef rolled her over, and another shock revealed the woman as Giselle, a frequent customer of the club below and the woman who had pined after Jozef. Shaun felt a wave of pity for the woman, erasing any negative feelings she’d had toward Giselle’s jealous, petty nature. She’d been too young, too vivacious to die this horribly on the floor of an apartment.

Jozef frowned down at her and glanced around, as if trying to figure out what’d happened. He strode toward the back of the apartment, seconds later making a sound of alarm that had Shaun hurtling toward him.

“Halil,” she said softly as she looked around the side of the kitchen island.

The young man was laying sprawled out on the floor, still as death, his eyes closed. There was a small, almost perfect hole in the middle of his forehead, as though his attacker had the opportunity to take aim. His skin was pink, which had Shaun dropping to her knees beside him and checking for a pulse. It was thready, nearly gone.

She looked up at Jozef, a wealth of concern in her eyes. “He’s still alive, but he’ll die soon if he doesn’t get help.”

Jozef looked torn, then frustrated. Finally, he jerked his head in a shake.No, he signed,we have to leave him. We have to secure the building.

“I’ll stay with him,” she said quickly.

You stay with me. A dead man can’t keep you safe.

“But he’s not dead!”

He reached down, took her arm and jerked her to her feet. He pulled her over Halil’s body and toward the door. Shaun glanced back, tears forming in her eyes. He wouldn’t live long, maybe a few more minutes. It was gut-wrenching to leave the young man behind to die alone on the floor after he’d survived a gun battle.

When they reached the stairwell, they took the stairs two at a time, Jozef flying down, his gun raised to eye level and his shoulders hunched. She supposed he was making himself a smaller target and protecting his core as he moved quickly. Shaun ran after him, gripping the railing so she wouldn’t fall as she tried to keep up with him.

It wasn’t until they reached Jozef’s offices that they ran into resistance. One of Krystoff’s men was pinned by the elevator, taking fire from an unknown opponent. He was firing back, but it was clear he wasn’t hitting anything. The man didn’t see them as they came out of the stairwell.

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