Page 23 of Raven's Curse
Faraday motioned to the room. “As you can see, your crime techs swabbed, sprayed and dusted every inch.”
“If only your security had been as thorough.” She made a circuit of the room, checking places the crime techs could have been missed, but the crew had been as meticulous as Faraday had mentioned. “You can reallocate the room. Just see that any of Mr. Oliver’s belongings that weren’t taken to the crime lab are returned to his teammates. And I expect all the information my deputy requested to be at the station come morning, or I’ll have every department I can think of scouring your facility looking for even a hint of an infraction. And I doubt you want that kind of bad press.”
Faraday glanced at Chase, then back to her. “Of course. Is there anything else?”
“Just that sweep of?—”
The lights flickered, giving the room a strobe effect, then cut out.
Greer cocked her head toward the door as Chase stepped in close, his chest pressing against her back. Muscles tensed and primed for whatever might suddenly burst through the door. She didn’t move, waiting for a generator to kick in.
Nothing.
No buzzing. No humming vents or mechanical sounds, just that foreboding silence.
“Faraday?”
Faraday coughed. “The automatic transfer switch should have engaged the backup generators by now.”
“Any reason it wouldn’t kick in?”
“Only if the system was down for maintenance or we’d run out of diesel. We do monthly checks and had the tanks filled after those epic storms last month knocked the power out for several hours. Regardless, I should get a push notification if—” His cell chirped, an alert flashing on the screen. “This isn’t right. Someone has to physically disconnect the system, and no one other than myself and my co-director have the authority to do that.”
“How long will the batteries last on your essential equipment?”
“A couple hours, tops.”
Footsteps.
Tapping along the hallway. Steady. Strong.
Greer removed her flashlight and weapon, just like at the psychiatric hospital. Chase moved with her as she edged toward the doorway, aware it could be a nurse or resident. She reached the threshold, counted to three then popped out, clearing the left side as Chase dodged right.
A small glow brightened the far end off to the left. What looked like a cigarette or match, the light flaring for a moment before winking out, those taps fading into the distance.
Greer called Faraday up beside them. “What’s down the left side?”
He pursed his lips, his face ashen. “More rooms, then a service elevator and a set of stairs that lead down to the utility area then onto the rear exit. We use it to wheel out…”
He didn’t continue, but Greer knew what he’d meant.
“Get this place on lockdown. I want your clients secured in their rooms. Staff huddled together. And call my office, have Shirley send Jordan and Kash over ASAP. Tell him to bring Nyx. We’ll clear everyone to the left and continue down. No one other than my people enter or leave until I’ve got a handle on what this is. Got it?”
“I need to get maintenance in here before we run out of time.”
“It won’t take too long for us to clear the facility. You can have them on standby, but my orders stand. No one in or out until I know it’s safe.”
He nodded, eyes wide, overly white in the flashlight’s glow. He glanced down the hallway, swallowed, then rushed off, his shadowy figure disappearing into the dark.
Greer stared up at Chase, noting the firm line of his jaw. How the muscle in his temple jumped. “You okay with the plan?”
Chase glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “Completely focused.”
“Point or sweep?”
He froze, finally shifting his gaze fully to her. “You’re asking?”
“I’m no slouch, but we both know your expertise outweighs mine. So, do you want to take point or guard my ass?”
