Page 104 of Holiday Hostage
We stayed in the airport to keep from missing our flight and made it to New York just after daylight.
None of us had slept or showered in a day and a half. And none of us cared.
Reed hailed a cab straight from the terminal and gave him Payton’s address.
We crushed ourselves into the backseat, which was hell on my ribs.
Mav’s mouth pinched into a white line, but he didn’t make a sound.
“Where you from?” The cabbie glanced back before yanking the car onto the road and heading out.
“Currently, Alaska.” Reed chatted with the man while Mav and I did our best to keep from telling the man to shut up and drive faster.
Payton’s apartment building was in an upscale area of town.
The tall white building welcomed us with clean streets and the cheerful sound of horns honking.
Reed checked his phone. “Fifth floor.”
“There better be an elevator.” I held a hand to my ribs.
Reed poked my arm and grinned. “Aw, come on. You’re tougher than that. I dug a bullet out of you while you were awake, and you didn’t make a sound. You can manage five flights of stairs.”
He grabbed our gear, paid the cabbie, and sauntered toward the front door.
Mav sagged against the nearest wall when we entered the carpeted foyer, and a blue door with the word STAIRS stood in front of us.
“Elevator this way.” Reed whistled at us. “I’ll hold it for you.”
Anticipation bubbled, and a burst of joy obliterated the pain. “Come on. We’re about to see Payton.”
Mav perked up at that and shoved away from the wall.
His breaths were short and sounded pained, but he lengthened his stride so he outpaced me.
Reed stood in the elevator, a chrome box with an old-fashioned wooden railing around the middle.
He had his hand pressed against the door opening and his finger poised over the button for Payton’s floor.
Mav and I caught our breath as we ascended.
It shouldn’t have been possible, but the closer we drew to seeing Payton, the better I felt.
It was like her absence had stunted our healing, and now that we were feet away from her, everything zoomed into super healing mode.
Reed rushed ahead of us again when the doors opened, but stopped in front of Payton’s door.
He raised his fist and knocked. We held our breath and waited.
Nothing.
Reed knocked again.
“Call her.” I’d lost my phone in the mayhem, and so had Mav.
Reed dialed Payton’s number.
Seconds later, a ringing sounded from inside the apartment. “What the hell?” Reed ended the call and dialed again with the same result. “Her phone’s inside.”
