Page 87 of The One Who Won’t Get Away
We didn’t bother with the front, sprinting around the side instead.The door to the basement was at the back with the grill laying against it, blocking anyone from being able to come out that way.The fuckers must've wanted our girls to only have one way out.They must've been spooked to drive away.Either Leila had been too obvious or they’d spotted a neighbor watching them.
Sean grabbed the grill and moved it, then unlocked the basement door and swung it open.A broomstick came out of the darkness, but I blocked it.
“It's us,” I said to a terrified looking Vera.“Where's Nadya?”
She’d better be safe.I didn't know what I’d do if she wasn't.
Nadya peeked out from behind the door, her eyes bloodshot and face pale, a canister of bathroom cleaner in one hand and a broken piece of wood in the other.“Are they gone?”
The wails of sirens got closer.
“Yeah.Probably figured they didn't want to be here when the police show up,” I answered and ushered Nadya out, wrapping one arm around her waist for support, but really, I just wanted my hands on her.
Vera went to Sean, hugging him tight, looking more vulnerable than I thought possible for the stern, unflappable nurse.
“Come on, let's put a little distance between us and the burning building while the fire department do their work,” Sean said, guiding us down a narrow driveway just as the first police cruiser pulled up.
A fire truck screeched to a stop in front of the house, and a wall of uniforms spilled out, dragging hoses and axes.
A police officer approached us, “Officer Martinez.Can you tell me what happened?”
I showed him my creds.“Agent Santana.It was arson.Unsubs were trying to get rid of witnesses.”
Leila joined us with her laptop.“I still have them.”
“Which one is them?”Martinez asked, looking at the cars trying to get onto the highway.
Leila tapped her nail on the black sedan.“That's them.”
“I can get an APB out,” Martinez offered.
“Give me a minute to call this in first.”I pulled out my phone and placed the call.It only took two rings.
“Keller.”
“Boss, it's Santana.Two unsubs just tried to kill Vera and Nadezhda Almaznaya.The tech specialist from the security company Vera's fiancé runs is following them with a drone.Want the locals to pick them up?”
A moment of tense silence as my boss processed that.“How long can your tech keep following them?”
I relayed the question to Leila, and she shrugged with one shoulder.“Until I can't keep my eyes open.”
“For as long as needed,” I told my boss.
“Good.Let's see where they go and who they meet.I want their names and the names of anyone they talk to.We're not making any arrests right now.”
“Got it.”I turned to Martinez.“No APB.”Then to Leila.“Do you have close ups of their faces?”
She pulled out her phone with one hand and unlocked it without looking away from the drone footage.“I snapped a few pictures.Help yourself to them.”
The first image showed a male with red, irritated eyes.“What happened to his eyes?”
Nadya shook the canister of the bathroom cleaner.“Scrubbing bubbles.”
A caught wracked her body.Damn, we needed medics here.She inhalated too much smoke.
Just as I thought it, I heard another siren, this one an ambulance.Perfect timing.
I couldn't help the smile.“Good work, Sleep Brawler.”
