purse.
They went back into the other room. Keeping hold of the gun he’d retrieved from the headless victim, he picked up the bag with the dead man’s clothes. They ran out of her flat and rushed down the service stairs. Having been in dangerous situations before, he automatically focused his senses on his surroundings.
He could hear the hurried footsteps on the main stairs of the man he’d spotted on the street below Angelique’s window.
“Where do these stairs lead to?” he asked in a low tone.
“A small, private courtyard.”
When they came to a door with a keypad, the heavy pounding at Angelique’s home above them resonated in their ears. She quickly punched in numbers and the door’s locks gave way.
They bolted out into the open space, and he shut the door behind them.
Angelique let out a sigh. “The keypad should keep that guy, whoever he is, from following us. The door won’t open without the code.”
“Maybe, but we need to keep moving.” He hated seeing the panic on her face. Had he brought trouble to her, or was she already in trouble? He thought about the framed photo he’d seen by his bedside. The answer might have been a little of both.
He spotted a narrow walkway squeezed between two of the buildings. “Let’s go.”
As they ran through the passage, they heard several shots behind them.
“Oh God.” His sister’s eyes were wide with fear. “He’s shooting the keypad.”
When they came out the other side of the passage, they stepped onto a curve of a narrow street.
Grabbing her hand, they went right, passing the Lamb and Flag Pub. A man with a white apron stood outside the place smoking.
As they ran past the smoker, Austin turned to his sister. “We have to go where there’s a lot of people.”
“Piccadilly Circus is a ten minute walk. Half that if we run.”
“Lead the way.” Just before they took another right, he glanced back at the opening of the narrow passage they’d come from. So far, there was no sign of their assailant, thank God.
He tucked the gun into the pocket of the jacket but kept his hand firmly wrapped around its grip.
Continuing to race at a heartbreaking pace, Angelique led them down several London streets. Staying alert, he constantly checked behind them.
They passed just a few people along the way, who gave them the typical English subtle glance.
“Crowds, Angelique. That’s what we need.”
She nodded, never slowing.
Out of breath, she said, “The block up ahead is always busy, especially since The Hippodrome was turned into a casino. Piccadilly is even busier.”
“Let’s slow down so as not to attract any more attention.”
“Okay. Just a few more blocks.”
He put his arm around her shoulder. “Good.”
“Do you think we lost him?” she asked.
Looking back once again, he spotted the man, who at the exact same moment had clearly spotted him. Their assailant rushed toward them. “Run, Sis. Into the casino. We’ll lose him in there.” As they bolted to The Hippodrome, he thought about letting her go on ahead so he could neutralize the guy, but this location didn’t serve that plan. There were too many on the street.
They walked under the sign that read “Welcome to the Hippodrome. Free Entry—No Membership.”
They headed up four steps through an archway. The noisy casino served them well. When they came out into the open area, he pulled Angelique left and moved into a dark alcove.
Thirty seconds later, he saw the man who’d been chasing them appear at the top of the entry archway.
Austin tightened his hold on the pistol in the pocket of the jacket.
A heavyset gambler, who was noticeably intoxicated, bumped into their assailant, knocking them both to the floor. “Sorry, sir. I’m a bit pissed.”
The man stood, dusting himself off before offering a hand to the drunk. “You need to be more careful, sir, especially when you are drinking.”
Austin detected a slight Slavic tone in the man’s British accent.
A
They went back into the other room. Keeping hold of the gun he’d retrieved from the headless victim, he picked up the bag with the dead man’s clothes. They ran out of her flat and rushed down the service stairs. Having been in dangerous situations before, he automatically focused his senses on his surroundings.
He could hear the hurried footsteps on the main stairs of the man he’d spotted on the street below Angelique’s window.
“Where do these stairs lead to?” he asked in a low tone.
“A small, private courtyard.”
When they came to a door with a keypad, the heavy pounding at Angelique’s home above them resonated in their ears. She quickly punched in numbers and the door’s locks gave way.
They bolted out into the open space, and he shut the door behind them.
Angelique let out a sigh. “The keypad should keep that guy, whoever he is, from following us. The door won’t open without the code.”
“Maybe, but we need to keep moving.” He hated seeing the panic on her face. Had he brought trouble to her, or was she already in trouble? He thought about the framed photo he’d seen by his bedside. The answer might have been a little of both.
He spotted a narrow walkway squeezed between two of the buildings. “Let’s go.”
As they ran through the passage, they heard several shots behind them.
“Oh God.” His sister’s eyes were wide with fear. “He’s shooting the keypad.”
When they came out the other side of the passage, they stepped onto a curve of a narrow street.
Grabbing her hand, they went right, passing the Lamb and Flag Pub. A man with a white apron stood outside the place smoking.
As they ran past the smoker, Austin turned to his sister. “We have to go where there’s a lot of people.”
“Piccadilly Circus is a ten minute walk. Half that if we run.”
“Lead the way.” Just before they took another right, he glanced back at the opening of the narrow passage they’d come from. So far, there was no sign of their assailant, thank God.
He tucked the gun into the pocket of the jacket but kept his hand firmly wrapped around its grip.
Continuing to race at a heartbreaking pace, Angelique led them down several London streets. Staying alert, he constantly checked behind them.
They passed just a few people along the way, who gave them the typical English subtle glance.
“Crowds, Angelique. That’s what we need.”
She nodded, never slowing.
Out of breath, she said, “The block up ahead is always busy, especially since The Hippodrome was turned into a casino. Piccadilly is even busier.”
“Let’s slow down so as not to attract any more attention.”
“Okay. Just a few more blocks.”
He put his arm around her shoulder. “Good.”
“Do you think we lost him?” she asked.
Looking back once again, he spotted the man, who at the exact same moment had clearly spotted him. Their assailant rushed toward them. “Run, Sis. Into the casino. We’ll lose him in there.” As they bolted to The Hippodrome, he thought about letting her go on ahead so he could neutralize the guy, but this location didn’t serve that plan. There were too many on the street.
They walked under the sign that read “Welcome to the Hippodrome. Free Entry—No Membership.”
They headed up four steps through an archway. The noisy casino served them well. When they came out into the open area, he pulled Angelique left and moved into a dark alcove.
Thirty seconds later, he saw the man who’d been chasing them appear at the top of the entry archway.
Austin tightened his hold on the pistol in the pocket of the jacket.
A heavyset gambler, who was noticeably intoxicated, bumped into their assailant, knocking them both to the floor. “Sorry, sir. I’m a bit pissed.”
The man stood, dusting himself off before offering a hand to the drunk. “You need to be more careful, sir, especially when you are drinking.”
Austin detected a slight Slavic tone in the man’s British accent.
A
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