Page 111 of Kill For Me Kill For You
Amanda used the light from her cell phone to find the newspaper at her feet. She read out the license-plate number Billy had written down.
‘That’s it. That’s her,’ he said, opening the driver’s door.
He paused, one foot out of the car. The lights came on inside the Mercedes up ahead, and then the car pulled out into the street.
Billy closed his door. ‘Dammit,’ he said. ‘Don’t let that car out of your sight.’
He let the Mercedes move ahead, then followed it. As they got to the intersection, he hung back, maintaining a respectful distance between them.
He hit dial on the last number called from his cell. The phone linked up to the Bluetooth on the computer in the dash. Dr. Marin answered the phone.
‘Dr. Marin, it’s Billy. We found Ruth, but she’s not at that address I gave you. She’s in a black Mercedes. We’re following her. When she stops, I’ll text you the address.’
‘Okay, I have to make a call too. Let me know when you have an address and I’ll be right there. Be careful approaching her. If you have to, just keep her talking until I get there.’
Billy hung up, gripped the wheel as they sailed through the night streets of New York City behind the sleek black car.
For twenty minutes they followed the car in silence until it pulled in and stopped. Billy swung the Escalade behind the line of parked cars. He was too close to a corner, but Amanda guessed he didn’t care if he got a ticket.
‘She’s getting out,’ said Amanda, and they watched Ruth take the gift basket into a building.
Billy called Dr. Marin. At first the phone rang, and he didn’t pick up. Billy dialed again, and this time he answered. Billy gave Dr. Marin the new address from his satellite navigation. It all seemed to take a long time, but Amanda knew it was only a few minutes. She wanted to get in there and find Ruth. Billy ended the call. They got out of the car and approached the building entrance.
Amanda glanced through the glass doors, but didn’t see anyone in the lobby. There was a desk for a doorman, but there was no sign of one. Amanda pulled the door, it opened into a brightly lit marble lobby.
There was a single elevator. Old, with a manual sliding scissor-gate door. She didn’t like that kind of elevator. Her first apartment in the city had had one just like it, and she hated being able to watch the floors go by through the gate as the elevator went up and down.
‘Oh my God,’ said Billy.
Amanda turned, but didn’t see Billy anywhere. Then his head shot up from behind the reception desk.
‘Help me,’ he said.
Amanda ran round, saw a huge man lying on the ground, with red ribbon tied round his neck. Billy’s hands were at the man’s throat, pulling at the ribbon, trying to loosen it. He managed to get it free, then turned the man over and put his head on his chest. Billy then clasped his hands together and put them on the man’s sternum.
The doorman coughed and spluttered before Billy could perform the first compression.
‘Are you all right?’ said Billy.
‘She . . . she’s . . . gone up. Mr. Granger . . .’ said the doorman.
‘What floor?’ said Billy.
‘Tenth floor,’ said the man.
‘Amanda, wait here for Dr. Marin and the police, and call a paramedic,’ said Billy.
Amanda took out her cell phone, started dialing, stopped and said, ‘What? No, I need to see her.’
‘Not yet. Look, she’s dangerous. Amanda, I’ve grown very fond of you. I don’t want anything to happen to you – I’d never forgive myself.’
‘It’s okay. I’ll just come with you, I promise . . .’
‘No,’ said Billy. ‘Please. Let me go up there. Stay with the doorman in case she comes back down. You wait here for Dr. Marin and the cops. Okay? Tell them where I am and then you can come right up with them?’
Amanda nodded, dialed 911.
Billy helped the doorman back into his chair. He was gasping for air.
