Christmas Stalking by Margaret Daley

Author:Margaret Daley [Daley, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2012-12-03T13:00:00+00:00

EIGHT

Over the screams and shouts, Colt hopped up onto the platform and reached Winnie’s side just as Ellie tugged her toward the steps.

“We need to get out of here,” she told them. “This would be a great time to strike in the midst of this chaos.”

Colt wound his arm about his grandmother. Winnie faltered at the bottom of the stairs. He caught her at the same time Ellie turned and grabbed her, too. Their gazes met.

“We can get out this way.” Ellie nodded toward a door behind the staging area. “It leads to an exit. All we have to do is get to the helicopter.”

“But the announcement and celebration are ruined,” Winnie mumbled, glancing back once before being ushered through the door and down a long hall.

His grandmother looked as if she were shell-shocked. He couldn’t blame her. He, too, had hoped they could make it through the evening without incident.

“Once I get you home, I’ll check to see what happened. Knowing the police chief and the sheriff, they are already on it.” Ellie removed her gun from her purse.

The sight of the lethal weapon widened his grandmother’s eyes at the same time the color drained from her face. He tightened his arms about her. She was a remarkable woman, but anyone could hit a wall and fall apart. He was afraid she was there.

At the door that led outside, Ellie held up her hand to stop them. “Wait. Let me check the area out.” She searched the long hallway. “Be right back.”

He looked over his shoulder at a few people rushing down the corridor toward the exit.

* * *

A couple of seconds later, Ellie returned. “Let’s go. The helicopter is around the corner. People are pouring out of the hotel, but it’s clear on this side.”

“Not for long.” Colt tossed his head toward the people coming down the hall.

With her hand on Winnie’s right arm, Ellie led the way. She’d seen the pilot in the chopper and his instructions earlier were to start the engine the second he saw them approaching. Colt flanked his grandmother on the left and slightly behind her as though shielding her from anyone behind. Ellie did this as a job. He did it because he loved his grandmother enough to protect her with his life.

As she neared the front lawn of the hotel, Ellie slowed, panning the terrain for any sign of someone lying in wait. The woman who could have been behind what occurred in the ballroom might have planned the chaos so she could get to Winnie easier outside in the open. Ellie wouldn’t allow that to happen.

Peering around the corner of the hotel, Ellie scoped out the crowd emerging from the front entrance, many with no coats on, who stood hugging themselves. The biting cold penetrated the thin layer of her lamé jacket. The people behind them in the hallway burst from the exit, their loud voices charged with fear and speculation.

“Let’s go.” Ellie started across the snow-covered ground.

A man hurried toward the helicopter as the blades began to whir.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.