Read Online Have and Hold: (A Geeks and Things Cozy Mystery Novella #4) (Geeks and Things Cozy Mysteries) by Sarah Biglow - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sarah Biglow
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finally settled on the “About Us” page from the jewelry store website. “This is what he looks like.”
The clerk took the phone and studied the picture. The color that had been in his cheeks a moment before drained in an instant. “He came here about a half hour ago. But he wasn’t meeting the woman in 117. He was here to see some reporter. She rented out 119.”
“Do they connect?”
“Yes, but they’re locked.”
“How hard is it to jimmy them open?”
“If you know what you’re doing, probably not hard.”
Kalina let out a groan at the revelation that, as long as Beth knew which room Fiona was in, all she’d need to do was get the adjoining room. “Get a key for 119 then. And whatever you need to unlock the door between the two rooms.”
“Shouldn’t we like call the police or something?”
“They’re already on their way. Now come on. A woman’s life depends on you moving your ass.”
The clerk fumbled for a set of key cards and a regular metal key and followed after her down the hallway. The hall was silent again and that unnerved her. Kalina motioned for him to unlock 119. He dropped the key card three times before she yanked it from his fingers and slid it into the lock. The little light turned green and she eased it open as quietly as she could. It turned out they didn’t need the metal key for the doors separating the rooms; the one leading from room 119 was already open. Kalina waved the clerk back. “Wait for the police,” she whispered.
He backpedaled out of the room and she heard muffled footsteps going back down the hallway. She held her breath and pressed her ear to the door leading into room 117. She could hear shallow breathing and then a loud whimper.
“I did what you wanted.” Bruce’s voice was low and strained.
“Not enough.” Beth’s tone was far more authoritative than Kalina had heard her before.
“Says you. You have more than enough to take you as far as you want.”
“We shouldn’t be discussing this in here. In front of her.”
“She won’t say anything. Will you, sweetheart?”
A muffled whimper answered him. Did they have Fiona tied up and gagged? The image in her head was almost enough to give her away. Footsteps thudded toward the dividing door and Kalina pressed herself to the wall so that when the door swung inward it would hide her. She bit her tongue to keep from breathing too loudly as the door swung in and Beth pushed past. She didn’t seem to notice Kalina and neither did Bruce as he trudged after her, something shiny gripped in his hand. The door on the room 119 side closed and Kalina exhaled slowly. As quietly as she could, she slipped around the door and into the next room. Fiona sat on the bed, her left hand cradled to her chest. Her eyes shone with tears and her cheeks were pale. It became readily apparent what had happened as soon as Kalina held a finger to her lips for quiet and Fiona meekly raised her left arm a little. A hotel towel was wrapped around her hand.
“Let me see,” Kalina whispered.
“He … they are insane,” Fiona moaned.
“Shh. I’m going to get you out of here but I need to see what happened.” As gently as possible, she unwrapped the towel and had to swallow back a new batch of bile. Fiona’s ring finger was missing just above the second knuckle. Just like Gabriella and Margaret.
“The police are on their way. As soon as we’re out of here, I’m going to call for an ambulance.”
“He still has it.”
Kalina’s brow wrinkled in confusion. Then it hit her. The shiny item clutched in Bruce’s hand had been her severed finger and the engagement ring. She prayed that Chris would arrive soon and apprehend Bruce before he did something even crazier.
Kalina helped Fiona scoot off the bed and wrapped the towel around her hand again to stem the bleeding. Together they eased their way out the front door of the hotel room and started toward the lobby. Fiona was uneasy on her feet due to the blood loss,
The clerk took the phone and studied the picture. The color that had been in his cheeks a moment before drained in an instant. “He came here about a half hour ago. But he wasn’t meeting the woman in 117. He was here to see some reporter. She rented out 119.”
“Do they connect?”
“Yes, but they’re locked.”
“How hard is it to jimmy them open?”
“If you know what you’re doing, probably not hard.”
Kalina let out a groan at the revelation that, as long as Beth knew which room Fiona was in, all she’d need to do was get the adjoining room. “Get a key for 119 then. And whatever you need to unlock the door between the two rooms.”
“Shouldn’t we like call the police or something?”
“They’re already on their way. Now come on. A woman’s life depends on you moving your ass.”
The clerk fumbled for a set of key cards and a regular metal key and followed after her down the hallway. The hall was silent again and that unnerved her. Kalina motioned for him to unlock 119. He dropped the key card three times before she yanked it from his fingers and slid it into the lock. The little light turned green and she eased it open as quietly as she could. It turned out they didn’t need the metal key for the doors separating the rooms; the one leading from room 119 was already open. Kalina waved the clerk back. “Wait for the police,” she whispered.
He backpedaled out of the room and she heard muffled footsteps going back down the hallway. She held her breath and pressed her ear to the door leading into room 117. She could hear shallow breathing and then a loud whimper.
“I did what you wanted.” Bruce’s voice was low and strained.
“Not enough.” Beth’s tone was far more authoritative than Kalina had heard her before.
“Says you. You have more than enough to take you as far as you want.”
“We shouldn’t be discussing this in here. In front of her.”
“She won’t say anything. Will you, sweetheart?”
A muffled whimper answered him. Did they have Fiona tied up and gagged? The image in her head was almost enough to give her away. Footsteps thudded toward the dividing door and Kalina pressed herself to the wall so that when the door swung inward it would hide her. She bit her tongue to keep from breathing too loudly as the door swung in and Beth pushed past. She didn’t seem to notice Kalina and neither did Bruce as he trudged after her, something shiny gripped in his hand. The door on the room 119 side closed and Kalina exhaled slowly. As quietly as she could, she slipped around the door and into the next room. Fiona sat on the bed, her left hand cradled to her chest. Her eyes shone with tears and her cheeks were pale. It became readily apparent what had happened as soon as Kalina held a finger to her lips for quiet and Fiona meekly raised her left arm a little. A hotel towel was wrapped around her hand.
“Let me see,” Kalina whispered.
“He … they are insane,” Fiona moaned.
“Shh. I’m going to get you out of here but I need to see what happened.” As gently as possible, she unwrapped the towel and had to swallow back a new batch of bile. Fiona’s ring finger was missing just above the second knuckle. Just like Gabriella and Margaret.
“The police are on their way. As soon as we’re out of here, I’m going to call for an ambulance.”
“He still has it.”
Kalina’s brow wrinkled in confusion. Then it hit her. The shiny item clutched in Bruce’s hand had been her severed finger and the engagement ring. She prayed that Chris would arrive soon and apprehend Bruce before he did something even crazier.
Kalina helped Fiona scoot off the bed and wrapped the towel around her hand again to stem the bleeding. Together they eased their way out the front door of the hotel room and started toward the lobby. Fiona was uneasy on her feet due to the blood loss,
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