He knelt down and hugged Kayla. “You okay?”
She nodded.
“I need to get the key,” Rob said.
He knelt beside the body, the smell of blood and rotten meet coming off the janitor. Rob swallowed hard, trying to hold his lunch down. Reaching in the dead man's pocket, he found the key ring, heavy and cold. He took it out and sifted through the keys. The last one he checked was a Ford key. The van.
“We've got to go. You okay? Did I hurt you when I fell?”
“Dad, I'm tougher than that.”
“That a girl. Come on.”
When he reached the lobby, the things pounding at the glass had caused several jagged cracks to form. It wouldn't keep them out much longer. He panicked for a moment when he didn't see the others, but then reasoned they must have gotten out of sight. He found them in one of the corridors that jutted off the lobby.
Tim looked up and saw him. “Did you find him?”
“Found him and put a new hole in his head.”
“Thought he was dead,” Tim said.
“He had different ideas. Ready to try for the basement? That glass isn't gonna hold forever,” Rob said.
He took a quick glance at the others. Ramsey looked as if he'd been smacked. Mary continued to pace, and Ryan leaned against the wall, hands in pockets. If shit got crazy, he would trust the cop before any of the others. He couldn't see any of them holding up under pressure. Didn't know how we would do either, for that matter.
The assault on the glass continued.
They hurried across the lobby to the elevators and descended to the basement.
Rob said, “Which way to the loading dock?”
“Follow me,” Ramsey said, and walked ahead of them. “It is my building.”
Well excuse fucking me, Rob thought. “After you boss.”
They wound up in a large open area. On one side a concrete ramp sloped up to a roll-up door. There were a few pallets with cardboard boxes stacked on them. Next to the ramp was an office with the words Receiving Manager painted on the door.
“The security camera's in there,” Ramsey said.
“Is there another door out of here?” Tim asked.
“Just the big door, why?” Ramsey said.
“I'm worried they'll hear it and come for us,” Tim said.
“It's the best chance we have,” Rob said.
“Why are we wasting time?” Ryan asked. “Let's get the hell out of here.”
Rob didn't really like the kid. He tended to take twenty minute breaks when allotted ten and Rob had seen him running uncompleted paperwork through the shredder. But he had a point. “Ryan's right. We can't waste time.”
“Who's going to run for the van?” Mary asked. “Jerry's kind of slow. No offense. I'm wearing heels and a skirt.”
“Tim's got the most experience with guns. Whoever goes out there's going to need cover,” Rob said.
“And you got the other gun,” Tim said. “So that leaves you, my friend.”
Rob expected some sort of whiny protest from Ryan, but the kid said: “Game on.”
“Jerry, what's the interior of the van like?” Rob asked.
“Oh, AM/FM stereo, drink holders. Why the fuck does that matter?” Ramsey said.
“Are there bench seats, buckets, or is it an open cargo van? I'm thinking Ryan can back it up and we can hop in back. But not if there's bench seats.”
“Dude, I can figure that out. I'll have to back down the ramp either way. I'll either open the side or rear door. Just be ready.”
Tim said, “Alright ladies. Enough chatter. Jerry, right? Get on that camera.”
The back of Rob's neck began to sweat, the droplets rolling down his back. Same thing would happen before an exam in school. Same thing happened when he was waiting for Emma to walk down the aisle. He looked down at Kayla, who was fiddling with the strings on her hoodie. He squeezed her close, and it was one of those moments where worrying to death about your kid almost outweighed the joy of
She nodded.
“I need to get the key,” Rob said.
He knelt beside the body, the smell of blood and rotten meet coming off the janitor. Rob swallowed hard, trying to hold his lunch down. Reaching in the dead man's pocket, he found the key ring, heavy and cold. He took it out and sifted through the keys. The last one he checked was a Ford key. The van.
“We've got to go. You okay? Did I hurt you when I fell?”
“Dad, I'm tougher than that.”
“That a girl. Come on.”
When he reached the lobby, the things pounding at the glass had caused several jagged cracks to form. It wouldn't keep them out much longer. He panicked for a moment when he didn't see the others, but then reasoned they must have gotten out of sight. He found them in one of the corridors that jutted off the lobby.
Tim looked up and saw him. “Did you find him?”
“Found him and put a new hole in his head.”
“Thought he was dead,” Tim said.
“He had different ideas. Ready to try for the basement? That glass isn't gonna hold forever,” Rob said.
He took a quick glance at the others. Ramsey looked as if he'd been smacked. Mary continued to pace, and Ryan leaned against the wall, hands in pockets. If shit got crazy, he would trust the cop before any of the others. He couldn't see any of them holding up under pressure. Didn't know how we would do either, for that matter.
The assault on the glass continued.
They hurried across the lobby to the elevators and descended to the basement.
Rob said, “Which way to the loading dock?”
“Follow me,” Ramsey said, and walked ahead of them. “It is my building.”
Well excuse fucking me, Rob thought. “After you boss.”
They wound up in a large open area. On one side a concrete ramp sloped up to a roll-up door. There were a few pallets with cardboard boxes stacked on them. Next to the ramp was an office with the words Receiving Manager painted on the door.
“The security camera's in there,” Ramsey said.
“Is there another door out of here?” Tim asked.
“Just the big door, why?” Ramsey said.
“I'm worried they'll hear it and come for us,” Tim said.
“It's the best chance we have,” Rob said.
“Why are we wasting time?” Ryan asked. “Let's get the hell out of here.”
Rob didn't really like the kid. He tended to take twenty minute breaks when allotted ten and Rob had seen him running uncompleted paperwork through the shredder. But he had a point. “Ryan's right. We can't waste time.”
“Who's going to run for the van?” Mary asked. “Jerry's kind of slow. No offense. I'm wearing heels and a skirt.”
“Tim's got the most experience with guns. Whoever goes out there's going to need cover,” Rob said.
“And you got the other gun,” Tim said. “So that leaves you, my friend.”
Rob expected some sort of whiny protest from Ryan, but the kid said: “Game on.”
“Jerry, what's the interior of the van like?” Rob asked.
“Oh, AM/FM stereo, drink holders. Why the fuck does that matter?” Ramsey said.
“Are there bench seats, buckets, or is it an open cargo van? I'm thinking Ryan can back it up and we can hop in back. But not if there's bench seats.”
“Dude, I can figure that out. I'll have to back down the ramp either way. I'll either open the side or rear door. Just be ready.”
Tim said, “Alright ladies. Enough chatter. Jerry, right? Get on that camera.”
The back of Rob's neck began to sweat, the droplets rolling down his back. Same thing would happen before an exam in school. Same thing happened when he was waiting for Emma to walk down the aisle. He looked down at Kayla, who was fiddling with the strings on her hoodie. He squeezed her close, and it was one of those moments where worrying to death about your kid almost outweighed the joy of
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