“Call the police, Jorge.”
Jorge, a rule-follower, picked up the phone. “Mr. Howard, there are some people up here that you should come and talk to.”
He hadn’t called police. He’d called his boss.
“Wait here,” the guard said.
A mocking smile touched the Ukrainian’s mouth. He waited with them until Mr. Howard appeared, a big African-American man in a suit.
“What seems to be the problem?”
“This is our head of security,” Pavlo said. “These two are—”
“Tony Bartoszewicz runs an operation through a front company called United Janitorial Services,” Korbin said. “Mr. Borsuk works for him. You hired him under contract. We’ve traced several United Janitorial Services employees to corporations like this one. What do you think terrorists could do with access to an emergency communications company?”
“That is going too far. Terrorist?” Pavlo sneered as though insulted.
“Some of the other companies are water treatment plants and the biggest banks in the country,” Savanna said.
“They are lying. Do you not recognize them? This is the man wanted for that woman’s murder.”
The head of security hadn’t said anything, but he listened. Before he could say more, the front doors opened and in rushed a dozen policemen.
Grabbing Savanna’s hand, Korbin shoved the head of security and then punched Pavlo in the nose. It was enough to get him out of the way. Running for the secure doors, he reached Nate. Acting on instinct, he reached for his badge and yanked, breaking the thin lanyard. With Savanna behind him, he opened the secure doors and together they ran down a long hallway, fluorescent lights a runway with closed doors lining each side. Thundering footsteps came up behind them. A woman in a pencil skirt toppled out of the way. A man spilled coffee on the floor. Another stopped short at an intersecting hall.
Korbin chose an exit sign and headed there. He caught a sign made on printer paper that told everyone this was Shipping. Korbin pulled Savanna with him through two swinging double doors. Cool air flowed through an open overhead door. He jumped off the loading dock and turned to catch Savanna, guiding her by her waist until she had her footing. Over her head, he saw security guards and police burst through the shipping room doors.
He ran for the parking lot. Seeing a car find a space, he ran faster. The driver got out and saw them running, saw the throng of pursuers and started to get back into his vehicle. Korbin grabbed the keys dangling from the man’s hand and a fistful of his jacket. Tossing him aside, he climbed in after Savanna as she crawled over to the passenger side. He stuck the key in place and revved the engine.
One of the policemen slapped his hand on the trunk as they sped away.
* * *
Savanna checked behind them for signs of police and saw none. “We need to ditch this car.”
“Let’s take the train.”
They parked, and walked and ran to the nearby station. Savanna sat next to him, still reeling from their near brush with the law. She was getting good at this. And it was kind of thrilling. Even more thrilling was the man beside her. His thigh was pressed to hers. His quick thinking back there had her marveling. The way he took that man’s badge and held her hand. His determination to avoid arrest so that he could clear his name was full of stealth. She believed wholeheartedly that he’d succeed.