Page 85 of Locked In Ice

“Out back,” she snapped at him.“Now.”

He rushed away.Finally, springing into semi-action.Ophelia pushed past the photographer who’d just snapped another pic of Isabelle and August.The man barked at her for ruining his shot, but Ophelia didn’t stop until she was beside Isabelle.She caught her client’s hand.“Time to go.”

“But we don’t leave for twenty more minutes!”

Ophelia shook her head.“You need to leave now, Isabelle.”

Isabelle’s dark eyes widened.“We need to leave.”She pulled from Ophelia and grabbed her fiancé’s arm.“August, let’s go.Please.”

***

There were four catering trucks out behind the venue.A few members of the catering staff—all wearing their signature white uniforms—rushed past him as they took in more supplies for the party.Tension held Lane in a tight grip.Hell, yes, this felt like a trap.

He pulled his gun from under his tux.

Lane wasn’t exactly unprepared.He’d been packing all night.And Lane was a damn fine shot.His heart thudded fast as he crept toward the catering trucks.The nearest one had a back door that was partially open.He swung it open fully—

And he saw two of the catering staff making out.The woman had the man pinned against the far wall of the truck and their mouths were locked tightly together.But at the sound of the door swinging open—the hard grate of metal—they broke apart.

Not Gerald.

“Is that a gun?”the woman squeaked.

“Staff security.”Lane was working with Ophelia, so, yeah, he counted as security.Lane turned away from the couple.Headed for the next truck.He could hear a hum coming from the vehicle.He passed the side, saw the big catering logo on the truck, and approached the rear door.The door was shut, but it pulled open easily with a tug.

When it opened, he caught sight of a massive chest freezer in the back.No kissing couple this time.But…

The freezer was open.Partially.He could see fabric hanging out the side.

Fuck me.Lane climbed into the back of the truck.There was some illumination back there, running from an overhead light in the back.

Is that a tablecloth hanging out of the freezer?The black fabric looked like the heavy cloths that had covered all the tables inside.He edged closer.His right hand still gripped the gun, and his left lifted up the top of the freezer.

It wasn’t a tablecloth.It was part of a shirt.A shirt still being worn by the poor bastard in the freezer.A bastard with blood all over his chest.“Fuck—”

The back door to the truck slammed closed.Lane heard the wrench of the lock.

And his phone vibrated.

Had to be Ophelia texting again.He grabbed for the phone.

The text wasn’t from Ophelia.

You missed your chance.

Lane looked back at the man in the freezer.Blood was everywhere.Covering his chest.Splashed onto the packaged bags of food beneath him.

And his skin was ashen.The man wasn’t breathing.His chest wasn’t rising, and when Lane touched him, the guy was ice cold.

Lane’s phone vibrated again.

So I took my turn…

***

Thepleasewas all it took from Isabelle.August spirited her away.The crowd followed, tossing well wishes and clapping in the couple’s wake.Ophelia stayed with the couple until August tucked Isabelle into the waiting limo.Moments later, Isabelle and August left with a flash of the limo’s taillights.

Safe and sound.

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