Page 105 of Midnight Waters

“Usually.”

Despite me knowing that, an unease hung in the air, an atmosphere that didn’t feel quite right.

Then several shouts severed the silence.

Ben made to run, but I grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

“Don’t,” I whispered. “If there’s trouble, we need the element of surprise.”

Because Ben would charge on in without a second thought. Not just him, but Michaela and maybe the officers could also get hurt if we were rash.

“You’re strong for a girl,” he said as he took his arm back.

I punched him on the arm again, and he winced.

I took the lead down the corridor, holding a hand out to keep him back. The last thing I needed was him running off into trouble.

“All right, all right! We’re listening, Morty.” Mallory’s voice came out of a nearby cubicle, the door to which was wide open.

I ducked down and crept along the wall to the door. Inside, a slew of police officers, including Mallory, had their hands up in surrender. Just past them, I spied Morty holding an athamé to Michaela’s throat.

She blinked like she didn’t know what was happening, her hands waving around as if in a trance.

Ben swore under his breath. “He’s going to kill her.”

“Just wait,” I whispered.

“All of you back away now, or I’ll kill her, I promise you that,” Morty snapped.

“All right. Let’s not do anything rash now,” Mallory said. She jerked her chin at her officers. “Back up, all of you.”

This was our chance.

“Come on.” I grabbed Ben’s jacket and pulled him past the door as the officers blocking it backed out.

There was a fire exit at the end of one corridor branching off from the one we were in. Perfect.

I pulled Ben toward it and slipped into another ICU room near it.

“What are you doing?” Ben whispered.

“He’s going to make a break for it. I reckon he’ll use the fire exit, don’t you?”

Realisation crossed Ben’s face. “Brilliant. Were you always this smart, or is this a onetime thing?”

“I’m smart every time. You’re just too dumb to comprehend most of it.”

“Savage.”

I crouched down and positioned myself at the door, peering around the frame just enough to watch Mallory and the rest of the officers back out of the room.

Ben crouched at my back, watching over my shoulder.

I winced as Morty dragged Michaela out of the door, her legs squeaking across the floor.

“On the ground, all of you. Hands on your heads,” Morty ordered.

“Do as he says,” Mallory said when her officers hesitated.

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