Page 96 of Alex Cross Must Die

In a flash, Marple grabbed his wrist and brought it down hard against her knee. The .45 clattered to the floor. Marple grabbed the railing for leverage and thrust her foot into the man’s gut, knocking him back down the steps and onto the lower landing. Helene grabbed for her ankle holster and pulled out a small backup gun. She moved quickly down to the crumpled figure in the stairwell.Marple reached into his waistband and retrieved Grey’s primary weapon.

“What’s your name?” asked Grey.

“Leon,” he replied through a groan.

“You live here, Leon?” Grey asked, leaning into his face.

“Maintenance,” he mumbled. “I do maintenance.”

“That’s perfect, Leon. You’re our guy. We’d like the deluxe tour. Starting with floor number five.” She hooked her fingers around his collar and yanked it. “Let’s go.”

Leon looked up at the two guns pointed at his face. He struggled to his feet and moved slowly up the stairs to the landing above. He stopped in front of the bulky fire door and gave it a solid kick below the bottom hinge. He pulled back on the handle with a muscular jerk. The door creaked open.

Grey moved through the door, gun first. She pulled Leon through after her. Marple followed.

“Five C,” she whispered to Leon. “Which way?”

Leon pointed toward two doors down on the other side of the hallway.

“Does he know you?”

“Who?” asked Leon.

“The guy in 5C. Does he know who you are?”

“He’s seen me around,” said Leon.

Grey shoved him forward, gun at his back. “Knock. Tell him you need to fix something in his room.”

“Like what?”

“Make it up, Leon. Sound believable. You’re already down for assaulting a police officer. Do good here and maybe we can work something out.”

Leon walked up to the door and knocked with authority.

“Yeah? Who is it?” A muffled male voice from inside. Texas twang. Marple glanced at Grey.

“It’s Leon. I need to look at your radiator.”

“Dude,” came the reply, “it’s 90 degrees out.”

Grey pressed the barrel tighter against Leon’s back.

“Just gotta check the valve,” said Leon. “C’mon. I just need a minute.”

Marple stood back behind Grey. She heard a shuffle of feet from inside. The door opened a crack, chain across the gap. Grey pushed Leon’s face into the opening. Marple heard the chain slip. The door opened about two inches. Just for a second. Then it slammed shut again.

Grey looked at Leon, then nodded toward the door. “Do it!”

Leon stepped back to the opposite wall and then ran forward, ramming his thick shoulder against the door, about a foot above the knob. The door flew open and Leon crashed through, careening off a wooden dresser before landing hard on the floor. The cowboy was on the window ledge, with one leg out.

“Police!” Grey shouted. “Show me your hands!”

The cowboy froze, then slowly raised his arms. He turned until he was sitting on the windowsill, facing in. He lowered his eyes. His posture was slumped. He looked defeated, resigned—maybe relieved.

“Carson Lee Parker?” asked Grey.

The cowboy nodded. “You found her,” he said softly.

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