Page 19 of Defending Love
After a moment’s hesitation, the woman pointed down the hallway with the elevators. “Turn left at the end of that hallway.”
Eli again seized my arm and tugged me away from the front desk. “Go back there. I’ll bring the car around.”
My pulse kicked up a few notches. “You’re going to leave me here?”
“I’m not leaving you. I’m avoiding those assholes out there.” His gaze went to my purse, wordlessly reminding me of the pepper spray within. “Stay vigilant. I’ll pull the car around back.”
The thought of being alone was suddenly terrifying. I shook my head. “They’re just reporters. I won’t comment.”
Clenching his jaw, Eli lowered his tone. “Dani, if reporters know your mother and you are here, then the perp could too. I’m not walking you out the front door.”
The perp.
Dad was shot only miles away.
Swallowing my growing fear, I nodded. “Okay. I’ll meet you at the back door.”
“Don’t exit the building until you see the car.”
Again, I nodded.
My pulse thumped in my ears as I watched Eli open and walk beyond the glass doors. Some of the reporters began shouting questions. Even if I strained, I couldn’t make out what they were asking.
Opening my purse, I found the small canister of pepper spray. I twisted the lock as Eli had shown me. My hand trembled as I recalled him also telling me to aim for an attacker’s eyes. With the canister in my grasp, I walked the direction the woman had indicated, down the hallway toward the dining area. All the tables were empty in anticipation of the evening meal.
Mom told me she would be eating in her room.
Turning left, I continued walking until I reached the door with the word Exit above the jamb. Through the window, I saw multiple cars. No doubt this was the employee parking area.
A woman in scrubs appeared from behind a door.
Startled, I jumped.
Chapter
Eight
Dani
* * *
The woman in scrubs sized me up and down. “Ma’am, this is the employee exit. You’ll need to go through the front and sign out.”
I forced a smile and read her name tag. “I know this is unusual, Becky. My ride is picking me up here.”
The downturn of her pressed-together lips displayed her obvious annoyance. “For the safety of our patients, our protocol?—”
Eli pulled up to the curb driving the black SUV that Guardian Security lent him.
Without another word, I pushed the bar, unlatching the door. For a split second, I anticipated alarms. There were none as I hurried down the sidewalk to the SUV. The woman called something after me, but I had no intention of responding.
Eli rushed from the driver’s seat and opened the back door. As he shut the door, he waved to the concerned woman. Once he was back behind the steering wheel, he exhaled. His green stare met mine in the rearview mirror. “Did you have any problems?”
“Just that employee. Her name tag said Becky. It should have been Karen. She’s probably reporting me as we speak.” I twisted the top of the cylinder still in my grasp to lock and pushed the pepper spray back into my purse. When I looked up, Eli was turned toward me with a smile. “What?”
“Good girl.”
I lifted my eyebrows.
