Page 96 of How to Kill Your Rival

We pull back into the shadow of the unit opposite and survey the building. Down the road a little, a security light comes on on its own, before shutting off a little while later. A fox passes the unit soon after.

‘Lights could be on a timer,’ I say.

‘Or just left on.’ Her voice tells me she doesn’t believe it for a moment.

Her eyes dart from left to right. Checking the entrances. Excitement bubbles off her. Maybe not excitement, exactly, but hope. Action after so much inaction.

‘Stay together, or take different entrances?’ she asks.

‘I’m not sure now’s the time for anal.’ I’m trying to lighten the heavy weight I feel in my stomach.

The look Eliza gives me tells me to wise the fuck up. It’s fair.

‘We’ll stay together,’ she says.

Stealing across the dusty car park, we make for the side door. Another unlocked one. I’m going to have a word with our crews to make sure they aren’t as fucking inept as Marcus’ lot.

The handle turns beneath Eliza’s fingers, and I swallow.

Don’t let death come for me today.

There’s no time for dilly-dallying, though. Eliza is inside.

I follow along behind her delicious backside, hoping it’s not leading me to my damnation.

The air in the building feels alive, utterly distinct from the previous warehouses. There’s still the dust and the damp, but other smells cling to the air. Electricity. Sweat. Coffee. Maybe even chicken chow mein, if my nose and the rumbling in my stomach don’t deceive me.

My pulse quickens as Eliza speeds up.

Pallets gather around a central corridor running the length of the warehouse, leading towards an open area near the back. We duck into the gaps between and behind the pallets, trying to remain inconspicuous for as long as possible. There’s a hum coming from the rear. And voices.

As we approach the rear, I scan for Fraser.

There’s a chair in the corner. An empty chair. With a red-marked rope still attached to the legs and something dark on the seat that I try to ignore.

Eliza’s mouth draws into a line as she surveys the empty seat.

‘It might not have been him,’ I say under my breath. ‘I’m sure they have plenty of enemies.’

But Eliza doesn’t speak. She bends down and touches a tiny piece of metal. Leaning in, I look at what she’s focusing on.

It’s an earring shaped like a snake.

‘It’s his.’ The words are biting. ‘Maggie bought it for him.’

Oh, shit. Fraser was here.

Was.

I put my hand on her arm as she stands, watching as her face runs through a wealth of emotions. Her not shaking me off has me spiralling into chaos inside my head.

Eliza’s eyes widen as we hear a shuffling of feet to our right, and I press her back against a pallet. A plume of smoke arrives shortly before a large guy who’s puffing on a cigarette.

Eliza melts backwards into the shadows, slipping out from my grip, but I’m too far forward.

The man turns his head, catching sight of me, his bushy eyebrows shooting upward.

For one long moment, we stare at each other before his hand goes to his waistband, while I grab a knife. I dart to the left as he withdraws his gun, cocking it and pointing the bloody thing at my head. A noise comes from beyond the pallets, and my heart seizes as the man looks over.