Chapter 52

She spotted the medicine cart first, then the nurse sprawled on the floor. She reached out, feeling for a pulse, but there was none. They'd taken another innocent life to get to her. But why wait? If they'd offed the nurse, they probably got to the agent too. It hit her—they were likely stalling for Don Bruno to arrive, so he could finish her himself. She didn't know how much time she had left, but she had to move fast.

Searching the nurse's pockets, she found keys, along with a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Snatching them up, she made her way down the hall, then down two flights of stairs to the lobby. Empty. Heading for the nearest exit toward 16th Street, she found it locked tight after 8 PM. With a bit of luck and a few tries, the keys finally worked, and she stepped out into the early morning air.

Spotting a shadow at the far end of the breezeway, she calmly lit a cigarette and started walking, puffing away to make her presence known. Turning