Danger Zone (14 page)

“I owe you so big,” Ashley breathed.

“I don’t think so. Besides, who was the girl who brought me my script last week when I left it on the entry table.”

“Me. You’re right. This will make us even. It’s Quinn I owe.”

“Yeah, yeah, firstborn. I’ll see you at the office.”

“Wait. We’ve got a memorial for one of the retired partners who died a few days ago. We’ll be down the block at the hotel on the corner. The whole office staff will be there.”

“Okay, then I’ll find you.”

“Park under my building and call me. Construction on the high-rise next to us is killing street parking. I’ll meet you on the street.”

“Sounds good. See you in a few.” Ellie snapped the phone closed and gazed up at Quinn.

“That was very nice of you to offer a ride.”

“Well, I happen to be a very nice guy.”

Ellie grinned. “I happen to believe that.” For a second, neither one of them moved. They just stared into each other’s eyes as if everything had stopped. Remembering their kiss, Ellie glanced at Quinn’s lips. Making out with him had been one of the all-time greatest moments of her life. He’d been gentle and sweet, taking his time, coaxing her to play, to live. He hadn’t overstepped any bounds. It would have been easier to say no if he’d pushed her, but instead she was ready to say yes.

Last night, after Quinn had left, Ashley had convinced her that maybe she’d taken her rules too far. Maybe life couldn’t be played by rules all the time. Ellie had slept on it. After seeing Quinn today, she’d decided to let things fall where they may. She had no plans to chase the guy, but if he continued to pursue her, then maybe she’d let herself be caught.

“Coming through!” One of the lighting guys barked as he brought in an extra T-stand to light the next shot.

“C’mon,” Quinn said, taking her hand. “Let’s go be heroes for Ashley.”

Something had changed since last night. Quinn didn’t know how or why, and frankly he didn’t care. For years he took what came his way, be it good, bad or ugly and this development was one he could go with.

With the file in one hand and Ellie’s hand in the other, he led the way to the limo. He didn’t have much time to hatch a plan, but with uninterrupted time in the limo, he had faith in his ability to turn the tide his way. He had no plans to push hard. Ellie was already softening, so he decided to let her come to him. He had no problems with her setting the pace…as long as they moved forward.

Once in the car, after Ellie had given Fido the address, they settled in the backseat.

“I take it that Ashley’s in trouble unless she gets this file, pronto,” he said.

Ellie nodded. “She brought all her work inside yesterday knowing we were switching cars. It must have slid away from the other files on her way home. She’s freaking out.”

Quinn took her hand and stroked her knuckles with his thumb. “How far away is she?” Translation—how much time did he have before they needed clothes on?

“Not far. Fifteen minutes maybe. Depends on traffic.”

For the first time in his life, Quinn prayed for traffic.

“Why are you smiling?” she asked.

“Why not?” Quinn squeezed her hand. “I’m sitting with a beautiful woman in a beautiful city. Life is looking pretty good right now.”

She nodded, grinned. “When you put it that way…I guess it is.”

Quinn couldn’t help himself. Couldn’t have stopped if someone put a gun to his head. He leaned in slowly and brushed his lips across Ellie’s. Just like last night, she got right on board, slanting her head, letting him fit closer. Her soft lips parted on a sigh, the warmth of her mouth heated him up. He cupped her jaw as they kissed, stroked the soft skin of her cheek. Her tongue touched his bottom lip and Quinn forced himself to take it slow. The old Quinn would’ve dove in for a sure thing, but now he gave what he got and teased her tongue with light touches of his own.

Her fingers threaded through his hair and kept him close. He was two seconds away from pouncing on her so he pulled back and gazed into her sultry green eyes.

“You’re doing it again,” he whispered. Her eyebrows pinched together in question. “Making me sweat,” he clarified.

“Who, me?” It was the same innocent tone from last night. “I didn’t do anything.”

Quinn laughed. A foreign feeling erupted in his chest. A lightness, a sense of fun he hadn’t felt in years, filled him up. He bent to kiss her again when the car stopped.

“We’re here,” Fido said from the front seat. A few seconds later, the back door opened and Fido stood to the side as they exited. He’d managed to find parking on the busy street. “You must be good luck,” he said to Ellie. “A UPS truck pulled out and I slid right in.”

Ellie blushed, thanked him and flipped open her cell phone. “I was supposed to call her before I got here. My bad,” she said, hitting a number.

“You were distracted.” Quinn grinned at her raised eyebrows. “It happens.”

“I’m here,” she said into the phone. “I’ll start walking and meet you.” She listened for a moment and looked down the street. “Yeah, I know which way. See you in a minute.” She flipped the phone closed. “This won’t take long. She’s at the end of the block in the banquet room of the hotel.” She thumbed in the direction down the street. “You don’t have to come.”

Was she kidding? He wasn’t about to miss spending time with her. “I want to. C’mon.” He took her hand and they started walking.

He’d followed the limo again, parked his truck in a red zone on the opposite side of the street. The road overflowed with slow traffic. Scaffolding decorated the high-rise under construction and pedestrians crowded the narrow walkway that spanned the building.

Most of the construction workers seemed to be heading to lunch, but the noise of the street filled the air. A lot of impatient people walking and driving in heavy congestion…

Loud and confusing.

Hard Hat Area signs posted warnings on a chain-link fence.

It was perfect.

It only took a few seconds to come up with the idea but he’d have to work fast. Quinn’s most recent bimbo thumbed to the other end of the block, indicating their direction. Oh yeah…this was just what he needed.

He hadn’t appreciated her little lecture about finances. Who the hell did she think she was anyway? Some nobody stuntwoman. The intense anger he felt yesterday came back and made his blood hot. It was time she kept her nose out of other people’s business. She was not going to ruin his future.

Just like her, he liked his security. He especially liked being in charge. Liked telling people what to do and how to do it. He was the boss and he would continue to be the boss. He got what he wanted. Always. Eventually.

He wanted FRD. It belonged to him.

He didn’t like—or appreciate—when people underestimated him.

She’d pissed him off and he didn’t need this little fluffball screwing things up with the deal or spouting an opinion he didn’t care for. No reason he couldn’t take out both people in one accident.

Before they even started walking, he’d made it to the gate where construction workers filed out in a steady stream. At the last second, he set the stopwatch on his timer and clocked how fast it took Quinn and the stuntwoman to get through the maze of the crowd under the scaffolding. Almost three minutes. Quinn walked right by him as he stood behind the construction fence…never had a clue he was there.

He glanced up at the building then back to a lone straggler getting a late start at lunch. He smiled as he headed toward the man still wearing the hard hat. He liked when things came together at the spur of the moment.

“Hey, can I ask you a question?” he said to the worker as he deliberately walked to a secluded area amidst the construction.

“You can’t be back here without a hard hat,” the guy warned, following him.

“I’ve got one.” He saw a two-by-four and hefted it in his hand. Perfect.

“I don’t s—” That was all the sound the man got out before the two-by-four landed against his skull with a hollow thwack. The guy dropped like a rock. Hell, that had to hurt. Even with the helmet.

Unfastening the catch at the throat, he took the helmet off the guy’s head and put it on his own. “Don’t mind if I do.” Then he grabbed the security badge in case one of the site’s rent-a-cops came by. He checked his watch. Two minutes. Not bad. Let’s see how fast he could do this…

As he took the outside elevator higher, he looked through the protective fencing and searched for materials that might make this job possible. There. He stopped the elevator and went back down to the sixth floor. On the edge of the building, where the windows would go, was a stack of fifty-pound bags of cement mix. He checked his watch. Not even five minutes had passed. His heart beat faster as he looked around for more materials. In the far corner was a thick sheet of wide plywood. A folded step stool leaned against a ladder. Perfect.

He hauled the plywood over and set it on the open window ledge, keeping a good portion of it outside the building then he steadied it inside with the step stool. Quickly, he heaved the cement bags one by one until he had six of them stacked on the plywood along the window’s edge. Three hundred pounds. He wanted more. Sweat soaked his shirt and dripped down his face as he stacked more bags. It was a ton of work, but he was in great shape. People didn’t notice because he worked hard to conceal his strength. No one knew really knew him and that’s how he liked it.

He looked down the street and saw them coming back, but this time they weren’t alone. A group of people dressed in dark suits walked with them. It looked like a damn funeral. He checked his watch, surprised to find he’d been working fifteen minutes. He had three more bags at his feet. Those would have to be enough to tip the scale. He could always push the top bags over the side first if he had to.

Leaning over the edge, he watched them disappear under the scaffolding and checked his watch. He was at the halfway point. In a minute and a half, Quinn was about to eat a lot of dust.

A grin curved his lips…he couldn’t help it. He loved it when things went his way. With a heave, he lifted another bag. Almost ready.

Quinn smiled as he listened to Ashley’s coworkers catch up with Ellie. Clearly, they all knew each other and everyone wanted the details about her latest movie. He ignored the whispered words and raised eyebrows delivered in his direction. Maybe Ellie didn’t often show up with a guy. He liked that.

The sun beat down hard as the group headed back toward their building. Most of the office remained at the memorial, but this bunch had to get back to hold down the fort. And Ashley needed to get ready for the meeting after lunch.

The hug Ashley had given him had been just as sincere as the one she’d given Ellie. Quinn had known he had Ashley’s support when it came to Ellie, but seeing her gratitude made him feel as if he had a true friend in her too. It struck him then that he never really had any girl
friends
. Just a lot of
girlfriends
who expected him to the foot the bill on a regular basis.

Quinn turned and realized he’d gotten ahead of the pack. Most of the women wore high heels and kept a slower pace. All he wanted was to get into the cool comfort of his limo. Ellie and Ashley caught up with him and he started moving again. They reached the scaffolding and couldn’t walk more than two abreast on the narrow walkway, so Ashley fell behind them with yet another pretty blonde. Seven months ago, he might’ve remembered her name, but now she was one of a large group and he only had eyes for Ellie. Although Quinn had kidded them both earlier on their “uniforms” since both women wore white, fitted button-up shirts, black skirts and black heels. They were carbon copies of each other with the only difference being their purses. Ashley’s had a long strap that she’d looped over her shoulder, whereas her friend carried a small bag.

“I can’t thank you guys enough for bringing this to me,” Ashley said from behind him. She clutched the file like a lifeline.

“Thank Quinn,” Ellie said, smiling up at him.

“I plan to. Hey, Quinn, want to come over for dinner tonight? This time it’s on me. I should get home early enough to cook something decent. You, me and Ellie can—”

Someone screamed while at the same time massive rumbling echoed in the air. It was the strangest thumping sound, but it got louder and louder. The sound of bending metal screeched along with it. More people started screaming and pointing above them. The scaffolding shook.

Earthquake. It had to be. But the ground didn’t seem to be moving…just everything around them. It was as if the world had gone into slow motion, but the sound remained deafening. The rumble, the screams, all of it.

He turned to pull Ellie next to him, but she was already moving. Moving wasn’t really the right word, because even as he registered her body language, he didn’t understand it. Until she tackled him. He wouldn’t have thought that she could take him down, but he’d never been more wrong. Ellie wrapped her arms around his waist and drilled him toward the street. Her shoulder connected with his gut and took the breath out of him as they flew backward. Somehow, she twisted and instead of landing flat on his back and cracking his skull on the cement, they landed sideways and Quinn managed to get an arm out to break the fall. No sooner had they hit the pavement then the scaffolding crashed where they’d just been standing. Dust and splinters clouded the air. Where there had been screams and noise a second ago, everything was now quiet.

Deathly quiet.

Quinn coughed the dust out of his nostrils as he wrapped his arms around Ellie still splayed next to him.

“Jesus.” He sputtered another cough. How the hell had she managed to do that? Not only save him from being buried, but protect him from a bad fall too? “Elle, you okay?”

She stirred, lifted her head. She was covered in dust and grime. “Yeah,” she coughed and sat up. “I think so. You?’

He nodded. People started screaming again and they both turned.

“Oh, my God.” Ellie’s eyes widened as the scope of what just happened hit them both.

“Holy shit,” he muttered.

“Ashley!” Ellie screamed the word as she bounded up and ran to the rubble. She didn’t hesitate to start digging. About six floors worth of scaffolding had pancaked down. No one else had gotten out from under it. No one.

A chill of absolute dread prickled his back. He didn’t do trauma. Six months ago he’d gone through enough trauma to last a lifetime. If he hadn’t been glued to the spot, he’d have run far and fast. But he couldn’t move.

“Quinn!” She snapped him out of his fog. “Get that side of the plywood.”

Jumping into action, Quinn lifted his end and they tossed it away. The harder they worked, the more people showed up to help. They started an assembly line, hefting huge bags of cement mix, pieces of plywood and strips of metal off the top of the pile and passing it on. Her muscles strained, but her face was pure determination. Some of the scaffolding on the outer rim had held, but it looked like it might crumble any second.

Ellie shouted orders to complete strangers. “Shore up that piece of scaffolding with the plywood over there. You…” She pointed to another man. “You get the other end and help him.” She saw it all. All the discarded pieces they’d waded through were used to hold up the weak links and keep more debris from falling.

The sound of sirens finally filled the air and paramedics screeched to a stop. Ellie never looked up. They’d already gotten down to the last layer.

“Easy with this one, Quinn,” she warned. They lifted and moved aside the plywood.

Quinn looked. And nearly lost the contents of his stomach. Half a dozen people lay under the rubble, but it was the sight of Ashley and her coworker that made Quinn sick inside. Blood was everywhere. Blond hair caked with blood blocked Ashley’s face. If it was any indication…

Someone shoved Quinn to the side. “Move, move!” A paramedic knelt next to Ashley. Creaking sounded overhead and Ellie grabbed the piece of plywood they’d just discarded and hefted it longways under the remaining weak scaffolding. She held it steady, her face pale as she watched the man work on the women.

More sirens deafened him and two firemen showed up seconds later and yanked them both away, but not before another took Ellie’s spot. Quinn looked to the street. Five fire engines lined the road. Men yelled orders and in seconds, a dozen more firemen moved in and systematically carried out all the people that had been buried. Four people went out on stretchers, including Ashley and her coworker. The three firemen who’d been shoring up the weak spots ran out a few seconds before the rest of the scaffolding folded and brought down more debris.

Through it all, Ellie kept trying to get to Ashley. The fireman who’d hauled her away wouldn’t let her go. He kept telling her to let the men work on her friend. Told her that she needed attention too. That’s when Quinn noticed the slice on her arm, a long nasty slash of red that ran from her bicep to her elbow.

“I’m okay,” Ellie said. “I need to see Ashley.” As she said it, the paramedics slid Ashley’s stretcher into the waiting ambulance. The coworker went too. “No, I need to go with her,” Ellie yelled.

“Not enough room,” the fireman said. “It’s okay, they’ll take good care of her. Let’s take care of you.” He called another paramedic over, but Ellie still didn’t want to play nice.

“Quinn, the limo!” She looked at him with wide eyes and he understood her completely, but even as he nodded, he saw fire trucks had blocked all the cars parked on the street. Including his limo. “Oh God oh God!” Ellie chanted. She pleaded with the fireman nearest her. “Please, please, you have to move that fire truck.” She pointed next to the limo.

“I’ll see that the truck gets moved if you let us clean up your arm.”

Her frustration was palpable, but she finally agreed.

“You too, buddy,” the same guy said to him. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

“I’m fine,” Quinn told him. The man pointed and Quinn looked at his own arm. Not until that second had he felt anything, but now as he looked at the heavy road rash from the street did he feel the burn. “Oh.”

It took twenty minutes for the limo to get out of its spot. Fifteen of that had been used to clean up their cuts and scrapes. Ellie, with a fresh bandage on her arm, was barely hanging on.

Ellie inhaled and exhaled. All she had to do was concentrate on breathing. Ashley was going to be fine. If she kept saying it in her head, it would be true. Positive thoughts. How many nasty gashes had Ellie herself gone through? She knew anything near the eyebrow or forehead bled a lot. Sure there might be a scar or two, but nothing that wouldn’t heal.

Ashley would be fine.

Because Ellie couldn’t imagine the alternative.

Ashley was her lifeline. Her support. The consequences of a life without Ashley didn’t compute. Sure, the day was inevitably going to come at some point, but it was going to be because of a guy or because one of them moved or something. Not like this. And most especially not before Ellie was ready.

God, how selfish could she be? She didn’t deserve Ashley. She deserved to struggle the rest of her life for being so completely self-centered. She’d relied on Ashley for more than ten years. Had taken for granted everything her best friend had done for her. If anyone deserved to be in a hospital bed, it was Ellie.

The city blew by in a blur as Bill pushed the speed limit. Ellie didn’t argue. She stared at the phone in her hand. How was she going to—?

“What can I do?” Quinn asked quietly. The concern on his face brought another wave of tears to her eyes. He sat next to her, set a gentle, warm hand on her knee. Dust and sweat mixed on his face, clothes and in his hair.

“I need to call her mom. I just don’t know what to tell her.” Her eyes widened as she thought of something else. “Oh my God. Sheryl’s on her honeymoon. She’s on a cruise. I have no idea how to get in touch with her.”

“Sheryl’s her mom?” Quinn asked.

“Her sister,” Ellie said, shaking her head. “The one who just got married.”

He nodded sympathetically. “Just take it one step at a time. Maybe you should wait until we get more information. And her mother might know how to reach her sister.”

She nodded as something else occurred to her. “I have to call Mark too,” she said. “There’s no way I’m going back to work today.” At least this phone call would be easier. Ellie punched in Mark’s number and he answered on the second ring. She told him the situation and after assuring him she was fine, he told her to take all the time she needed.

Ellie flipped the phone closed and swallowed back the panic. As much as she didn’t want to make this next call, she had to. How would Aurora take the news? A wave of chills washed down her back as she punched her speed dial. Aurora Bristol worked nights. Ellie would be waking her from a sound sleep. She swallowed back the lump in her throat as the phone rang. Aurora’s sleep-roughened voice answered the phone.

“Hey, Ma, it’s Ellie.” Just like Ashley, Aurora had treated her like family. Like a loved daughter. Ellie would be forever grateful. She worked to keep her voice steady. Didn’t have any idea how to deliver the news. “I’m sorry to wake you.”

“Hello, baby.” There was rustling over the phone. “You can call me anytime. What’s up?”

“Uh—” Ellie’s voice broke and she closed her eyes. Emotion welled up in her throat and she couldn’t speak over the knot. A strong, warm hand squeezed her thigh and she looked over at Quinn. He had the sweetest expression on his face. Encouraging. Supportive. Tears slid down her cheeks.

“Ellie, baby, what’s the matter? Talk to me,” Aurora said, but this time her voice had an edge. She was a mother and Ellie knew that somehow Aurora knew the news was bad. Almost the same way as Ellie had known when the men in uniform had shown up at the doorstep the morning after Phil hadn’t come home. She’d been young, but she’d registered the fear in her mother’s voice, the curl in her usually straight shoulders.

Bad news came in many forms but it always had a vibe all its own.

“It’s Ashley,” she said. “There was an accident. I’m on my way to the hospital now so I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.” Ellie took a deep breath after blurting out everything. “It’s serious, Mom. I did the best I could.” God, she’d pushed Quinn out of the way and left Ashley to get buried. Guilt swallowed her whole. Tears welled and Ellie forced herself to speak through them. “I was with her. We were walking past a construction site and the scaffolding collapsed. The paramedics got there really fast and I know they’re taking good care of her.”

There was silence on the phone and Ellie pressed her lips together. She wiped the tears on her face. Quinn’s grip on her thigh tightened and she put her hand on his and squeezed.

“Oh, God.” Desperation sounded in Aurora’s voice before she took a deep breath. “Okay,” she said. “Mickey’s in Phoenix, but I have his truck. It’s slow, but I’ll be there as fast as I can.” Her steady words cracked at the end and Ellie struggled to keep her own tears back.

“I’m almost at the hospital,” Ellie said. “I’ll be with her until you get there.”

“I know, sweetie. I’ll call you when I’m closer to L.A. You’ll need to tell me which hospital.” There was a pause on the line and Aurora finally broke down. The pain in her sob traveled the distance and sliced Ellie in two until her own tears trekked down her cheeks unheeded. “You hang in there too, Ellie. You hear me? You just hang in there.”

Ellie’s heart hurt with the pain of the unknown and the devastating feeling of helplessness. God, she needed to be strong. “I will, Ma. Drive safe.” Emotion bubbled in her throat. “Love you.”

“Love you too, baby.”

Ellie flipped the lid closed before Aurora heard her lose control. A terrifying wave of despair washed through her and clenched her chest. A sob broke free as tears streaked down her face. What if Ashley didn’t make it? What if—

“Hey.” Quinn’s low voice whispered in her ear as he tugged her against him and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Don’t think that way. Let’s not worry until we have to. We don’t know anything yet.” He rubbed a strong hand down her arm and quirked his lips in an attempt to smile. “She might be in the emergency room wrecking havoc with all the single doctors.”

Sputtering a laugh through her tears, Ellie could totally imagine Ashley milking an E.R. visit for all it was worth. Despite the straightlaced clothes and job, Ashley was a party girl at heart. Ellie wouldn’t put it past her best friend to say, “Dr. McDreamy, I have a pain right here.” At which point, she’d gesture to her chest. But before the doctor could say anything, she’d flash him with her set of perfect 36Ds. “Is there anything you can do to help me?” Then she’d smile and bat the lashes over her pretty blue eyes.