The Ninth Floor (28 page)

“And good job
talking about the ninth floor, by the way. I couldn’t have planned that better.
You believed everything I told you. Briggs was my only hiccup. He wasn’t
supposed to come back and you certainly weren’t supposed to choose him over me.
We’re blood after all. Where’s the love?”

I wanted to
throw up. If he thought he was my brother, why would he date me? “Why? Why
would you pursue me romantically?”

“It’s okay
that you didn’t choose me. You didn’t know. I fixed everything. I took care of
them all. Everyone who would have tried to stand in our way.”

“Why them?”

“The window
washer saw me here. He could have told anyone. I couldn’t have that, could I?
Leigh told you to move your aunt. I heard her myself. And Peggy? Well, she was
the worst. She actually told you I lied to you. Unacceptable. Briggs nearly
took you away again, but I stopped him. All that’s left now is that little
bitch Vivian who went and moved in.”

“Jack, just
let me go. You don’t want to do this.”

“I do want to
do this. This is all I want to do. I didn’t want to date you. I didn’t want to
paint your house or listen to you talk. This,” he said, grabbing my face, “is
all I want. The wheels are in motion. The story has been written. You killed
Briggs because he discovered the truth and then you killed yourself.” He
nodded.

“It will work.
You were naturally upset to find out your mom isn’t your mom, but then you
learned about your daddy’s affair, the death of your real mom, and that you
were banging your brother. It was all too much to handle. Then Briggs found out
the truth and tried to blackmail you to take him back, but you couldn’t be with
him because you loved me even though that’s sick—so you killed him on the very
floor you’re obsessed with. Poetic, really. Then you killed yourself when the
guilt became too much to live with. See, Kailyn. In the end you weren’t a bad
person.”

I strained
back and forth against the ropes binding my hands behind my back, trying to
loosen them even a little. “We never slept together.”

“People
assume. The hospital is a hotbed of rumors and I didn’t hide how I felt about
you. There’s even video of us in the stairwell.” He gave me an over-the-top
wink that made me feel dirty. “It isn’t too late if you want things to be more
authentic.”

“Where’s
Vivian? What did you do to her? How does she fit into your story?”

“She’s
close—and she’s your punishment for leaving me a second time, Kailyn. You’ll
watch as she dies and know that, once again, it’s your fault. You’re going to
be the best legend the ninth floor has ever had. The child who survived being
born here goes on a murdering spree. It practically writes itself. People will
be scared to even whisper your name.”

“How is that
going to help or change anything? You’ll still be alone. My family will still
have gotten away with everything. Do you really think one little article can
take down a powerhouse like the Sterlings? Do you really think they’ll give a
crap about me dying? Hell, they own the newspaper. There won’t be a story.”

“Your
self-confidence when it comes to them sucks. Your little brother worships the
ground you walk on. Your father isn’t far behind. And your fake mommy? Well,
yes, she’s a bitch, but she’s a bitch who wants to have a relationship with
you, even if you’re too blind to see it. Even the oldest one doesn’t hate you.
All they want is to be a family, but you keep throwing it back in their faces.”

Jack brushed
my hair from my face in that way I used to find endearing. I needed to vomit. “You
would have been so much better off with me,” he continued dreamily, “but it’s
too late now.”

“What will you
do to them?”

“I’ll watch
them suffer. Then, when they’re starting to heal or move on, I’ll pick them off
one by one. None of them will live long, but don’t worry, I’ll take good care
of them.”

“And Aiden?
How does he fit into your story? And the letters.”

“I already
burned the letters. Thank you for getting them all back for me. Did you like
your presents?” He narrowed his eyes. “Was Aiden the one on your couch? I don’t
think he’s going to make it. Had I known you cared, I would’ve brought him
along.” He looked at his watch. “Whew, look at the time. It’s so nice to be
able to tell someone about this, but I have rounds to make in a couple hours.
We really need to get started.” He patted my leg. “The floor has waited long
enough for you, don’t you think?”

Jack trotted down the hall and
disappeared into a room. I bit my lip, grabbed my thumb, and pushed hard,
trying to slip the rope over it. I needed to go just a little bit farther. I
pushed harder and—
pop
. Heat and searing pain doused me, but the rope
slid free. I couldn’t move my thumb, but I didn’t care. I untied my feet as
fast as I could and stood up, looking for a weapon. The only thing in the hall
was a flashlight Jack had left. I gripped it in my good hand and went toward
the room where Jack was. I pressed my back flat against the wall around the
corner and waited for him to come back to me, my heart beating hard in my
chest.

The door at
the end of the hallway opened. I heard the rattle of a wheelchair and him
crooning nonsense to Vivian. I tensed and waited and waited. I couldn’t swing
too soon—and I couldn’t tip my hand about my presence. The wheelchair’s chrome
footrest passed me, then the wheel, then—

I smashed the
flashlight against the side of Jack’s head. He crumpled and went down hard. I
hit him again.

Vivian’s head
was hanging down against her chest and her face was bruised. “Vivian?” I shook
her gently, but she didn’t react. I felt for her pulse and was relieved to find
it. I grabbed the chair and pushed her, running down the hallway. I couldn’t
carry her. I wasn’t strong enough.

The doors to
the stairwells were locked. I rattled them and called for help, glancing over
my shoulder to check Jack. He was starting to stir. I shouted again, but I knew
it wouldn’t help. Even if someone heard, they’d ignore it. We had to hide until
I could figure something out.

I pushed
Vivian into an empty closet that actually had a lock and shut her inside. I was
pretty sure he’d come after me and ignore her. I needed to get to the other
doors. Maybe they weren’t locked. We had to have gotten up here some way.

Jack groaned
and blood ran down the side of his face as I approached on the opposite side of
the hall. The gun was lying beside him. My stomach twisted. Why hadn’t I
grabbed it before?
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
I looked toward the door and
then back at the gun. I needed to get it before he did. I went for it without
hesitating. His hand closed over mine as soon as I touched the weapon. His
other hand wrapped around my throat and squeezed. “You fucking bitch.”

I tried to
pull away, but his grip was too strong. He stood, squeezed harder, and slammed
me against the wall. I clawed at his face with my free hand, and he slammed me
into the wall again. My head cracked back, and my vision started to go black
around the edges. I grabbed his hair and jerked as hard as I could, grinding my
teeth against the pain in my hand and ramming my knee upwards. His grip on my
throat loosened just enough. I yanked out of his grasp and ran.

“I’m going to
kill you slowly,” he shouted behind me.

His footsteps
sounded like they were gaining on me, but I was too scared to look. I took a
right at the nurses’ station and then a left. The other doors were in sight. I
pushed my legs harder and faster. Then a gunshot rang out and something knocked
me forward. My shoulder burned, and I hit the floor hard, the wind knocked out
of me. The doors were so close. I knew I couldn’t stop. I had to keep going. I
got to my knees. A foot on my spine shoved me back to the ground.

“I promise
you. This is going to hurt,” he said.

“Go ahead and
kill me. Your plan has failed, asshole.” I laughed just because I knew it would
piss him off. “No one will believe I tied myself up and then shot myself in the
back. You’re going to get caught because you’re a fucking psycho.”

“I guess I’ll
see you in hell then.”

Another
gunshot rang out, and I waited for everything to fade to black, but it didn’t.
There was a thump behind me.

There was a
flurry of voices and feet and commands. Deputy Perry knelt beside me, stopping
me from getting up. “You’re okay now,” he said.

I nodded. “My
friend is in supply closet in the other hall.”

“We’ll get
her.”

A stretcher
was wheeled up beside me. I was rolled onto a hard board and lifted.

Deputy Perry
took my hand. “I’m glad you made it, Ryan.”

I took a deep
breath, though it hurt. “Is Jack dead?”

“He’s gone.
You’re safe.”

They wheeled
me down the hall in the opposite direction of the doors. “The other doors are
locked,” I told them.

“It’s okay,”
the doctor said. “We’re taking the service elevator.”

I pressed my
lips together. Service elevator. That made sense. It must’ve been how Jack got
us all up here without anyone seeing. I closed my eyes and thought about all
the lives he’d taken. I looked around at the abandoned floor that seemed to
soak up the violence. Was the ninth floor haunted? Did it drive people to
madness? Was Jack merely a pawn in the game to reclaim me?

“I want to be
taken to a different hospital.”

The next morning I was sore from
head to toe. My shoulder and hand ached; my heart was broken. My parents were
the first to stop by and see me around the same time Deputy Perry came by for a
statement. I told them everything, and Mom and Dad swore I was their child. I
didn’t know whether or not I should believe them, but in the end I just didn’t
care. They weren’t perfect, they weren’t even always likable, but they were my
family, and I loved them all the same.

My parents
popped over to the next room to visit Blair when Ashley showed up with flowers.
“Leave it to you to make a spectacle of yourself.” He chuckled.

I shook my
head. “Too soon for jokes.”

“I’m glad you’re
okay. You have another visitor. You want me to bring her in?”

I nodded,
expecting his wife, but Vivian came instead. She had two black eyes and a few
bandages, but all things considered, she looked great. She threw her arms
around me.

“Thank you for
saving me.”

I hugged her
back with my good arm. Ashley and Vivian helped me out of bed and wheeled me to
Blair’s room.

“You look like
hell,” Blair said, though he didn’t look much better.

I took his
hand. “I’m glad you’re okay, little brother.”

“Likewise.” He
squeezed my hand. “Bee left you everything, you know. Totally cut the rest of
us out.” His eye held a good-natured twinkle, but everything felt like an
exposed nerve today.

I looked down
at my lap, my throat tight with tears I didn’t want to shed.

“But there’s a
stipulation, isn’t that right, Ash?”

“Yeah. You
have to stay in Goodson Hollow for five years. It’s in the will.”

“The newspaper
is yours if you want it, Ryan,” my dad said.

“Ryan isn’t
going to stay for money or the newspaper,” my mom said. I looked over at her
and she met my eyes. “But she’ll stay for us. We want you to stay—all of us.”
She sniffled. “I would like a chance to get to know my daughter.”

My eyes filled
with tears, but I nodded. “I’d like that too.”

I stayed for
about fifteen more minutes before a nurse found us and told everyone I needed
my rest and took me back to my room. I immediately fell asleep and woke up much
later to the sound of familiar voices.

“How are you
feeling?” my dad asked.

I took a sip
of water and smoothed my covers. “Better.”

“I was just
talking to your roommate. I know you have a private room, but he insisted.”

I smiled,
expecting to see Blair, but my heart stopped when my eyes met Aiden’s. My hand
flew up to my mouth and I burst into tears. “I thought you were dead,” I said
between sobs.

Aiden smiled
wanly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there, Ryan.”

I waved off
his apology, unable to talk.

“It’s a
miracle Aiden survived. He was stabbed fifteen times, but he was the reason the
police found you.”

I climbed out
of bed, taking a moment to adjust my robe so the hospital gown wasn’t indecent,
and wheeled my IV over so I could see Aiden. He looked a little gray and weak,
but having him there made everything a little bit better. “Where were you
stabbed?”

“Where wasn’t
I?” He pulled down the covers to show me his chest and stomach wrapped in
gauze. “Whatever you do, don’t make me laugh.”

I climbed into
the bed beside him, careful not to touch anywhere that was bandaged, and rested
my head on his shoulder. He kissed my forehead.

Dad cleared
his throat. “Well, I’ll leave you two alone for a little while.” He walked out
of the room, smiling.

Aiden took a
couple labored breaths. “I hear you were shot.”

“Just in the
shoulder.” Aiden grimaced as he scooted over to make more room for me. “I guess
I don’t need a bodyguard anymore.”

“Just as well.
I was thinking about a career change.”

I smiled. “Would
that career change, by chance, keep you here?”

He kissed me
softly on the lips. “I go where you go.”

THE END

Dark Corners (The
Ella Reynolds Series Book 1)

“It kept me guessing
and at the edge of my seat.”

“I hated having to
put this book down that after the first time I didn’t put it down again until I
finished reading it.”