Tracy Hayes, Apprentice PI

Chapter Fourteen

"Stay put, I'll be right there." Jackson hung up.

Like that was going to happen. This was my case too. The ache in my tailbone attested to that.

I observed through the glass door how Costa got into the elevator, then I rushed in to check its display. Second floor. He was definitely headed to our agency.

My stomach flipped in worry, but I didn't let that stop me. I rushed to the stairs and ran up them two at the time. On the second floor I had to pause to catch my breath and make myself operational again. I really had thought I was in better shape.

There was no sign of Costa when I entered the second floor hallway, so I pit-patted to the door of the agency. It was wide open so I paused outside. Had he broken in, or had Cheryl returned? But her desk was empty, as was Jackson's desk I could see from the door, but I'd have to get closer to see the rest of his office. Cautiously, I stepped in.

I saw movement in my peripheral vision, but before I could so much as shriek, a hand grabbed hold of my upper arm. I was yanked to face the badly-sewn-up mug of Tito Costa.

"You're not Jackson Dean." Disgusted, he pushed me away, making me fall on my back for the second time in two days. My new job was really taking a toll on my poor tailbone. "You tell him he leaves my wife alone." He was out of the door before I had time to be scared.

I scrambled up and rushed after him, but the hallway was already empty so he must have taken the stairs. For a large man, he could move really fast. I reached the elevator just as its doors opened and Jackson stepped out. I skidded to a halt, almost crashing into him. He took a hold of my shoulders.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes. Costa went down the stairs. Hurry."

He didn't ask questions and disappeared into the stairwell too. I contemplated running after them, but my feet decided that they'd had enough excitement for one day and I sank on the floor.

Jackson found me lying there not long after. He wasn't terribly out of breath, so either he was in better shape than I was – duh – or he'd lost Costa again. He paused by my feet, staring down at me with his brows raised, forcing me to speak first.

"You didn't catch him?"

"No, he'd already vanished. Can you get up?"

"I'm considering it."

He smiled. "What's with the butterflies?"

"I'm trying a new style."

"Cute. Gives you real street cred." He leaned over and pulled me to my feet. "Costa didn't hurt you?"

I dusted my clothes and adjusted the butterflies. "Unless you consider being bowled over again. He only wanted to deliver a message to you."

"Which was?"

"Leave his wife alone."

A satisfied smile spread on his face. "We're getting to him."

I followed at his heels to the agency. At the door he paused so abruptly that I banged my face in his back. "Did you open this?"

"How could I?" I retorted, rubbing my nose. "I don't have the key and I don't know the alarm code."

He turned to study the alarm. It had been yanked off the wall, the wires cut. "You don't need code for that." He turned to study the door, which I now realized had splintered around the lock. "Really subtle."

He strode to his office and tapped the computer keyboard on his desk. "This takes pictures once a minute when I'm not here. Let's see what he was about." He watched the feed for a moment and then whistled. "I did not see this option."