The Devil's bounty

Three

Lock placed her in the front passenger seat as gently as he could. Even the smallest movement made her moan. He closed himself off from the sound. If she was going to live, he had to concentrate on getting her to hospital and block out everything else.

He was already one small step ahead. As part of his security preparation for Triple-C, he knew the location of the closest emergency room — at the UCLA Medical Center — as well as the fastest route there from the hotel. He gunned the engine of his car, a black Audi A6, and roared out on to Wilshire Boulevard. He cut in ahead of a slow-moving Lexus, muscling into the left-hand lane, and buried the gas pedal.

The lights at the intersection of Wilshire and Beverly Glen flicked from red to green. He blew through the junction at speed. Ahead, both lanes of traffic were at a standstill. He moved into the turn lane to go round it, then as the next rack of lights turned green, cut up the cars at the front.

A couple of drivers behind him honked their horns but he kept moving, eyes sweeping the road ahead. It was clear now. He slowed a little to make the turn on to Westwood Boulevard.

The girl shifted in her seat and groaned. ‘Stay with me, Melissa, okay?’

‘It hurts so much.’

He shifted up a gear and reached a hand over. ‘You’re doing really good.’

She grabbed at his hand and squeezed it. ‘Cesar Mendez,’ she said.

The name had come from nowhere. She was beyond pale now — even her lips had lost their colour: a bad sign.

‘What was that?’ he asked.

‘Cesar Mendez. They call him Charlie,’ she said. ‘That’s who I want you to find for me. Find him and bring him back.’

Lock must have taken his eyes off the road for a split second because the Audi’s front right wheel hit a pot-hole. The car bounced, prompting a scream from Melissa. She grabbed at Lock’s forearm, digging her nails into his flesh.

‘You do what you have to do,’ said Lock, ignoring the pain as he felt her break the skin. ‘Charlie? He shot you?’

There was no reply. He felt her grip on his arm relax and his heart flipped. He could see the hospital entrance, maybe a half-block further on the right.

He snuck another look. Her eyes were fluttering closed. He hit the button to lower the window next to her and let in some air.

‘Melissa? Can you hear me? Don’t go to sleep, okay. We’re almost there now.’

He raced towards the hospital, his eyes flicking to and from the girl. She was fighting to stay conscious.

With a screech of brakes he pulled into the no-parking zone at the main entrance. A security guard appeared from nowhere and hollered at him to move the car. He ignored the guy, got out of the car and ran around to the passenger side. He leaned in, unclipped the seatbelt and struggled in the confined space to lift her out.

Oblivious to everything and everyone around him, he ran with her into the emergency-room reception area. Her eyes were closed and she had stopped breathing.