The Love You Crave

31.

“What’s the plan?” Maybe says. “Walk in, start shooting?”

“You think it might be that simple?”

Maybe checks her watch. “It’s after five. They’re in the condo, having a fuck fest. Probably celebrating some shady deal. The women are taking showers now, getting ready to go out to dinner. The men are sitting around, drinking a beer. The front and back doors will be unlocked.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Six people in the house? Three separate couples? They won’t lock the doors till they leave for dinner.”

“If they leave.”

“Right. If they’re cooking tonight, it’ll be the men grilling. Either way, the women are showering. We can take them out last.”

“Should we go in together?”

“We’ll check the doors first. If they’re both unlocked, I’ll go in the front, which is the second floor, and you can go in the back, the walkout. I’ll kill whoever’s on the main floor. By then you’ll be up the stairs. I’ll go to the third floor, and you can cover me.” Maybe sees Hailey staring at her.

“What?”

“You sound like you’ve been doing this all your life.”

“Feels like it, too. Ready?”

They don’t need to test the back door. One of the women is standing next to it, sneaking a cigarette.

“Change of plans,” Maybe says. “We’ll go in together.”

They make a wide arc to the front door. Maybe turns the handle and whispers, “Go left, I’ll go right. When we finish this level, go downstairs, shoot the woman. I’ll go upstairs and take out the rest, if that’s where they are.”

Hailey takes a deep breath and nods. She puts her right hand in her tote bag.

“After you,” she says.

Maybe opens the door slowly, peeks inside, then enters. Hailey comes in close behind, closes the door, and locks it. Both women remove their guns from their totes, and set the bags down.