Once she started moving, her feet slithered on the steps under her and she barely had enough time to grab at the railing. Savagely ripping the slippery, fuzzy socks from her feet, she dropped them on the ground and continued her chase.
On every floor, she peeked to see if she had a clear shot but had to hold her fire. The killer knew to keep to the wall, giving her less of an angle to take a chance. Floor after floor, she chased him down, praying no citizen looking for exercise would take the stairs.
Around the fourth floor, her anticipated nightmare came into play. A woman with her small dog opened the door, meaning to use the stairs. Seeing this happening, Carolina sent a volley of bullets at the killer to keep him from firing his own weapon and yelled at the same time, “Get back, Lady.”
A scream from the woman and pitiful yaps from the leashed dog were heard before the door clanked shut. Thankful the woman wasn’t near enough to become a hostage, Carolina continued her chase, gaining on him with every floor they hit.
Praying the police would automatically cover every exit, she hoped they’d be in place before the killer reached the bottom floor.
Obviously thinking the same way, the shooter didn’t do the expected. He left the stairs on the second level and Carolina followed as soon as she reached that landing. Not sure what to expect, she carefully opened the stairway exit and checked the hall each way, right and left.
Nothing!
As if he’d vanished into thin air, there was no sign of him. Until she heard the scream and watched the door from the second apartment past the stairs get flung open, and a crazed woman emerged.
Thin as a rake, her hands flapping wildly, the poor victim looked as if a complete breakdown was only seconds away. Sympathizing, knowing how she felt, Carolina rushed at her yelling, “Come this way.”
“He sh-shot my husband.” More screams erupted.
Carolina pulled her to the safety of the stairs, shook her to make her listen. “Ma’am, I need to know. Is the killer still in there?”
“No! He left. Over the balcony. He caught my husband opening the door and forced his way inside. He shot him and then went over the balcony. Oh, my God. I think he killed my man.”