Kill Fee (30 page)

What a royal mess.

Murtaugh glanced at the younger man in the elevator with him; Eberhart was watching him with a worried look on his face. Murtaugh forced himself to smile. "Did I thank you for my life?"

Eberhart made a dismissive gesture, embarrassed.

It was gradually dawning on Lieutenant Murtaugh just how much he owed to his sergeant. It was something he'd have to think about later; he couldn't handle anything more today. So tired. Right now all he could think about was making it to the apartment—where he could just collapse.

The elevator finally shuddered to a stop. Eberhart took his superior's good arm to steady him when he began to weave down the hallway; Murtaugh did not object. At the door he stared at the four locks—which doubled and then tripled even as he watched. He shook his head
to
clear his vision; didn't work. He handed the keys to Eberhart: "You do it." Murtaugh leaned tiredly against the wall by the door, out of the way.

Eberhart took the keys, fitted the right ones into the right locks, and opened the door.