The fifth door opened easily, revealing a small cubicle. At one end, a tiny square window shot a shaft of dull light onto a set of metal shelves and a troop of mops in the corner. I felt along the walls to the side of the doorway for a light switch and was jubilant when my fingers touched one. However, flicking it produced no result. In the gray light shining in from outside, I could see two buckets under the bottom shelf to the left of the window. I darted over and grabbed both of them. The door slammed behind me with a loud thump.
I cried out in surprise. Annoyed with myself for being so jittery, I left the room, pulling the door closed firmly behind me, and started to make my way around the maze of debris.
Ahead in the corridor, footsteps approached in my direction.
“Jude, is that you?” I called out.
No one responded, but the footsteps came closer.
“Who’s there?” I demanded, tightening my grip on the bucket handles.
In the gloom, a man appeared, casting an eerie light ahead of him with an open cell phone. It was difficult to make out his features, but his tall, thin body filled the narrow corridor with more shadow. His dark clothes allowed him to melt into the blackness.
“This wing is closed,” I announced. “Festival attendees aren’t allowed in here.”
As he moved his head, there was a glint at his brow. I suddenly realized that I stood in front of the creepy man in black, the one with the eyebrow rings who had unnerved me in the courtroom during the pitch appointments. He was the one who’d left the feather on my table.
“Who are you? What do you want from me?” I inquired in my best authoritative voice.
“You.” The single syllable rumbled from his throat like a growl. It echoed in the emptiness, replete with undeniable menace. “Finally. I’ve found you.”
He advanced, his hands reaching out for me.
Chapter 4
FOR A MOMENT, I STOOD IN THAT DARK CORRIDOR LIKE I had been hewed from the same stone as the floor. My mind couldn’t seem to come to terms with the fact that a strange man was reaching for me with a pair of long, spidery hands. It didn’t make any sense. Why me? I’d never seen his craggy, pierced face before in my life.
These fleeting thoughts were quickly replaced by a more primal urge—my instincts took charge and my body reacted like any cornered animal. My muscles were now in control, the message issued to my nerve center commanding me to fight.
Just as the creep’s bony fingers were about to close on my forearm, I swung the metal bucket in an upward arc. It connected with his chin, the impact forcing his head to snap back. His head bobbed on his neck like one of those plastic drinking birds dipping its beak in and out of a glass of water.
“HELP!” I shouted before my attacker could recover. I stumbled down the hall toward the public area. As the light grew brighter, I could hear the tread of heavy footsteps behind me. He was coming after me again.
Then I realized that those footfalls sounded like they were ahead of me. But how could they be behind and in front? Was someone now blocking my path to freedom? I pulled up short and gasped. Another man was entering the shadows.
“Lila?” a familiar voice called.
Thank heavens! My coworker Zach Cohen had come to my rescue.
“Zach!” My panicked shout reverberated off the walls. “Someone’s chasing me! Help!”
To his credit, Zach didn’t waste another breath. He charged past me into the gloom, carrying a bucket just like mine in one hand. “YOU!” I heard him bellow as my potential attacker’s steps changed direction. “STOP! NOW!”
Part of me wanted to follow Zach. He was a strong young man in his midthirties, and though he was nearly impossible to intimidate and I was confident he could take care of himself, I was still worried. After all, there was something sinister about the man in black. Menace oozed out of him like foul cologne. I could easily picture him slipping into a nook to wait for Zach to pass by. What if he picked up a loose brick or another makeshift weapon from the construction debris? Zach would have no chance. No chance at all.
That terrifying thought propelled me into the lobby. I grabbed Vicky, told her to call the police, and then looked around for backup. Just then, Zach reappeared. His face was flushed and he was breathing heavily, but he was unscathed.
“He…got…away!” Zach put his hands on his knees and bent over, sucking in air. “Out the fire door.”
My eyes traveled beyond the town hall’s double doors to the sidewalk below. Since the festival was now officially over for the day, people were streaming outside, spilling over the sidewalk and into the street. There was no sense searching for the man in black. Despite his height, it would be impossible to spot him in the crowd. Because of the weather, dozens were clad in dark-colored coats.
Moving closer to the exit, I gazed out at the gunmetal gray thunderclouds and crossed my arms over my chest, rubbing the goose bumps away from the skin of my arms. Beneath my suit jacket and blouse, I felt chilled.
“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” Zach put his hands on my shoulders and examined my body with his gaze. Normally, I would have pushed him away and let loose a snide remark or two, but instead, I hugged him and gave him a grateful kiss on the cheek.