“She needs you, too,” Elizabeth said.
“Who needs me? Can you help me?”
Elizabeth lifted a hand. She seemed uncertain. Then she pointed toward the wall. Leslie felt as if a shaft of ice had pierced straight through her.
“Is she buried there?”
Elizabeth looked uncertain. “She cries,” she said.
“If I can just find her, get to her…can you help me?”
“I can try…it’s not my time…I don’t know…I can try.” Elizabeth started to move, then stopped. She frowned suddenly, with a look of alarm.
“Go!” she cried, and she suddenly faded away.
Then Leslie heard what the ghost had heard.
Something that was not an echo of the past in any way. Something real.
Footsteps. Furtive, stealthy, and somewhere on the floor above.
“Hey!”
Joe saw Didi leaning on a shop window, smoking.
Her face lit into a smile, and she walked over to the car.
“Don’t you ever sleep?” she asked him.
He shrugged. “Listen…I know I asked you to keep an eye out for that car, but I was wrong.”
“I haven’t seen a black sedan all night,” Didi told him with a yawn.
“Where’s Heidi?” he asked, suddenly anxious.
“Around the corner. She was restless, so she went for a walk.”
“Find her. Find her, and go home for the night.”
“Hey, Joe, you’re a good guy, but you can’t fix the whole world.”
“Didi, it’s occurred to me that this guy may know that we’re on to the black sedan.”
She frowned. “So?”
“So he could start using another car.”
“Ooh.” A shadow crossed her face as she realized the advantage that would give him.
“Find Heidi, huh?”
“All right, Joe,” she said.
He pulled out a copy of the photograph. “One more favor. Do you recognize this guy?”
“That’s Brad,” Didi said flatly.
“You know him?” He sounded surprised. “Just how well do you know him?”
“That depends what you mean by ‘well.’”
“In every way, Didi.”
“Okay, I know him in every way. Do I know him well? No. But he treats us decent. He doesn’t act like an asshole. Sometimes he brings us movie tickets. He doesn’t come a lot, though, just now and then.”
“How long has he been coming by?”
“For years,” Didi assured him.
Joe felt the tension growing him. “Didi, right now—just for right now—if he comes by, don’t get in a car with him, okay?”
“I’ve never gotten in a car with him.”
“Oh?”
“My place isn’t as bad as Heidi’s.”
“Whatever. For right now, don’t be alone with him. Got it?”
“Sure, Joe. Whatever you say.” She shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. “Know what? You’re the first man in ages who’s ever cost me money.”
“Didi…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be careful. I want to make that job interview, you know. I’ll find Heidi, and I’ll go to bed for the night. Alone. Okay?”
“Good kid,” he told her, and he watched her disappear out of sight around the corner before he drove away. He didn’t intend to go far. He meant to park, and walk the area himself.
Matt knew Leslie had gone down to the basement because he’d followed her there. He’d tried so hard to touch her—hell, he wanted to shake her. She was supposed to be locked safely in her room.
And then…
He heard footsteps.
He hurried upstairs. The servants’ pantry was empty; the footsteps were coming from elsewhere in the house. Matt moved along the hallway.
The intruder had just gained entry and was standing in the front hall. About six feet tall, and wearing a dark jacket and ski mask. He clearly meant not to be seen and, if seen, not to be recognized.
He was in the house. And there had been no alarm, no cracking of glass, no snapping of wood. He had gained entry despite the alarm.
And now he had paused, listening to the silence and the settling of the old house.
The intruder started down the hall, heading toward the servants’ pantry…and the basement below—where Leslie would be trapped.
Matt rushed fiercely down the hallway, ready to tackle his adversary, as he had once tackled opposing players back in his football days. He was sure he would drive right through the intruder, making no impact, but…
The other man stopped. Staggered. Then he raised his arm to reveal that he was carrying a gleaming bowie knife, sharp and deadly.
Amazingly, he had felt Matt’s attack.
Matt backed away, gathered all his force and raced forward again.
Again he made impact, and again the man swung the knife through empty air.