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Scrabbling upward, he gave a “Rrrp,” rocketed off Anne’s chest, and shot toward the opening. In a lunge to grab him, Anne only managed to divert his flight path.
Paws slammed the door, sending it backward into the wall. Birdie sped inside as the door ricocheted back from the wall and shut.
Blood drained from my brain. Options kaleidoscoped.
Retreat? Call out? Dial 911?
I find cell phones in restaurants annoying beyond tolerance. I hadn’t brought mine to dinner.
Damn!
I turned to Anne. Her face was a tense white oval in the dim light.
"I pantomimed punching numbers on a cell phone. Anne shook her head, canister on high. Lady Liberty with Mace, but no phone.
We traded looks of indecision. I spoke first, barely a whisper.
“Could the latch have failed to catch?”
“I pulled it tight. But it’s your damn door.” Barely a sibilant, but she managed to hiss. “Besides, that doesn’t explain Birdie being outside.”
“If someone was waiting to assault us, the door wouldn’t be open.”
“Assault us?” Anne’s eyes saucered.
“That’s not what I meant.” It was exactly what I meant. “I meant some random intruder.”
Anne’s eyes ballooned. “Great. Some crazoid rapist.”
“That’s not the point. Leaving the door open would be a dead giveaway of a break-in.”
“Excellent choice of wording.”
Under stress, Anne’s sarcasm keeps its cool.
“If it’s a routine burglary, they wouldn’t announce their presence with an open door.
Lady Liberty relaxed her arm a fraction, but said nothing.
Creeping forward, I placed my ear to the door.
No noise.
But something else.
Squatting, I held my hand to the crack. Cold air was seeping out.
“What?” Anne was still using her church voice.
I straightened.
“There’s a door or window open inside.”
“Meaning the Ripper has split? Or settled in for a Guinness and garroting?”
At that moment the lobby door opened. We both went rigid.
Voices. Male.
Anne’s Mace arm shot skyward.
Footsteps retreated down the wing opposite mine. A door opened, closed.
Silence.
Then more footsteps. Coming in our direction!
I motioned Anne into the stairwell hallway parallel to my door. We shrank sideways as one.
A figure filled the frame of the main entrance to my corridor, tuque pulled low to his eyes. Dimness and the hat obscured the man’s face. All I could make out was body form. Tall. Lean.
