Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 74214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“I don’t need to go home,” she assured me. “I have a change of clothes in the car, but I’m supposed to be here at the haunted house in case anyone freaks out or anything like that.”
“Okay. I’ll stand here. You go do whatever you need to do. Take your time.”
“Thanks, really,” she said, then turned and sped-walked around the building toward the parking lot.
I stood there for the next twenty minutes, watching small groups move through the doors. Then the occasional person would run back out, regretting their choices.
“Last group, guys,” I called after checking the time. The staff was going to need an hour or so to do some clean-up before they went home for the night.
I glanced toward the shop, seeing Domenico heading inside.
I couldn’t see Dante, but I noticed Domenico speaking pretty rapidly.
I couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about, if they had found something out, if they were any closer to figuring out who’d killed Ed and attacked me.
Unexpectedly, I found myself filled with dread.
Because if they found the bad guys, if they dealt with them, then there would be no reason for me to stay at Dante’s house. If we weren’t living together, I didn’t really see any reason that he would want to continue our little affair.
“Have a good night, guys,” I said as the door opened for the last time and the remaining customers made their noisy exit, heading toward the parking lot.
Following them were some of the performers. They made their way toward the picnic tables, stripping out of their masks and wiping their sweaty faces.
I slipped inside, wanting to make sure no little kids were left behind by careless older siblings, hiding because they were too scared to move, or even just hanging back on a dare from friends. We’d seen it all.
I flicked on the big lights, finding that several had blown out in the few days since I’d last been in the building.
I made a mental note to have them replaced and to ask Dom to order more since we really didn’t want to have a lack of lighting for the winter wonderland extravaganza. Sure, there would be a dozen or so trees and lighted garland to keep things bright, but I had a feeling that the Christmas clean-up was going to be even more intense than Halloween. The staff was going to need good lighting to see every corner of the place.
“Hello?” I called, glancing behind the taller figurines and under the occasional table.
I was leaning over the casket to make sure no one had squeezed in at the feet when I heard the door slam.
Then the light cut.
My stomach lurched, and my heartbeat tripped over itself.
It was probably nothing.
Maybe just Brit coming back to close up.
There was no reason to panic.
I wasn’t sneaking around all alone this time. There would still be staff around. Dante’s guards were hanging about. And, of course, Domenico and Dante himself were here.
Was the scream track and creepy music still playing? Yeah. But there were exits. And through those exits, help.
I sucked in a deep breath and turned, willing my eyes to adjust to the low light coming from the glow of certain displays and the occasional strobe lights.
I thought I saw a shadow move, so I turned toward it.
Nothing.
There was nothing.
I turned back, and a scream caught in my throat.
There, two feet away at most, was a tall, thin figure, face half painted black and half white, with each eye painted the opposite color in diamond shapes.
Ant.
My stomach twisted; my pulse quickened.
Ant, who Dante had concerns about. Ant, who showed up right before things went really sideways. Ant, who always seemed to be watching, seeing, clocking information away. Ant, who’d been the one to point me into the woods the night I’d found a body.
Had he been setting me up? That noise I heard that I thought might be someone, but convinced myself otherwise, had I been right? Had there been someone in the woods with me that night? Watching? Waiting? If I’d been slower, would they have made me suffer the same fate? Or worse, torture me before killing me?
I stared at that face that I considered familiar, only to realize I’d literally never seen him without his face heavily painted. He’d shown up to his job interview all decked out. I’d been charmed, remembering what my mom and grandmother used to say about dressing for the job you wanted, not the one you had. I loved his commitment to the bit.
Now, though, I realized that I might not be able to point him out in a lineup. Or, more likely, describe him to Dante.
Was the name or address on his form even real? The cell phone was, since I’d called him on it. But even I knew how easily you could pick up and activate a burner phone. I’d needed to do it once when my cell broke and I’d been just six weeks away from my upgrade date.