LITMIR.BIZ

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it felt like it would jump out of her chest. The man or woman reached out and tugged at her shirt, probably trying to grab her again or feel their way in the darkness. She whirled away, crashing into more furniture.

      Someone pounded on the door. “Lacey, is everything okay in there?”

      It was Jude.

      She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Terror had stolen her voice.

      She could hear the intruder fumbling around. Jude was shaking the doorknob.

      “Lacey, come on, open up.”

      She stumbled across the dark room, feeling along the wall until she found the doorknob. She unfastened the dead bolt and swung open the door.

      Jude shone a flashlight into the room. “What’s going on?”

      The light bounced around the room. Lacey got only a glimpse of her intruder before he exited out of the other door on the other side of the room. All she could say for sure was that he was a tall thin man. Not the broad-shouldered man she’d seen on the mountain.

      Lacey grabbed Jude’s flashlight and ran in the direction the man had gone. The door where the intruder had escaped was ajar. The place was so low security it had been unlocked. She entered an adjoining room that was not occupied but must have been part of a suite that connected to her room at one time. She shone the flashlight all around. The man was gone.

      Jude came up behind her. “What’s going on and can I have my flashlight back?”

      “Sorry.” She handed it back to him. “There was somebody in my room.”

      “I’ll see if I can catch him.” Jude’s footsteps pounded up the hallway and then faded.

      She was left in the dark. A rush of terror over the assault, which may have been an attempt on her life, caused her knees to turn to mush.

      Jude returned. “I couldn’t see anyone. I don’t know the layout of this place. There are a bunch of boarded up areas. I searched as best I could. I think he must have escaped.”

      “I’m sure there is more than one door he could have slipped out of.” Her voice still vibrated with fear.

      Jude’s words filled with compassion. “I would have gotten to you faster from my room. It took a minute to find my flashlight in the dark. Why don’t you come back and sit down?” He led her gently back into the room and pointed her toward a chair. He stood at the window and pulled back the curtain. “Looks like the power is out all over town.”

      She stared out the window. Her room faced the back of the hotel, so they were looking at residences. All the windows in the houses were dark. She saw only the occasional tiny glow of light coming from a flashlight or a lantern or maybe even a candle.

      She wrapped her arms around herself, still trying to process what had just happened.

      Jude patted her hand before sitting in the chair opposite her. “Did you get a look at him? Was it the man who came after me?”

      She shook her head. “I didn’t see his face. But he was the wrong build for the man we saw on the mountain.”

      “Hate to say it, but sometimes people take advantage of blackouts and decide to rob people,” Jude said.

      “I suppose I would be a prime target since I’m not from around here.” She touched her neck, remembering that the man had tried to grab her or maybe he’d just been fumbling in the dark. But she was not able to shake off the fear that had sunk into her bones that the attack was connected to what had happened on that mountain road. “Or the man who came after you has an accomplice.” She couldn’t stop shaking.

      Jude touched her shoulder. “Hey, it’s all right now. You’re safe.”

      She appreciated his kindness, but her heart was still racing.

      Footsteps pounded on the stairs and Ray, the old man from the lobby, appeared in their open doorway holding a camping lantern. He held it close to his cheek, so half his face was in shadow and the other half was lit up. “You two are awake. Heard a ruckus up here.” He looked at Jude. “You the fella that left a note?”

      Jude nodded. “Yes.”

      “What’s all the noise about?” Ray leaned forward to peer in the room.

      “Someone was in Lacey’s room,” said Jude. “Did you see anyone?”

      “No,” said Ray. “Only two other people are staying at the hotel.”

      Ray stood still, holding the lantern, studying both their faces while his was still half-covered in shadow. Did he think they were making this up?

      “All I know is someone attacked Lacey,” said Jude.

      Ray took a step back. “Electricity is out all over town. Got a fire started in the ballroom and some snacks,” said Ray. Without waiting for their response, he disappeared down the hallway. The old man either didn’t believe him or didn’t want to deal with another problem right now.

      The wind rattled the windows. Lacey got to her feet. “We might as well go downstairs. I’m not going to fall back asleep.”

      The signs indicated that the ballroom was in the west end of the hotel. The room was huge with wooden floors. Two chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Lacey could picture the parties, dances and banquets that must have taken place here.

      Now it was completely empty except for a table, couch and comfy-looking chairs that surrounded the crackling fire. The air smelled like wood polish. Another lantern had been set up on the table. Store-bought cookies, cold cuts, cheese and crackers had been set out. There was also a camp stove with a teakettle on it. All the fixings for cocoa and tea sat beside the stove.

      A moment later, two men entered the ballroom and found a seat. Lacey’s heart fluttered. Both the men were the same build as the man who had attacked her. Come to think of it, so was Ray.

      The older man pointed to the younger. “I’m Eddie and this is my son Jonathan. Looks like we are in for a long night.”

      Lacey and Jude introduced themselves.

      Lacey grabbed a paper plate and some food. When she sat down in a high-back chair, the heat from the fire calmed her. The men made small talk while Lacey stared at the fire.

      Ray entered the ballroom. “Things have gotten even worse in the last twenty minutes. It’s whiteout conditions outside. A man could walk only a few feet, get disoriented and freeze to death,” said Ray. “Until this storm subsides, you cannot go outside. You’d be taking your life in your own hands.”

      Lacey’s throat constricted. “So if someone was in the hotel, they couldn’t leave, right?”

      “Not unless they wanted to risk death,” said Ray. “Nope, the smart thing to do is to stay put until this thing dies down.”

      The cookie Lacey was nibbling didn’t taste so sweet anymore. She stared at all the men. The only one who was off the hook for attacking her was Jude. He’d come to the door and spoken while the other man was running away.

      It was possible too that the three men were innocent and the attacker was hiding somewhere in the hotel. Both alternatives sent a wave of terror through her.

      As he snacked on his cheese and crackers, Jude noticed a shift in mood for Lacey. She stared at the fire and gave one-word answers when anyone tried to include her in the conversation. She rubbed her feet together as though nervous.

      He felt a little restless himself. How was eight-year-old Maria doing? Was she safe? Was she alone and hungry? His only comfort was that if he was trapped, maybe the kidnapper was too. Once the storm broke, he might still be able to search the houses that connected with that road. Maybe Maria had even been in the car when Jude had been shot at. The kidnapper could have brought

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