A flashlight beam hit the opened door. Lancette pushed it shut and turned the bolt.

“Damnit,” she whispered to him. “The key’s in the lock.”

“Good tradecraft,” he said.

“Fuck you,” she said.

“Sorry.” He dug through boxes.

“What are you doing?” She sounded scared.

“Looking for anything hard or sharp.”

Lancette reached into her handbag.

“Pocket knife,” she whispered. “From an old boyfriend.”

“Most women carry pepper spray.”

Addis heard the click of a blade. The flashlight beam passed by the crack beneath the door. Lancette stepped to the side of the door.

“Just fucking books,” Addis complained. He found a heavy hardback with sharp edges and stepped delicately to the back of the storage area.

The keys jiggled. The lock moved. The bolt turned. The door opened.

“Who’s—”

A man entered the room. The flashlight was pointed at the floor. Lancette raised her arm, the knife in her hand. She held her breath. She picked a spot on his neck.

The flashlight beam hit Addis on the face. He lifted the book. The beam reflected off the book’s shiny jacket. He saw the man’s face. He noticed the knife blade. It was moving.

“Wait!” he shouted at Lancette.

The man turned to see her; the flashlight illuminated the knife. He jumped back.

“Dios mio!” he shouted.

“Julia, no!” Addis said.

She stopped her swing.

“It’s okay. He’s a janitor.”

Lancette studied the man in the dim light of the exit sign. He was young, Hispanic. He wore a work uniform. She lowered her arm.

The janitor stared at her. “What the Jesus you doin’ here?” he asked.

“We were looking for something for Dr. Walters,” Addis explained. “And when the light in the hallway went out, I guess we got frightened.”

“Man, you crazy,” he said, as he checked out Lancette. “I was trying to help.” He shined the light on his shirt, on which was embroidered the words “Kennedy-Warren” and his name, Tico. Addis recognized him from the lobby.

“See?” the janitor said.

“Sorry,” Addis said. “There was no light in this room, either.” He heard Lancette breathing.

“I was coming in from the garage,” Tico explained. “And I saw the light was off. Both lights were off in the hall, at the same time … . You wait here while I fix it up?”

“No, that’s okay,” Addis said. “We were finishing. Can you show us out?”

“Okay. It’s way dark down here.”

At the front desk, Addis and Lancette showed James the sweaters. The composition books and the memo were stuffed in Lancette’s handbag.

“That’s it?” the porter asked.

“Yeah,” Lancette said. “We couldn’t find the books he wanted. There were too many boxes to go through.”

“Doctors like reading, I guess,” James said. “Did that other guy find you?”

“Other guy?” Lancette asked.

“Guess not. Tall guy. Had on sunglasses. Boney face.”