“He’s big and he’s wearing a black ski mask. I think he has a gun.”

“We have a unit en route to your location. Stay on the line, please.”

“I am.”

Leigh listened. More footsteps—farther away now. Then a dull thud.

Silence.

Holding her breath, she waited. Was he here? Had that been the door closing? She felt dizzy from pain and shock, and she didn’t know if her brain was playing tricks on her.

“Ma’am? Are you there?”

Leigh didn’t answer. Didn’t say a word. Didn’t even move, just stared at the door and strained to hear anything.

Minutes crawled by. Finally, she set the receiver quietly on the floor, picked up the gavel, and crept across the room. She leaned her head against the door, pressing her cheek against the cool wood as she strained to detect the slightest noise. But all she heard was the steady thrum of her own pulse.

He was gone.

She felt it.

At least, she thought she did.

He could be outside, standing in the hallway and waiting for her to venture out.

The silence stretched out, empty and endless. Sweat streamed down her spine in a cool trickle. Leigh took a deep breath, then released it. Clutching the gavel in her hand, she waited soundlessly.

She’d wait ten more seconds. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven . . .

Summoning her courage, she reached for the door.

CHAPTER TEN

Leigh watched the uniformed officers traipsing back and forth through the lobby. She’d counted five so far, and three different vehicles. Seemed like overkill for this particular incident, but it wasn’t her call. And she got the definite impression that the homicide detective in the hallway had some pull.

Leigh listened to Brandon talking to several cops in the corridor. He’d shown up and taken charge, giving orders to the pair of patrol officers that had arrived on the scene. One of them walked past her now, casting a curious look in her direction.

She sat in Bella’s swivel chair, a cup of green tea clutched in her hands. She’d hadn’t had a sip in half an hour, and the tea was cold, but she continued to hold it—she had no idea why. It was from Mei’s across the street, where Leigh had waited for the police to arrive. She’d sprinted over there, barefoot and panicked, after emerging from the storage room to find her attacker long gone.

Leigh’s throat tightened. She took a sip of tea as Brandon’s footsteps approached. He’d shown up in jeans and scarred leather work boots, and she’d learned to pick out the sound of his footsteps from those of the other cops tromping back and forth.

“Hey.”

She glanced up. Brandon loomed over her, his expression stern. His tension level was off the charts, but Leigh didn’t mind. Surrounded by strange men, she felt better having him around.