I set him down a couple feet in front of the door and unplug the lamp, hoisting it in my hand as I stand to one side. I’ll be behind the door when it breaks open.
The little metal figure bangs his drums as he marches forward, just as the door gives one last miserablecrack!
Viola charges through it like a mad horse.
She instantly sees the tiny moving figure in the middle of the floor and stops, this puzzled look on her face.
Bingo!
I raise the lamp, ready to wait one more second until she’s in range, but she pitches forward before I swing.
Huh?
She crashes down on top of the toy and there’s a metallic crunch.
What happened? With the lamp still clutched in my hands, I turn to the large, dark figure in the doorway.
“Kane!” I gush out, running forward, relief coursing through me. “Oh, thank God. I didn’t think you’d be back yet. Viola and Joseph, they’re planning to…” I trail off as lightning flashes in the window, revealing his face.
Not Kane.
“Lee?” I whisper, fumbling for the light switch and flicking it on. The clear view only proves what I knew—it’s Lee Glazkov, the ceramics guy.
I don’t understand.
“What are you doing here?” I croak. My voice has rusted shut.
Instead of smiling, he looks at me coldly. No hint of the same warmth whatsoever at the craft fair or the museum.
No smile.
No compassion.
No relief that I’m okay even though he just whacked Viola Babin to the floor.
He had to know she was trying to hurt me.
I’m so confused.
“You know, Miss Margot,” he says flatly, “you really should have left with the kids when I told you.”
Oh no.
Ohfuckno.
“You… you left the note?” I whisper, backing away, horror gripping my throat.
“I thought I made myself clear, yes. Youandthe kids had to leave. They’re gone, yet you’re still here.” There’s a sadness in his tone that scares me.
“But what do you want? Why are you doing this?” My voice rises.
With a disinterested sigh, he nudges a limp Viola away with the toe of his boot.
“I warned you, didn’t I? Just look at this. You and your ‘friends’ have made my life very, very complicated.”
Friends.
Does that mean he found Joseph, too?
