“Working out helps me see the bright side,” he said cheerfully. “Clark went back to the courthouse for an afternoon hearing, and Pauley dropped in around lunchtime but then headed home over the pass. So, it’s just you. Do you want me to lock the door?”
I thought about the situation. “Yeah, lock the door, would you? I’ll be leaving shortly. I don’t have any more appointments, so go ahead.”
“You’ve got it, boss.” He turned and whistled his way down the hallway.
I wrapped up the contract I was drafting for the sale of thirty acres outside Timber City, removed the bag of peas, and tried to stand on my leg. I’d worn a heavy skirt today to let my knee be free, and the material fell to my ankles. My phone buzzed, and I picked it up to see a text from Aiden saying that he would pick me up in half an hour. I glanced out at the snow, which was once again falling softly. It was a pretty night, but I had no desire to venture out into it.
However, I did owe Cousin Wanda a thanks, so I limped into the kitchen and picked up several of the sugar cookies Oliver had acquired during lunchtime and put them on a plate. Tossing my coat and purse over my arm, I turned off all the lights and left the office, careful to lock it securely behind me. I wandered down to Wanda’s office and pushed to open the door but stopped. It was locked. Darn it. I must’ve just missed her. Well, I’d take the cookies home.
I turned to head back to my office just as a man lumbered up the stairs. “Anna.”
“Lenny?” Panic rushed through me, but I kept my voice calm.
“Oh, my gosh. You have to help me.” He lifted both hands into the air. “You don’t understand. They’re going to kill me.”
I took a step back. “All right, all right. Come into my office, we’ll lock the door, and then we can call the police.”
“No, we can’t call the police,” he sputtered. His gray hair stood on end, and his coat had been buttoned haphazardly. “We have to go. Just come with me. I’ll explain everything.”
“I’m not going with you.” I took a step back.
Surprisingly, he smoothly pulled a gun from his back waistband and pointed it at me.
The weapon wasn’t nearly as big as Tricia’s had been, but I was sure it could do some damage. “What are you doing?” I hissed, dropping my coat to get a better hold of my handbag. I had a gun in my purse, and if he moved right, I could get to it.
“Drop your bag,” he said, his voice going stone-cold.
Damn it. I gingerly put my purse on my older gray coat since my newer one had been ruined. “Lenny, this is a bad idea. Honestly. So far, you haven’t hurt anybody, and I can help you. We need to call the police.”
“No,” he said. “I just need to think. Come with me.”
“I’m not going with you,” I said.
He steadied his aim and lowered the barrel of the gun toward my leg. “I will shoot you. I know I’m short and pretty fat, but I can still carry you out of here if I have to.”
“You’re not short. You’re about my height,” I protested, my mind scrambling for a way out of this mess.
“Yeah, short,” he said. “Come on.” He gestured with the gun.
“I need my purse,” I said. “It has all sorts of girly things in it.”
He looked over his shoulder and then back at me. “Do you have a gun?”
“A gun?” I widened my eyes. “Of course, not. Why would I have a gun?”
He narrowed his gaze. “All right, you can bring your purse.”
I tried not to let the glee show in my eyes as I lifted it and put it over my shoulder. “Lenny, let’s just go to my office so we can talk. Nobody knows you’re here. No one else is in there. I just locked the door. It’s the safest place for us both.” If I didn’t have to shoot him, I could stall him at least long enough for Aiden to arrive. But I kind of wanted to help the guy. He truly looked panicked. “Let me help you,” I said. “I’m friends with Detective Pierce, who’s working this case. I can get you a deal.”
Lenny shook his head wildly, his eyes freakishly wide. “No, you don’t understand. He will kill me. I know he’ll kill me. I’ve been hiding out and don’t have anywhere to go. Your office is the last place we should be.”
Okay, he was hysterical, and he wasn’t listening to me.
A burble of spit slid from his mouth. “Now, come on. We just need to go somewhere safe. I will shoot you, Miss Albertini.”
It caught me how odd it was that he was being so formal with my name, especially since he’d called meAnnawhile coming up the stairs. “Considering you have a gun on me, you can call me Anna,” I said, trying to personalize myself a little bit.
“Okay, Anna.” He gestured. “Thelma and Georgiana say you’re a very nice person, and I truly adore your Nana O’Shea.”
