e corridor was empty, but the air felt

ora was wringing her hands, the sle

rist. His grip was firm, not pai

most collapsed on, to a narrow panel in the wall near the c

" Adrien said. "Stay off the mai

ng her ruined heels in one hand. She looked like a

drien caught her should

lar," he

buttoning one more button. His knuckles grazed her skin-cold against warm. For a second,

th. The moment stret

ce a mask of indifference. "Go.

he pushed through the

a time, her bare feet slapping against the concrete. Pain shot throug

t, leaving the sky a bruised purple. She was in the rea

of Adrien's shirt. She hugged herself

to orient herself. The parking lot was east. S

k. C

a lighter fro

a man was leaning against the trunk. Pierce Mon

her heart hammering against

head. He squinte

, his voice slurring s

e back, but her foot sn

gure. A woman. Long dark hair. A m

l, well. Looks like the funera

a step t

rinted away from the parking lot, deepe

d, but he didn't follow. He d

s burned. She looked down at herself. The white shirt was a beacon in the

were drifting

! Pierce said he s

hloe. An

was nowhere to hide. The hedges w

The water was murky, g

the pristine

his-clean, wearing a man

s a victim of

made a

-