As the sky turned a bruised purple, the adrenaline finally drained out of me, and I collapsed back onto the bed, drifting into a fitful, dark sleep. I dreamt of the boutique, of the woman’s son reaching out to pull me into a car, but every time I reached for his hand, the car turned into a casket.
I woke to the sensation of a hand rubbing my back.
I bolted upright, my heart hammering against my ribs like a panicked bird. Jason was sitting on the edge of the mattress, his suit jacket off, his tie loosened and hanging around his neck. He looked at me with a weary, paternal sort of sadness, as if I were a difficult child he was trying his best to love. The light from the hallway spilled in behind him, casting his face in shadow.
"Why was the door locked, Jason?" I demanded, my voice raw fr
