When Twilight Comes

“That is very kind of you, but not necessary.” She had some cereal and dried fruit in her purse for Lexi. “We’ll be fine tonight.” At least, she hoped so.

“Are your suitcases in your car?” he asked. “If you give me your keys, I’ll run down and get anything out that you might need for tonight,” he offered.

“Oh, that’s not necessary. I feel like we have imposed on you enough.”

“Please. I get bored to tears here. It’s nice knowing there is someone else in this big old place. And you and your daughter are going to need dry clothing.”

He was right, Jenna thought. “Thank you,” she said, as she handed him the keys.

“The elevator to your wing is right down there,” Elmer told her. “I’ll be up in a few minutes with your things.”

“Come on, Mommy.” Lexi pulled on her hand.

“Thank you,” Jenna said again to the security guard. She felt shaken and weak, stumbling around in a haze of exhaustion. A little rest and she’d be fine. Thank goodness the hotel had been here. She didn’t know what she would have done otherwise.

Her daughter broke free again to skip toward the elevator, her eyes bright with excitement.

The lobby seemed too large and empty as Jenna followed. The elevator doors opened as if expecting them.

Jenna took Lexi’s hand and stepped into the empty elevator car. But as the doors closed and the mirrored, wood-paneled cage began to hum upward, she had the strangest feeling that they weren’t alone.

HARRY BALLANTINE STOOD in the corner of the elevator wondering what he was doing. What had he expected? That there was some reason he felt drawn to this woman? That maybe she’d been sent here?

She was totally oblivious of him. Just like the little girl and the cat.

He noticed the diamond ring on the woman’s left hand. She was turning it nervously with her thumb. True to his former profession as a con man and jewel thief, he assessed the diamond in the half second it took to do so. Not bad quality. An average cut. A carat and a quarter. Not worth stealing.

The thought surprised him. He hadn’t thought about stealing anything in years.

His gaze went to the woman again. Who was she? But more to the point, what was it about her that had him thinking about the past again?

He’d almost forgotten what it had been like, the night of Fernhaven’s first grand opening. Standing at the bar watching the men in tuxedos, the women in expensive gowns, all whirling around the spacious ballroom to the music of the Johnny Franklin Orchestra.

Those had been the days. Harry had been thirty-two and had never seen that much wealth in one room before. Not surprisingly, he’d been down on his luck—until he’d conned his way into an invitation to the grand opening.

June 12, 1936.

It had been nothing short of heaven for a jewel thief.

Until the fire.

The elevator slowed. The woman glanced in his direction, and for just an instant he thought she might have sensed him there.

JENNA LEANED AGAINST the elevator wall, the past few days finally catching up with her as she stared at the empty space across from her, telling herself no one was staring back at her and Lexi.

Her reflection in the elevator mirrors made her wince. Not only did she look terrified, but there were dark circles under her eyes and her face was pale and drawn. Her hair hung limply from her ponytail.

The elevator ride seemed interminable but she was sure it only took a few seconds before the car stopped.

As the doors hummed open Lexi looked up, breaking into a smile as if there was someone waiting just outside the elevator. Jenna felt a cold draft curl around her neck. There was no one standing there. Nor did she see anyone in the long, lush red carpeted hallway.

“Did you see her hat?” Lexi asked. “It was purple.”

Jenna had no idea what her daughter was talking about. She gripped Lexi’s hand as the elevator seemed to fill with the icy invading air, and practically lunged out, dragging Lexi with her.

Before the doors closed behind them, Jenna turned to look back, expecting to see frost on the mirrors. The elevator was empty, her reflection mocking her fear.

“Come on,” Jenna said in a whisper as she led Lexi down the hall.

Lexi took off, skipping along the plush carpet of the wood-paneled hallway.

“Wait!” Jenna called quietly, even though according to the security guard there were no other guests to disturb. The wing was deathly still.

She was so tired that just lifting each foot took Herculean effort. When she saw the room, she gasped in astonishment. Elmer had said it was a suite, but she hadn’t expected this.

She looked at the magnificent rooms, half-afraid to enter. Lexi had already disappeared inside, making Jenna nervous. She stepped into the suite and closed and locked the door.

For just a moment she felt something—a cool brush against her cheek. She drew back, touching her skin.

She couldn’t rid herself of the feeling that she and Lexi weren’t alone, hadn’t been since they’d entered Fernhaven. Jenna was afraid that somehow Lorenzo had followed her. She told herself that was crazy. Unless he had some sort of tracking device on the SUV…

Ridiculous. He had no reason to track himself. Unless one of his so-called “associates” had put the device on his car.

Jenna knew she was being paranoid. No way could Lorenzo have found them, let alone sneaked into the suite to wait for them.

Lexi came running out of a far bedroom, chattering to her rag doll as she climbed up to look out the bay windows. “Lookee, Mommy!” she cried in delight.

Jenna joined her to gaze down at a beautiful courtyard. Lights glowed golden on an exquisite fountain and a string of hot pools set among huge rocks with steam rising from them. Past the pools there appeared to be a path that disappeared into the foggy darkness and thick foliage of the mountainside.

It was all beautiful and eerie. Jenna hugged herself, trying to enjoy this extraordinary place as much as her daughter obviously was.

She told herself to be glad that she had Lexi back. That they were safe now. But the words were hollow. She knew Lorenzo. He wouldn’t stop until he found her, until he destroyed her.

Lexi raced across the large suite to peer out another window. Jenna followed again and saw that this side looked down on the front of the hotel.

Beyond the small parking lot was the thick darkness of the forest. Jenna stared into the blackness, imagining someone staring back at her, then hurriedly pulled the drapes and turned toward the larger of the two bedrooms.

A knock at the door startled her. “Who is it?”

“Elmer Thompson.”

She recognized the aging voice of the security guard from downstairs and felt foolish. Hadn’t he told her that there was no one other than the three of them in the entire hotel tonight?

She opened the door and he rolled a cart in. She caught a glimpse of Lexi’s and her suitcases.

Fred started meowing as Elmer handed her a can of tuna and an opener. She opened the can and fed the cat as Elmer took Lexi’s small princess suitcase into the second bedroom, along with the box of sand.