I had to keep my sunglasses on because of all of the extra lighting, despite it being dark outside. Scanning the faces for a few moments, I did see Greg, who briefly met my eyes and probably scowled, though it was hard to tell at this distance, before turning back to his conversation. Yeah, well, he could screw himself. I was looking for Beth, anyway.
“Sebastian!”
I turned quickly to see Max coming over with two glasses and offering me one. “Max? What are you doing here?”
“Beth invited me. Here. You look like you need a drink.”
“Max, you need to leave.”
“What? Why? I just got here.”
“It’s not safe to be here,” I replied.
“Safe? Sebastian, are you drunk already?”
“No, God, I wish I was. Max, please just—” I paused when I saw Beth over Max’s shoulder. She was hanging up the phone behind the counter before waving at me.
Beth rushed into the storage room before coming back pushing a display on wheels, the top covered in a heavy cloth. “Ladies and gentlemen!” she called, clapping her hands after stopping in the middle of the room. “Thank you everyone for bearing these frigid temperatures and coming out tonight. I’ve invited you all here to take part in the unveiling of a magnificent piece of history thought not to exist to the literary world.”
I left Max and started looking around for Duncan. He was here; he had to be. This was what he was waiting for.Tamerlanewas here.HisTamerlanewas within grasp.
“Edgar Allan Poe’s first publication was in 1827 and was a small collection of poetry entitledTamerlane and Other Poems. The simple, forty-page pamphlet was released in July, when Poe was just eighteen years old. It was published under the pseudonym, a Bostonian, and received little acclaim from the literary world,” Beth explained to her enraptured audience. “In fact, it is such a rare piece of work that after Poe’s death, it was thought to never exist at all! Only twelve copies were thought to survive of the original fifty. Until today.”
A hushed whisper moved throughout the crowd.
I wove in between people, searching for Duncan.
“Today, my dear friends,” Beth said, “I give to you the long lost thirteenth copy of Edgar Allan Poe’s priceless first publication.” She removed the cloth on the glass display.
Inside was a copy ofTamerlanethat looked much like the one I’d seen at the library earlier. It was in remarkable condition, with an intact cover and little discoloration. I was sidetracked for a moment, moving closer to get a look at the history Beth was sharing. I had a hundred questions about the condition on the inside, and more importantly, how Beth had found it, but those thoughts were all brought to a screeching halt when all of the lights in the shop went out.
Candles and Christmas strings too. Someone had flipped the switches.
A second of silence, then murmuring voices. I could hear Beth cursing and moving away from the display, most likely to the back room.
“B-Beth!” I shouted.Not back there. Don’t go back there.
Then there was a gunshot, and people screamed.
I ducked and covered my ears, the ringing making my head spin. I raised my head and looked around.Thank you for the darkness, Duncan, you little fuck.I moved toward Beth now that I could see better. I put a hand on her shoulder.
“Are you okay?” I asked loudly, speaking over the buzz in my ears.
Beth was lying on the floor but lifted her head and looked at me. Terrified, but alive. She nodded.
There was another shot and then shouting. “Don’t fucking move!”
Duncan.
I was crouched in front of the display, and he was still deeper in the shop, having come out of the back after turning off the lights. I knew he’d come after I had mentioned Beth’s book event. I had realized that by mentioning it, he’d know immediately which book it would be in regards to. I also knew he had fixated on me and felt I’d betrayed some relationship he thought we were in. He wouldn’t hurt anyone else once he knew I was here.
He’d follow me. He’d follow the book.
My plan seemed really, really stupid now.
Get the book out of the store. He’d follow after me. I hadn’t thought about what would happen after that.
Maybe the shots fired would alert someone to call the police. Maybe I’d be able to outrun Duncan long enough until cops arrived.
