Whatever she thought she had heard ceased. No sound came from Konrad’s apartment. She waited another few minutes to be sure. Nope. She couldn’t hear a thing through the door. The apartment might be unoccupied at the moment and the panting was her imagination—or perhaps the wolf had fallen asleep. Stillintensely curious about what waited on the other side of that door, she shrugged.
Conversely relieved and disappointed, she moved on. Light from a bright moon reflecting off the snow, lit the first-floor hallway through the glass front door. At the bottom of the stairs, Nathan’s door stood ajar!What, the…?She approached carefully, lingering on the last step, listening for any sound at all. Nothing.
If he wasn’t home and simply forgot to lock his door, what a stroke of luck that would be! She had always been curious about the dark, gloomy mortician—or whatever he was. She knew he did something with dead people at a hospital. Just thinking about it made her skin crawl.
She took another two steps, paused behind the door, and listened carefully. Still nothing. Not a sound. So, like a thief in the night, she slipped past the door to the opposite wall and flattened herself against it.
If anyone comes home right now, I’m toast.She glanced at the front door.No I’m not. I live in the building too. I’ll just say I had a dizzy spell and had to lean against the wall for support. I might even get some sympathy for a change.
At last, she steeled herself for the big moment. Taking a deep breath, she stole inside apartment 1A. The place was dark except for the light leaking around the drawn window shades.Why didn’t I bring a flashlight?
She didn’t get two steps into the apartment before wild fluttering feathers beat her about the head and shoulders.
“Ack!” She dropped the shot glass and rolling pin. She tried to pivot and run while covering her head, but the door slammed in her face. Panic gripped her as she swatted away the mad bird, only to be grabbed by a pair of strong hands an instant later.
“What the hell are you doing in my apartment, Dottie?” Nathan yelled.
“Being attacked by your damn bird! Where is the vile thing?”
Now that her eyes had adjusted to the lack of light, she scanned the room’s ceiling and corners. Only when there was no sign of the offending bird did she look at Nathan and discover he was…Eek!Naked!
“Where are your clothes?” she demanded.
“I was asleep, and you haven’t answered me yet. What are you doing here?”
She lifted her chin. “I was doing a late-night check on the building and everything was fine, except your door was open. Anyone could have walked in.”
“And did, apparently.”
She broke free. “Where’s that bird of yours?” Marching further into the apartment she said, “I want to see if it’s the same one that’s been flying around the halls lately. No wonder it gets out all the time, leaving your door open like that…”
By the time she reached his bedroom, he was next to her again, clenching her arm tightly.
“The tour is over, Dottie. Now, get out.”
“Not before I take a good look at that bird.” She flicked on a light, took a quick peek, and twisted away. “And for God’s sake, put on some clothes!”
The light in the bedroom illuminated his meticulously made bed. “I thought you said… Mmmuph!”
Nathan had slapped a hand over her mouth and held her arm bent behind her back at a cruel angle. “Now do you see what your nosiness has gotten you into? There’s absolutely no need to go tiptoeing around the halls at night, and if I leave my door open, it’s not an invitation to come on in and snoop. Do you understand?”
He yanked on her arm and pain shot to her shoulder. She nodded, frantically.
“No, I don’t think you do.” His voice took on a deadly seriouscalm, more menacing than any growl or loud protest. “Now, don’t move.”
He released the arm he had been pulling and blood flowed back into it. She wanted to sigh in relief, but his other hand still squashed her mouth. She had to free herself so she could bolt. Opening and closing her jaw, she bit down.
“Ouch! You bitch.”
She took off toward the door but didn’t get more than a few steps. Something tripped her and she tumbled to the floor.Oomph.
Nathan landed on top of her. “Thanks, Chad.”
“Chad? That nasty ghost is here?”
“Yeah. Now hold still.”
Dottie wriggled beneath him. “Get off of me, you naked pervert!”
