“Open the door,” he ordered.
“Locked,” she mumbled into his hand. She’d kept it locked all day since she’d been the only staff on site.
“Where’s the key?”
Now was her chance. “Pocket.” Her heart hammered against her sternum.
She waited to see if he would reach into her pocket for the key, but he didn’t.
“Unlock it,” he snarled, “but don’t do nothing stupid or I’ll slice your throat wide open.”
CJ reached into her pocket. Her fingers brushed the canister. What did she do? Take the risk? Or play along?
“Hurry up!” he roared.
Her fingers latched on to the key ring and she pulled it from her pocket. She couldn’t get a deep enough breath ... couldn’t keep her hands from shaking as she sorted through the keys.
She unlocked the door, pushed it open. He ushered her inside. The cabinets were locked as well. Different key. She picked through the keys and selected the right one, jammed it into the cabinet’s lock, and opened the door.
Sample boxes and small plastic bottles of various medications waited on the shelves.
She didn’t ask him what he wanted. She dropped the key ring back into her pocket and waited for his instructions.
The blade came away from her throat. He pushed her away. “Stay over there!”
Could she make it past him to the door before he grabbed her? Maybe. He was busy sorting through the boxes and bottles.
Her hand went into her pocket. Fingers curled around the pepper spray. She flipped up the safety catch.
When he started to stuff the drugs into his shirt, she braced to make her move.
One, two, three . . .
She lunged for the door.
He twisted. Reached for her.
She aimed the pepper spray at him, pressed the trigger.
He screamed. One hand went to his face, the other groped for her.
She darted out of his reach and through the door.
Pulling the door shut, she fished for the ring of keys. Held her breath until the pepper spray around her dissipated. Her hand trembling violently, she managed to single out the proper key and ram it into the lock.
“You damned bitch!” he screamed through the door.
The knob twisted in her hand. She held on with all her might.
“Open the damned door!”
She turned the key. Didn’t work. The knob was twisted in the wrong position. She pulled, gave it a twist in the other direction. Turned the key.
The lock engaged.
He kicked the door. Banged on it with his fists. All the while screaming profanities at her.
She backed away.
