Page 54 of Guarding the Singer

Frowning, he looked down at her hands still held between them.

"Mandy, let me in."

She shook her head. "No. We... we need to let someone know."

"I need to see if someone's in there-"

"I didn't see anyone!"

"Mandy, move-"

He heard Selene's voice behind him in the hallway. "Cooper. Yes. I think something happened to my dressing room."

Mandy looked up and around his arm at Selene. "Don't! Don't do that! I can fix it! I can take care of it! Don't call-"

"Okay, Cooper. We're here outside in the hall. William's trying to get in the room but-"

"Don’t tell him-"

While she was distracted, William took her by the shoulders and moved her to the side.

Mandy stumbled, shaken by the sudden movement.

And that's when he went into the room.

Or what was left of it.

"Wiliam?"

He heard Selene's voice. Not just the question in it, but also the fear.

He didn't blame her.

With the fuss Mandy had made and the way he'd bodily moved her off to the side, no doubt Selene was worried about what he was looking at. Or if there was someone in the room with him.

"Stay outside, Selene. I'm going to check the bathroom."

Reaching for the small of his back under his jacket, he grasped the grip of his gun and pulled it out. He pointed it toward the bathroom and moved quietly across the floor.

Well, as quietly as he could with shards of the mirror littered across the carpet.

Holding his gun before him, he moved toward the bathroom, narrowing his gaze to the darkened room.

The main part of the dressing room was lit, the lightbulbs around the mirror frame still warm with light.

He had a feeling that the bathroom, as dark as it was, didn't have working lights.

So he stepped closer but kept himself out of sight of the dark interior.

Reaching his foot out, he caught the edge of the door on the toe of his shoe and spoke with a clear and measured tone. "Call out if you're in the bathroom. I'm armed and I will use it."

Silence was his only answer.

With an in-drawn breath, William pushed the door open.

There wasn't anything on the other side of the door except for a shower, toilet and sink.

For a moment, he'd almost wished that there was someone in there. Someone he could grab and question and hopefully put an end to all of this.

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