Page 58 of Her Cadillac Cowboy
“Coming upstairs with you. We need to talk.”
“I seriously doubt that.” She started the climb to the second level. She felt his gaze on her back, but turning to confront him over what he might or might not be looking at would make her appear childish, and once more she resisted giving him any ability to motivate her actions.
His hand on her shoulder stopped her at the landing.
“We’ve got a lot to talk about Sara, starting with last night.”
“Whatever you want to say will have to wait.”
“I’m going to stick to you until you talk to me. Your associates might find conducting business difficult with me listening to every word.”
Sara stepped onto the stairs and turned to face him so she could look him in the eye. “My father is in my office with Doc Biggers, but I need to get Dad settled somewhere he can’t cause trouble. Please, don’t push this any further today.”
“I’ll back off if you’ll see me tonight.”
“That’s blackmail.”
“Take it or leave it. Talk to me now in front of your father or tonight, alone.”
“All right. I’ll come to the center after work.” She turned and began climbing again.
“When will that be?”
“I don’t know. Eight o’clock, maybe.”
“If you don’t show by eight, I’ll come get you.”
At the top step, she paused. “That won’t be necessary.”
“I won’t do it because it’s necessary, Sara.”
With Josh’s threat hanging over her, Sara moved through the second-floor door on her way to confront her father. That was when she remembered Mrs. Masterson. Sara did a quick about-face and pulled open the stairway door. “Josh! Are you still in here?”
“As a matter of fact, I am.” his voice floated up, sounding hollow in the cement acoustics of the stairwell.
“Did you ever contact Mrs. Masterson?”
“I never got the chance. But she should be at the center now. I’ll tell her about your father as soon as I get over there.”
“Good.” For what she hoped would be the last time this afternoon, Sara whirled and marched toward her office. No matter what she did, she always seemed to have to reverse course. She was beginning to get dizzy from the constant circling.
When she got to the reception room, her secretary was out of sight. A huge stack of envelopes had been squeezed into the cubby that held her mail. Sara entered her office to fine Doc and her father gone as well. She locked her purse in a desk drawer and went back for the envelopes. She reached in to get the pile and felt a sharp sting on her hand. As she pulled out the mail a spider dropped to the floor. “Nooo!” she moaned. She didn’t have to look at her hand to know that it was already swelling.
