Chapter 4: Rowan Pierce

"Rowan," I said.

It came out before I had decided on it.

"Rowan what?"

"Pierce. Rowan Pierce."

"Where did you meet him?"

"At work."

"What does he do?"

"He's an electrician."

"An electrician named Rowan Pierce, who is at your work." Eli nodded slowly. "Is he in the building? Should I shake his hand?"

"It's none of your business."

"It was my business when you ended us in one line."

A security guard crossed the far end of the garage and glanced at us.

Eli let go of my arm.

"Not here," he said. "My father has a camera on every pillar. The concourse is two floors up. Walk with me."

"I don't need an escort."

"You do if you want to get to the train without him asking me about it tonight."

I didn't have a good answer to that, so I went.

The elevator was the old service kind, with a brass rail and a number panel that had been touched too many times.

He pressed the button for the concourse and stood against the back wall with his hands in his coat pockets.

I stood at the front, facing the doors.

We rose one floor.

Then the car shuddered, dropped an inch, and stopped.

The lights went out for a moment and came back dim.

"Perfect," I said.

Eli pressed the alarm button and held it.

A bell rang somewhere far above us, then nothing.

"They'll be a few minutes," he said.

"Fine."

"You can sit."

"There's nowhere to sit."

"Then stand there and tell me about Rowan."

I turned around.

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