Chapter 19: Two in the Morning

On Saturday night the Alder hosted a wedding.

Until one in the morning, the second-floor hallway was full of people in good shoes.

I slept with the chain on the door and a desk chair under the handle.

Nate had told me to.

He had also told me that nobody but him and the day manager had a master key, and that he'd put a note on my room in the system.

At ten past two I woke to a small electronic chirp.

The lock was turning.

I lay still with my heart going hard in my ears, and Charlie slept in the bassinet next to me with his hand curled by his cheek.

The door opened four inches and stopped against the chain.

"Libby."

The voice was soft and reasonable.

It came through the gap with a stripe of hallway light.

"Open the door, sweetheart. It's me. I just want to hold him for a minute."

I got out of bed and put myself between the door and the bassinet.

"How did you get a key?"

"The young man at the desk was very understanding. I told him my wife and son were in danger, and he wanted to help."

"You're banned from this hotel."

"I'm his father. I'm not leaving without him."

I took my phone off the nightstand.

I pressed Nate's number with my thumb, and I pressed record with the other.

"Carter, go home."

"I'm not asking, Libby."

The chain rattled.

He had put his shoulder against the door.

"I've been very patient," he said.

"You've been collecting."

"Open the door."

"No."

The next time he hit it, the screws groaned in the wood.

Charlie woke and started to wail.

The sound went through me, and I thought: now.