Deception by Gaslight by Kate Belli

Author:Kate Belli
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CROOKED LANE BOOKS

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Satisfaction surged through Genevieve as the elevator doors opened with a noisy rattle. She stepped into the dark tenth-floor hallway of the Globe’s massive building and switched on one of the dim electric lights overhead. With just enough light to see, she bypassed the empty offices of the paper’s foreign correspondents and made her way back toward the appropriate records room.

She had found something in the municipal archives, a filing of paperwork relating to the recent formation of a corporation called Lexington Industries by Huffington and Clark. If she wasn’t mistaken, this venture was not listed among some of the other, more publicly known collaborations, in which Clark had financed some of Huffington’s shipping interests. She had no idea if it was significant, but it pleased her to head into her late-supper appointment with something tangible from several frustrating hours of sifting. Perhaps Daniel could make heads or tails of it. She had made careful notes but wanted to double-check on whether the Globe had anything relating to Lexington Industries.

Genevieve consulted the timepiece pinned to her breast as she opened the door to the records room. Nine o’clock. She had just enough time to quickly scan the files of Huffington and Clark, and then in a different room she’d see if the corporation itself had merited a file yet, though she doubted it.

Glancing briefly though the records on both men, she found nothing. Retreating back down the hall, she fit her key to the offices into another room of files. The fifth floor, where her desk was located, was an open space, and there were probably several bleary-eyed journalists rattling around even at this late hour—she’d run into Verna, one of the secretaries, on the elevator tonight—putting the finishing touches on stories for the early edition. But the tenth floor was reserved mostly for the vast files of information reporters could access when they undertook research on a subject, as well as for the offices of journalists employed by the paper who were rarely in town.

Flicking on a light within the small space, Genevieve headed toward the appropriate drawer and hunted through the files. Sure enough, nothing on a corporation called Lexington Industries. She pondered the implications of this as she retraced her steps, turning the light back off and stepping into the hall to relock the door.

Just as a soft click informed her that the lock had hit home, the world around her plunged into blackness.

Someone had turned off the light at the far end of the hallway.

Her heart instantly sped to triple its usual rate. Pressing her back against the door she had just locked, Genevieve tried to make herself as small and quiet as possible.

This was no accident. Someone knew she was alone and wanted her afraid.

She listened.

From the opposite end of the hallway, near the elevator, came the barest scrape of a footstep. Trying to control the sound of her own rushing breath, she strained her ears.

Was that a slight rustling? Was it getting closer?

This standing and waiting wouldn’t do.

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