Her voice was cut off by the sound of a door slamming.

I ran down the narrow service hall, my heart hammering against my ribs.

I reached the service stairs, the wooden steps creaking slightly under my weight as I climbed toward the second floor.

Every shadow seemed to stretch out to grab me.

If they caught me with the book, the Romano family would not need to poison me.

They would simply make me disappear.

I reached the top landing, the air here smelling faintly of copper and medicine.

A single light bulb flickered in the ceiling.

From the far end of the hall, near the master suite, I heard the murmur of Dr. Voss’s voice.

And then, the sound of heavy footsteps approaching from the main staircase.

They were coming.

My eyes darted to the small wooden door in the wall just three feet away.

The brass latch of the laundry chute gleamed in the dim light.

I lifted the brass latch of the laundry chute with a trembling finger.

The metal was freezing against my skin, smelling of old copper and dust.