"You look great!" Jessica gushed, twirling Donna around the next day at the office. "What's different? Tanner, for sure. Your biceps look more toned, too."
Donna laughed. "Well, we did get out in the sun a bit—Florida is great, and you wouldn't believe the house we stayed in." She curled one arm beside her head. "Welcome to the gun show," she said with a giggle. "These muscles are well-earned, let me tell you."
Jessica shook her head. "I am so thankful Eric wasn't hurt worse, Donna. When I think what might have happened…"
Donna hugged her friend. "I know. With Layla, too." Just arrived at the office, they were getting coffee in the break area. "How is the baby doing?"
In answer, Jessica pulled out her phone and showed Donna her latest photos. "So sweet. Angela Michelle, after Keith's mother. She was in the NICU for a few days but did so well, they're both home now. The doctor thinks maybe Layla was even further along than they'd thought. At any rate, everything's copacetic."
"Copa-what?" Lance Glover had stepped into the room unnoticed. "Welcome home, Donnalet." He pulled two camera lenses out of his fishing vest and held them up to his eyes like mismatched binoculars. "Look, ladies—I'm a Peeping Tom!" A few coworkers in the room laughed at the joke.
Donna did not. Her eyebrows shot up, but she said nothing. Obviously ignoring him, she nodded to Jessica as she walked out. "Back to work!"
Jessica followed, whispering loudly as they walked, "What's that all about?"
Donna shrugged. "I don't like him, and I think I just figured out why."
"Well?"
"He reminds me of my father."
"Did everything go all right at the doctor, babe?" Donna asked when Eric called that afternoon.
"Right as rain," he replied. "Two more weeks, just like the doc in Florida said. I can do anything I feel like, but I think I'll wait on calling the guy about the stone until the cast is off." They discussed dinner plans, which reminded Donna to let Madame X know she was back, in case she was needed to fill in for a few hours. She'd made it clear that she couldn't work much, not on top of the magazine, and that it was just until Eric was back, anyway, but if she was needed here and there, she didn't mind.
"Which babe was at the doctor?" Lance was watching her lazily from the cubicle at her back, eavesdropping on the call. "The man-babe or the lady-babe?"
"The what?" Donna whipped around in her chair.
Lance crossed his arms and was smug. "I saw you and boss lady come out of that club a few weeks ago, that's all. Looked like something more than friends."
Donna smiled in spite of herself. I'm not angry, she thought with surprise. He's just a dickhead who thinks he has everything figured out. The rage is gone. What do you know? Instead of a sharp retort, Donna laughed. "Boy, do you have it wrong. I'm as hetero as they come, happily married, thank you very much. My husband broke his arm over Christmas if you must know. Stop hovering, Lance. Don't you have some photos to shoot?"
A few heads turned their way, but Lance just shrugged. "My bad. Whatever you say, Donnalet."
Walking back to the photo room, Lance's mind returned to the club. Maybe she hadn't been there with Jessica, but she was there. And hubby's out of commission.
13
Things Come to a Head
Several nights later, Donna worked late at the magazine. Engrossed in typing up a profile on a most interesting city councilwoman, the hours slipped away. When she finally looked up from her laptop, she was surprised to see an empty room. The custodian had left the lights on, but she vaguely remembered him sweeping around her within the last few hours. She packed her things. A night watchman for the entire building would be by later to check on things, but she would lock up anyway.
No sooner had she flipped the main switch for the room than she remembered the half a sub in the break room refrigerator she'd intended to take home for Eric. Navigating from years of experience working there, she easily made it to the break room in the darkened office. One arm was encumbered with a notebook and both purse and laptop case straps. She opened the fridge with the other and reached in for the sandwich bag.
As she bent over, Lance Glover appeared from a dark corner. Suddenly, one arm cinched around her waist, pinning her to him. Backing up, she was helpless to do anything but step back with him in an awkward, frightening dance. The refrigerator door shut, and they were in almost total darkness. Only the red lights of the exit signs in various places around the room, and the hallway lighting coming in from a fixed window beside the main door, were evident.
Donna still didn't know for sure who had her, but she could guess. "Let me go this minute," she hissed. "It's not funny."
Lance had an iron grip on her left arm and now hooked her right arm tightly, speaking quietly into her ear. "No, it's not funny at all. But you've heard several people laugh at me because of you. You laughed at me the other day. But you're not laughing now, are you?"
Think, Donna. The guard will come around soon. Keep him talking until then. "I'm sorry, Lance. I didn't mean to hurt you. You're new here. We joke around. You'll see. I didn't mean anything by it, honest."
"Let me tell you about honesty, Donnalet. And then you're going to let me do what
