Read Online In Plain Sight by Barbara Block - Free Book Online Page A

and flicked it on.
    I gasped.
    My heart began racing.
    A man was standing over by the far wall.
    Two seconds later I realized the man was a coat rack. I put my hand over my mouth to stifle my giggle. God, I was really losing it. When my heart rate returned to normal I took another step in, more to prove to myself that I could do it than for any other reason.
    â€œCome on, Estrella,” I called. “I just want to talk to you. That’s all. I promise.”
    Silence.
    By now the flame from my lighter was beginning to burn my fingers. I took my thumb off the lever. Even I had to admit this was dumb. This was more than dumb. Estrella obviously wasn’t going to talk to me, and there was no way I was going to find her in this place. It was time to leave.
    I was turning to go when I heard a noise to the left of me. A sharp pain knifed across the back of my skull. Lights exploded in front of my eyes and I caught a flash of white hair.
    Oh shit, I thought as a black curtain descended, this really is turning out to be a lousy day.

Chapter 7
    T he first thing I heard was the scurrying. I opened my left eye. All I saw were carpet fibers. Then a small, blurry shape came into view. When my vision cleared I realized it was a gray rat. He was sitting about a foot away cleaning his whiskers with his paws. I opened my right eye. The rat didn’t move. Neither did I. Actually I wasn’t sure if I could. For a while we just looked at each other. Then I got bored and tried lifting my head off the ground. Bad idea. Everything started swimming. I put it back down. Well, one thing was for sure, I thought as I closed my eyes again and waited for the dizziness to subside: Estrella definitely did not want to be found. I was wondering why when the blackness descended again.
    The next time I opened my eyes two rats were staring at me. Jesus, I was probably the event of their week. Pretty soon they’d start selling tickets. A moment later another large rat joined them. Enough was enough. I yelled at them and they scampered underneath a large, white cardboard carton.
    â€œAnd stay there,” I added as I lifted my hand and began gingerly exploring the back of my head.
    I felt a lump, but nothing wet. That was good. At least Estrella hadn’t split my skull open. I wouldn’t need stitches. She’d probably just given me a concussion. Thank God for small mercies. I tried raising my head again. This time all I got for my troubles was a blinding pain behind my eyes. Things were improving. I slowly worked myself into a sitting position. Then I stood up. The room started spinning. I leaned against a wall while I waited for the spinning to stop and consoled myself by thinking about what I was going to do to Estrella.
    The more I thought about what the kid had done, the more I couldn’t understand why she’d done it. It didn’t make sense. Why knock me out like this? It must have been obvious I couldn’t get her if she didn’t want me to. Then the pain came back and I couldn’t think at all.
    After a few minutes the throbbing subsided and I straightened up. Maybe I’d figure out why Estrella had done what she had later, maybe I wouldn’t, but right now it was time to get out of here. I took a deep breath, said goodbye to the rats, and started walking. As long as I went slow and didn’t move my head the throbbing wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. When I reached the window I’d climbed through I brought my watch up to my face and took a look. Eight o’clock. I’d left the shop a little before four. I’d told Tim I’d be back between five and six-thirty. He wasn’t going to be pleased.
    And he wasn’t.
    â€œIt’s about time,” Tim said as I walked through the door. “Cats N’ Things has been calling all evening. There’s a question about your order. I didn’t know what to tell them. They’ll be there till about