Part 316 (1/2)

elevator. It was time, time that he needed.

It was supposed to have been so easy. In the dark, while everyone was

confused, he should have been able to get to her. He still had the

pills in his pocket he had planned to force her to take. It would have

been easy, smooth, quiet.

But nothing had gone easily.

Just like the first time.

”Why?” Sick with vertigo, Emma sunk to the floor. ”Why did you do that

to Darren?”

Sweat was running off him, drenching his crisp linen s.h.i.+rt. ”He wasn't

supposed to be hurt. No one was. It was just a publicity stunt.”

She shook her head to clear it. ”What?”

”Your mother gave me the idea.” He looked down at her. He doubted she'd

give him much trouble. She was white as a sheet. She'd always had

trouble on planes, elevators. With heights. He glanced at the b.u.t.tons

on the panel. Why hadn't he thought of it before?

The opening act would be starting. The show must go on, he thought.

Illusion was the first order of the day. While millions of people

around the country were watching the record industry pat itself on the

back, a few confused guards were looking for Emma backstage. Up here he

had time to think. And to plan.

She felt the elevator shudder and b.u.mp to a halt. ”What are you talking

about?”

”Jane-she was always pressuring for more money, threatening to go to the

press with this story, or that story. She worried me at first until I

began to see that the publicity about you equaled a boom in record