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“Have a seat, dear, and drink your tea while I take a look at this map.” The gray-haired woman motioned toward the armchair again, lifting a saucer and teacup and handing it to Paige.

“Thanks,” Paige said, accepting the proffered item.

She plopped into the chair, tugging the carrier onto her lap and setting the saucer on the side table.

Rose studied the map between her outstretched arms. “You can leave the little dog out. I don’t mind animals.”

“Oh, no, he’s bad. He bites people. It’s best he stays in here.” Paige patted the carrier.

“Oh my. He sounds like an ornery little fellow.”

“He’s definitely that,” Paige said with a chuckle as she poked at the bridge of her glasses.

The woman puckered her lips as she studied the map again before her eyes slid sideways to Paige. “You haven’t touched your tea.”

“Oh, oops. I forgot,” Paige said, pulling the saucer off the table and picking it up.

“Don’t drink it,” a voice hissed from her lap.

“What was that, dear?”

“Oh, nothing, just clearing my throat.” Paige made a show of coughing, then smiled.

She stared down at the amber liquid in the porcelain teacup, her eyebrow arching at it. She pressed the warm cup to her lips, feigning a sip before she set the cup back on the saucer.

With a smile at the woman, she eased the saucer onto the table next to her before she knocked it off. The saucer and cup clattered to the floor, the handle of the delicate teacup shattering to bits as it hit the hardwood.

“Oops! Oh no! I spilled my tea and shattered the cup. Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“Oh no,” Rose lamented, her wrinkled features forming a frown. “Oh, please be careful not to cut yourself.”

Paige clutched the carrier to her chest as she perched on the edge of her chair. “If you have a dustpan, I’ll clean up the pieces.”

“Oh, yes, just a moment, and I’ll retrieve it.” The woman set the map on the table and pushed herself off the sofa, struggling to stand from the deep cushions.

Paige offered a polite smile as Rose smoothed her plaid skirt and ambled across the room toward the door. She swung the door open and disappeared into the foyer, then she closed it behind her.

Paige waited a second before she leapt from her seat and darted across the room.

“Run, Paige!” Dewey encouraged as he bounced around in the carrier swinging from her shoulder.

She swiped the map from the table, crinkling it into a ball in her hand as she hurried across the sitting room floor and flung the door open to an empty foyer.

Paige sucked in a deep breath and raced for the front door. She flicked the dead bolt open and depressed the handle.

Cool, damp air smacked her in the face as she pulled the door open. Light from the lone lantern lit the crack in the door before it disappeared.

The door slammed shut, a gnarled hand reaching over her to press it closed. The other hand pressed hard against her back, pinning her against the wooden barrier.

“I don’t think so, dear,” Rose’s voice growled, seeming deeper than before.

Paige marveled at the elderly woman’s strength as she struggled to free herself, sliding against the door and flipping around to face her attacker.

Her eyes widened as a needle glinted under the bright lights of the entryway.

CHAPTER 25

The needle swung down toward her, clipping her in the shoulder before she could fend it off. Burning pain seared into her as the woman depressed the plunger.