Page 46 of The Whispering Girls

There was a pause from his end. “Definitely.”

Katie stepped in the hallway and saw a few more closed doors. She was going to retreat to where the chief was, but then heard the sound of a door shutting.

“Gav, what’s your location?”

“Near the front entrance.”

“Copy that,” she said.

“Why?”

“I heard a door closing up ahead of me.”

“Wait there, I’m on my way. Wait there…” he said with a stern tone.

Katie looked back the way she’d come and could see the lights had extinguished, so she could only see a dark void. She knew it was common in some city or county places that after hours, the lights would reset to motion lighting to save on utility costs.

She felt cold air wafting down the hallway, coming from the back entrance. It was clear the evening temperature was dropping. Lingering for a moment, she pondered if she should check out the back ambulance entrance.

That’s when she heard a sound of another closing door in front of her.

Katie stepped forward and moved toward the sound. To her relief, lights turned on above her. The fluorescent bulbs buzzed and the illumination continued to brighten. There was a linen closet. She tried the knob, but it was locked.

Turning left and entering a narrower hallway, Katie saw two restrooms. She recalled that some doors, like those on restrooms, had hydraulic mechanisms to provide a gradual closure—and that had been the sound she had heard.She was certain.

“I’m checking the women’s restroom,” she whispered.

“Wait for me.”

Katie pressed her hand against the door. She could smell some type of cleaner that reminded her of the commercial disinfectant that was used in a medical examiner’s office. It was pungent and recent. She pushed the door open and stepped across the threshold, holding the door. It was dark inside, so she waited for the light to come on. She stared into the darkness. The harder she tried to concentrate, the more the darkness seemed to push back.

“Behind you,” said McGaven, giving Katie a quick startle.

Once again, Katie was always amazed at how a man six foot, six inches tall could move around like a stealthy jungle cat.

“I know I heard this door close…” she said.

“Whereiseverybody?”

“I don’t know.” Katie was searching around the walls and finally found the light switch outside in the corridor.

It was a moderate-size bathroom with three stalls on the right and two sinks on the left. The floors were impeccably clean with a shine that almost hurt your eyes to look at.

Katie pulled her weapon, directing it, but she was ready.

She kicked open the first stall door.

Empty.

She kicked open the second stall door.

Empty.

Against the back wall along the floor, there was something red pooling along the edge.

Katie glanced at McGaven now, directing her weapon forward.

McGaven nodded at her as he covered his partner with his gun drawn.