Aria didn’t realize she was backing away until her shoulders brushed against the opposite wall. Mrs. Lawson frowned.
“My dear?”
“I’m…” Aria swallowed. “I’m fine.”
The lie sounded weak even to her own ears. She forced herself to smile.
“Thank you.”
The older woman gave her one last concerned look before disappearing into Apartment 1102. The door clicked shut, as silence settled over the corridor. Aria stared at the maintenance door again in confusion. Mrs. Lawson had said it with absolute certainty. She didn’t seem to hesitate, like she had retrieved the response from memory.
She walked back toward it, slower this time. Her fingers skimmed across the painted wall. The surface was smooth, but something about it bothered her, she leaned closer. The faint scent of fresh paint lingered be
