A pause. Too long. I was sweating, my head hanging ever lower as . . .
The lock on the door buzzed. I stared at it. I pushed it open, feeling as if I’d just bullshitted my way into Fort Knox, then walked to the elevator, pressed the 4 button and leaned back against the wall. It was as if I hadn’t breathed in five minutes. I was still exhaling when the doors opened on Vijay’s floor. I stepped out and walked down a narrow, carpeted hallway. I scanned the doors and eventually saw that #407 was left slightly ajar. I approached quietly, listening, but couldn’t pick out any sounds coming from inside. My heart racing.
I hadn’t actually planned anything beyond getting past the lobby. I curled my fingers into fists, readying myself for the worst, wondering how I would be leaving: on foot, in a po
