Free Ember Burns (The Seeker) by Ditter Kellen Page A

tucked the envelope under her arm and plucked two paper cups from the wall dispenser before filling them with Columbian blend. She stirred in some creamer and headed toward the exit.
    Ember noticed movement through the partially opened door. She backed up a few steps to avoid a collision. The heavy wood swung wide, admitting a frowning janitor pulling a cleaning cart. He was extremely tall with oily brown hair, dark beady eyes, and wore a dingy blue uniform with the name FRANK stitched over the left breast pocket.
    “Excuse me.” She gave him an expectant look, but he refused to step aside.
    Clearing her throat, she tried again. “Could you please back up some? This coffee is hot. I would hate for either of us to get burned.” Twice in one day? What’s up with the barricades? The longer he stood there leering at her, the more uncomfortable she felt.
    His gaze traveled over her body in a way that made her skin crawl before he stepped back enough so she could inch by him.
    She blew out the breath she’d been holding and made her way to Laura’s office.
    Her spirits lifted when the editor’s nameplate came into view along with a pile of blonde, curly hair that could be seen through the partially open door. Laura sat behind a massive desk squinting at a computer screen while her fingers flew over a keyboard.
    “Shouldn’t you be wearing your glasses?” Ember bumped the door with her hip, forcing it open enough to walk through without spilling the coffee.
    “Did you have to pedal to Starbucks?” her friend asked without looking up.
    She smiled and deposited Laura’s caffeine on the desk before taking a seat. “I just saw your man in the break room.”
    That brought her head up. “Brad Pitt?”
    “More like arm pit.” Ember took a sip of coffee to hide her grin.
    “Is that what took you so long? Making out in the lounge is against company policy. ”
    “Yeah, that was the holdup. And Alan stopped by my office just before I left.”
    Laura’s blue eyes twinkled. “So, you did them both?”
    “Ha. You know I don’t kiss and tell.” They shared a laugh for a moment before Ember sobered. “Who’s the new janitor? He seriously gave me the creeps a few minutes ago.”
    “I wasn’t aware they had hired anyone. What happened?” All trace of humor disappeared from the other woman’s face.
    “Nothing serious. He just had that whole Lurch thing going on with a side of Deliverance .” She shivered with the memory of his stare. “He blocked the exit when I tried to leave. Maybe he’s slow and didn’t understand, but something wasn’t right. His eyes…” She shook off the thought. “I’m sure it was just my overactive imagination.”
    “That’s understandable considering what you’ve been through. Are you still having trouble sleeping? And you really should rethink talking to someone about your nightmares, Em. It’s over. He’s behind bars.”
    “I’m fine, honey.” Ember really didn’t want to rehash the past or mention the changes in her dreams. Laura worried enough as it was. Ember had never known anyone quite like the talented editor. She was loyal, funny, dependable, and giving.
    Since the discovery of the first picture over a year ago, the curly-haired vixen had been by her side protecting her with an unconditional love and friendship that was humbling.
    The photos began appearing shortly after a body had been found in an alley not far from the Hedger. Ember had been dispatched to cover the breaking news and soon learned she wasn’t the only one photographing the grisly scene. A couple of days later she’d received a package at work with no return address. Inside were two images: one of the body’s chalked outline and one of herself. That had been the start of a yearlong investigation ending in four murders, several suspicious photographs, and ultimately the conviction of Malcolm Carnley, aka the Watcher.
    He’d been named the Watcher by the media for his uncanny ability to hide in plain