Michael Malone - Weebly

was in the house.
Judith made herself breathe very carefully while the
doorbell rasped at her. A shock rushed up, tightening
around her heart, when, as she came down the hall, she
saw that the chain was not on the latch. She tried to
make her hand reach out, but was too embarrassed to
be heard locking the door. She spoke behind it. "Yes?"
There was no reply. She forced her voice louder. "Yes,
please?"
"Mrs. Haig?" It was a male voice.
"Yes. Mr. Henry?"
"Look, could I see you a second, Mrs. Haig?"
The instant Judith turned the knob she felt the
pressure waiting and the quick twist. The door pushed
hard against her. Then someone was squeezing through
it into the hall. He edged past her and shoved shut the
door. He turned, and it was the man who came to
watch her in the post office.
Neither moved from where they were when the few
seconds of struggle (if indeed it had been a struggle—
Judith felt it would be dangerous both to behave as
though there had been one, and to behave as though