Julian's Alibi

The scent of curry was a shock, pungent and alive in the musty silence of the pantry. It smelled like takeout. It smelled like the world outside, smuggled into the dark.

Iris pulled the rope again, bringing the dumbwaiter back up. It was empty. The sandwich and water were gone.

*He’s real,* she thought, the realization hitting her harder than the financial ruin waiting on her phone screen. *He’s eating.*

She heard the crunch of tires on gravel again. Julian.

She slammed the dumbwaiter door shut, her heart hammering. The paint seal was broken, a jagged line of raw wood exposing her tampering. She had seconds.

She grabbed a bottle of wood glue from the utility drawer and smeared it along the crack, then rubbed dust from the floor over it to dull the shine. It looked terrible, but in the dim light of the pantry, it might pass.

"Iris?" Julian’s voice boomed from the front door. "Are you still here?"

She wiped her hands on her jeans and stepped out of the pantry just as he entered the kitchen. He wasn't alone. A man in gray coveralls followed him, carrying a heavy tool bag.

"The boiler," Julian said, his eyes scanning the room, landing on Iris. He smiled, but it was tight. "I brought a technician. Since you were so worried about the noise."

"It's late for a service call," Iris said, leaning against the island to hide her trembling legs.

"Mr. Kovic works odd hours. Don't you, Stan?"

The man grunted, not looking at Iris. He headed straight for the basement door.

Iris moved to block him. "I was just down there. It's fine. The noise stopped."

"Nonsense," Julian said, stepping forward. He put a hand on her shoulder, guiding her gently but firmly out of the way. "We can't have you losing sleep. Stan needs to check the pressure valves. It's a safety issue."

Stan opened the cellar door and disappeared down the stairs.

Julian didn't follow him. He stayed in the kitchen, watching Iris. He walked to the pantry door.

Iris stopped breathing.

He tried the handle. It turned.

"I thought I locked this," he murmured.

"You did," Iris said, her voice sounding thin and reedy. "I unlocked it to check for... mice."

Julian looked at her. Then he looked at the dumbwaiter door. The glue was still wet. The dust was too fresh.

He didn't say anything. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key ring. He selected a small, brass key and inserted it into the pantry door lock. He turned it with a definitive *click*.

Then he turned to Iris, his eyes cold and flat.

He locked the pantry door and put the key in his pocket. "Safety first, Iris."