Amanda nodded, her heart still racing, not sure she could stand up. “Did you see two little girls?”
“My office.”Ian kneeled down next to her. “They said a man was here with a knife. Before I left, I calmed them down some and told them to lock the door behind me. They’re safe.”
“They must be scared to death.” Her teeth started to chatter.
“You go see to them. I’ll stay here with Marc.” He replaced Amanda’s hand with his own, and then reached for Marcus’ wrist and checked his pulse.
Amanda stood up, surprised her legs were still working. “What about him?” She pointed to Carlton, who lay crumpled against the outer door, shards of the Shakespeare sculpture scattered near his head and shoulders.
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t go anywhere, though it looks like Marc took care of that.” Ian pressed both hands against Marcus’ wound. “Hang in there, buddy. Help’s on the way.”
Amanda raced down the hall, unmindful of the blood on her blouse and neck. When she reached the door of the history department, she could see through the glass panes that the two girls were sitting on a small couch, staring at the door, hugging each other tightly. She knocked and both girls ran to let her in. She gathered them into her arms, as sirens grew louder and then ceased.
Cecelia sobbed and pointed to her blouse and her neck.
“It’s okay.” She kissed Cece’s forehead. “Shh. I’m okay.”
“But you’re hurt, you’re bleeding. That bad man. He hurt you.”
Amanda shook her head. “No … Marcus is the one who’s hurt.” She sat down on the couch, suddenly aware that she was trembling. She clung with one arm to Cecelia, whose sobs finally quieted as she rocked her, and kept her other arm around Sam, who just looked at her, her eyes wide. When her own heart had slowed and she no longer felt as though the room was spinning, she said, “Sam, see that phone next to you? I want you to call your mother. Dial nine and then your number.”
Sam nodded and called her mother.
Amanda spoke briefly to Joan. Then she turned to the two girls, pulling them close again. “Cece, you and Sam were very brave. I’m so glad you ran away.”
“Coach made Cece a forward when Sunny missed practice today,” Sam said.
Amanda gulped. “Good.” She couldn’t think of another thing to say.
“Mrs. Gardner, are you sure you’re okay?”
She so wanted to close her eyes and lie down to forget it all. “I’m fine, Sam. Really.”
When Joan arrived several minutes later, she hugged the two girls then pointed to Amanda’s neck.
Amanda put a hand to her throat and realized her necklace was gone. “It’s just a small scratch. But, Marcus, he …” She glanced in the direction of her office at the end of the long hall.
“Would you like me to take Cece home with us?”
Cecelia shook her head. “No, I want to stay with Mom.” Her daughter squeezed Amanda’s hand, tears filling her blue eyes.
“Thanks, Joan, but not right now. I’ll call you later.”
Several minutes after Joan and Samantha walked out of the building, Amanda turned to Cecelia, whose face was still white. “Cece. Look at me, sweetheart. I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not. He hurt you. That bad man … he came back.” Her hands fluttered in the air, as if she was trying to wave Carlton’s image away. “He was bad. I don’t want him here. He wasn’t s’posed to come back.” She started to cry again.
“Honey, we’re safe. And all I need is a Band-Aid. Marcus stopped Carlton from hurting me. But we have to find out how—how badly he’s been hurt.”
“No! I don’t want to go back there. I want to go home!” Cecelia sobbed louder, shaking her head. “That bad man’s there.”
“No, he’s not. I’m sure the police took him away. Ian called them. Didn’t you hear those sirens? Carlton can’t hurt us any more—not you, not me, not anybody. And we will go home. But I have to see about Marcus. Will you come with me, or do you want me to call Janet to come take you home?”
Cecelia clung to her. “No. I want to stay with you.”
“Then, let’s go together—now. Come on. Give me your hand.” She took a deep breath and willed her legs to work. With one arm around her daughter’s shoulders and the other clutching her hand, Amanda walked Cecelia out of Ian’s office and back to hers. The only signs of the struggle were the broken statue, its pieces still scattered on the floor, and the blood stains from Marcus’ wound in two large pools. Two members of the campus police were placing crime tape around the area.