Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Everything happened way too fast.

Lester, quick on his feet, managed to raise an arm in defense, but he still couldn't avoid the sneak attack entirely a blast of pepper spray left one of his eyes stinging and blurry.

Sylvia glanced outside, startled. "Ms. Ward? What are you doing?"

Ms. Ward froze in the hallway, realizing who she'd just sprayed. The canister slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you guys!"

Sylvia's gaze dropped to the rolling can on the floor. Pepper spray-of course.

She quickly ushered Lester inside, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and helping him rinse his eye. Thankfully, he'd blocked most of it, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

After a couple minutes, Lester took the towel Sylvia handed him and dabbed at his face. "I'm okay. Really."

Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief, pulling out her phone to order some over-the- counter eye drops for same-day delivery.

Then she finally turned to Ms. Ward, who was standing in the foyer looking as guilty as a kid caught sneaking cookies before dinner.

"Ms. Ward, what happened?"

have been reports about single women in our area being followed. It's been all over the news. I felt like someone was tailing me tonight, so I-" She shot an apologetic look at Lester. "I'm sorry, Mr.

alright. But are you sure someone was

don't even let the delivery drivers bring food up to my apartment anymore. Yesterday, while I was picking up

for, and he said he was working on renovations in the building next door. I didn't

took a shaky breath. "Tonight, I got off the bus early to buy apples from the fruit stand near the entrance, and I saw him again.

about him coming in, but then I remembered yesterday, he leaned in to look at my takeout and asked what it was, how it tasted. I think he was trying to see how

why Ms.

through the building's group chat on her phone

open the door for

work lately that she'd missed the

Lester, she

giving Ms. Ward a reassuring smile. "I'm

Ward still looked mortified, but when she

door locks. Sorry again for the trouble," she said, already edging out

what Ms.

probably thinking and felt

flush

but the woman already

had Cheeks