67...

Alexis spent the rest of that evening in a shell of panic. She explained the ins and outs of working at Fountain Books with a mouth that seemed unattached from her screaming mind. She delivered a trite monologue to Louis, who she was positive wasn't listening and would never need the information anyway. She no longer saw Louis' open mouthed gaze as creepy and lust filled, but as overloaded with murderous intent.
"So that's pretty much it," she could hear herself saying. She locked her eyes on his and pushed with a frightening focus. "I know you probably didn't get everything, but it just takes a couple of times doing it yourself and you'll be fine."
He turned away from her glance, looking around the counter area and shuffling his feet before looking back up towards her.
"Thanks," he said quietly. "I can probably figure it out."
Alexis smiled and nodded, glancing around the store for the others. She knew Matthew had left about an hour before even if she hadn't seen him go. Robin was floating around somewhere, as was Jeff, but she could not see either one of them right now. Suddenly, something dawned on her that she felt stupid for not thinking about to begin with.
"Jeffrey," she muttered.
"What?" Louis asked, still looking at her intently.
"Oh, I was just wondering where Jeff was. He should be coming around... to give you directions."
Had Jeffrey brought this kid in? How the fuck had he been able to get to her? He was working here at the store before she even arrived, it wasn't possible, he had no way of knowing where she going to end up. Did he get on the payroll though? She remembered that look of dark understanding they had shared earlier.
She looked back through the store towards the door to the back room. She imagined Jeff keeping Robin busy back there while this rat boy did his thing up here. That voice, the one she called her Zen Voice, the one that often spoke up when she was in stress and needed direction, chimed out.
You are paranoid and scared, you are jumping at shadows. Sit still and think this through.
"Hey Sheryl?"
Alexis came back from her inward thinking and stared intently at Louis. "Yes?"
"Do you guys all hang out together? Y'know, all the people that work here? Hang out after work and stuff?"
"Ummm?" Alexis looked at him questioningly.
"'Cause Matthew said that he was gonna go to the Fairweather, up the street? And I was gonna go, and I was wondering if you wanted to come and get a drink with us?"
"Uh sure," she said with a demure smile. "I'll come get a drink."
He probably didn't know yet what she knew, wouldn't be expecting a fight. And it would be a bad idea to take him out here in the store, a really bad idea.
"Can you give me a ride?" she asked.