Gone Before Goodbye (Love &Mystery in the--6-oh-3 Book 1) by Nora Leduc Page B
Authors: Nora Leduc
Ads: Link
to call today. Someone must have seen Lisa.”
Detective Cassidy sent one of his men to check on her safety. A small thrill rippled through her. She shook her head. He was an officer of the law. Stacey’s warning that he had a bad tempter floated in her mind.
What had he done to earn a notorious reputation and was Stacey’s version of the story even true?
Chapter 7
How long had she been shut up in the dark? Hours, Lisa guessed. Her throat was raw. She doubted a whisper would come out after screaming and blubbering forever for help. Water. Just a drop. She imagined the cool wetness sliding past her cracked lips.
Concentrate. Get yourself out of here.
With effort, her numb big toe bent. Somewhere, she’d lost her flip flops and her blouse and shorts—all her clothes. Even her bracelet was gone.
The tingling in her body signaled she could move. Lisa wriggled around in the damp coldness until her feet hit a wall.
Was she in a locked coffin? Please, no. Tears spilled down her face and into her mouth. “Please, God, get me out of here.”
Maybe if she pressed her shoulders against the top, the lid would crack open. There had to be a way to escape.
A slamming noise broke through her thoughts. What was that? A door in the earth? She slowed her breathing and listened while a slice of hope cut through her.
Mutters traveled through wherever she was confined. Someone was speaking, but Lisa didn’t understand a word. Was it a man or woman?
The voice fell silent. She should yell. But what if it was the monster who’d put her in this hellhole? What—
Sobs mixed with mumbles interrupted the questions spiraling in her head. It sounded like a child crying for her mother.
“No, no. Don’t. I want my mommy. Mommy.” The child’s pleas turned into screams.
An icy chill raced through Lisa.
The shrieks continued. Lisa gritted her teeth while terror rode up her spine. God, help me. Help the girl. Get her and me out of here before I start whining for my mommy. I’ll do everything I should. I promise. I’ll never leave my room. Please, God. I won’t argue with Teagan again. I’ll do whatever she or my teachers ask me. Lisa shivered and prayed until a deadly silence fell.
Suddenly, the wall near her feet swung open. It was a door. She blinked in pain as a beam of light hit her eyes. Squinting, she croaked, “Don’t hurt me.”
Chapter 8
Two hours later, Noah jumped into his car and drove away from Muffy’s. He called his partner at All Saint’s High School, where he was finishing interviews with Lisa’s teachers. With luck, the Latin teacher would already be on his partner’s interview list and offer them a lead.
“Hey, it’s my long lost sidekick.” Denny Hines’ voice came in loud and clear over the phone. “I missed your ugly face,” Hines said.
“Yeah, it makes yours look good.” Noah could always count on Hines’s support even when Noah was wrong. The man was like a brother, on or off the force.
“How ya doing, Noah?”
“Afraid I need to go back to therapy?”
“Doesn’t hurt to talk to someone.” Hines’ tone changed from light to serious.
“Done that. More than once. The first time, I was in grammar school. I had to visit the guidance counselor when I got into too many fights at school. She told me to use my words not my fists. I smartened up. Now I use handcuffs.”
“Well, you picked the right job.”
“Damn straight. Are you up to speed on the search at Muffy’s?”
“The whole East Coast knows about Muffy’s. The teachers are stopping by to ask me what’s happening.”
“You seem to have survived.”
“Chief told me to sit tight. Said he’d call again if you found anything besides the phone. I take it I’m continuing my interviews since I haven’t heard from him.”
“The chief’s finishing up at the Mart, and nothing but Lisa’s cell showed up behind the dumpster. At the moment, I’ve a few questions for Lisa’s Latin teacher.
Detective Cassidy sent one of his men to check on her safety. A small thrill rippled through her. She shook her head. He was an officer of the law. Stacey’s warning that he had a bad tempter floated in her mind.
What had he done to earn a notorious reputation and was Stacey’s version of the story even true?
Chapter 7
How long had she been shut up in the dark? Hours, Lisa guessed. Her throat was raw. She doubted a whisper would come out after screaming and blubbering forever for help. Water. Just a drop. She imagined the cool wetness sliding past her cracked lips.
Concentrate. Get yourself out of here.
With effort, her numb big toe bent. Somewhere, she’d lost her flip flops and her blouse and shorts—all her clothes. Even her bracelet was gone.
The tingling in her body signaled she could move. Lisa wriggled around in the damp coldness until her feet hit a wall.
Was she in a locked coffin? Please, no. Tears spilled down her face and into her mouth. “Please, God, get me out of here.”
Maybe if she pressed her shoulders against the top, the lid would crack open. There had to be a way to escape.
A slamming noise broke through her thoughts. What was that? A door in the earth? She slowed her breathing and listened while a slice of hope cut through her.
Mutters traveled through wherever she was confined. Someone was speaking, but Lisa didn’t understand a word. Was it a man or woman?
The voice fell silent. She should yell. But what if it was the monster who’d put her in this hellhole? What—
Sobs mixed with mumbles interrupted the questions spiraling in her head. It sounded like a child crying for her mother.
“No, no. Don’t. I want my mommy. Mommy.” The child’s pleas turned into screams.
An icy chill raced through Lisa.
The shrieks continued. Lisa gritted her teeth while terror rode up her spine. God, help me. Help the girl. Get her and me out of here before I start whining for my mommy. I’ll do everything I should. I promise. I’ll never leave my room. Please, God. I won’t argue with Teagan again. I’ll do whatever she or my teachers ask me. Lisa shivered and prayed until a deadly silence fell.
Suddenly, the wall near her feet swung open. It was a door. She blinked in pain as a beam of light hit her eyes. Squinting, she croaked, “Don’t hurt me.”
Chapter 8
Two hours later, Noah jumped into his car and drove away from Muffy’s. He called his partner at All Saint’s High School, where he was finishing interviews with Lisa’s teachers. With luck, the Latin teacher would already be on his partner’s interview list and offer them a lead.
“Hey, it’s my long lost sidekick.” Denny Hines’ voice came in loud and clear over the phone. “I missed your ugly face,” Hines said.
“Yeah, it makes yours look good.” Noah could always count on Hines’s support even when Noah was wrong. The man was like a brother, on or off the force.
“How ya doing, Noah?”
“Afraid I need to go back to therapy?”
“Doesn’t hurt to talk to someone.” Hines’ tone changed from light to serious.
“Done that. More than once. The first time, I was in grammar school. I had to visit the guidance counselor when I got into too many fights at school. She told me to use my words not my fists. I smartened up. Now I use handcuffs.”
“Well, you picked the right job.”
“Damn straight. Are you up to speed on the search at Muffy’s?”
“The whole East Coast knows about Muffy’s. The teachers are stopping by to ask me what’s happening.”
“You seem to have survived.”
“Chief told me to sit tight. Said he’d call again if you found anything besides the phone. I take it I’m continuing my interviews since I haven’t heard from him.”
“The chief’s finishing up at the Mart, and nothing but Lisa’s cell showed up behind the dumpster. At the moment, I’ve a few questions for Lisa’s Latin teacher.
Similar Books
