time until he became bored, then hunt again.
* * * *
Nature sat up on the couch gasping. She had been dreaming, dreaming about the man, the one who loved to torture. She clutched at her throat. She could still feel his hands there. Sweat covered her brow. Swinging her legs over the side, she got up and went through the dark house to the kitchen. When she opened the door to the refrigerator, the bright light caused her to turn away and blink several times.. She fumbled inside, grabbed a bottled water, then shut the door, blocking the painful light. She twisted the cap and took a long drink. The cold moisture wet her parched throat. She pulled out a stool from the breakfast bar and sat down. She moved the bottle to her forehead. It helped reduce the heat coming off.
What was it about this case that bothered her? None of the others had even crossed her mind. Why was this one different?
"Couldn't sleep either?"
The sound of Sandy's voice nearly caused her to jump out of her skin. Nature turned to see her secretary leaning against the doorframe, wrapped in an oversized white terrycloth robe, her arms crossed before her.
"Don't DO that. You nearly caused me to have a heart attack. Out in the middle of nowhere ... that would not be good."
Ignoring the comment, Sandy went to the fridge, grabbed another bottle of water, and moved to the other barstool next to Nature.. She took a drink before setting it on the counter. Reaching over, she flicked on a small florescent light over the bar. It was shielded, preventing the glow from hurting their eyes.
"I heard you calling out. I listened for a while. When the noise stopped, I knew you were awake. That's when I heard the stool slide across the floor. I decided to join you."
Nature gripped the bottle with both hands. She stared at it. “I was dreaming about that girl ... and the man who did those terrible things. I tried to see him, but he remained hidden. He laughed at me."
"I heard you moan several times."
Nature remained silent. She remembered the touch of the man's hands on the girl. She remembered the touch of her husband on her own body. She missed it. She missed him. She was lonely.
"What do you think it means?” Sandy asked.
"I think it means I want to solve this case so badly that I'm subconsciously responding to it. I want him caught before he kills again."
"You'll catch him."
"But will it be in time?"
"I hope so."
Both women sat at the bar, talking, until the rays of daylight broke over the horizon. They moved to the patio located to the rear of the house and watched in silence as the reddish orange colors of sunrise washed over everything. When they became too tired to stay awake, they went inside. Both retired to their rooms in an attempt to get more sleep. The sun was high in the sky before either did.
Heavy pounding on the front door jerked them awake. Nature heard Sandy's bare feet trot down the stairs. The front door opened and voices echoed in the hall. Silence followed. Then she heard footsteps come up the stairs. She sat up as Sandy entered. Her look was blank.
"Sheriff Westerly is downstairs. He's not alone. Another man is with him. I think he's another cop."
"What happened?"
"I don't know. They wouldn't say."
"Take them into the study. I'll be down in a few."
Nature threw the covers back. She walked to the dresser, pulled out a comfortable long sleeved pullover shirt and put it on. Jeans hung on hangers in the closet. She grabbed a dark pair and put them on. She went into the bathroom and ran a comb through her hair. She was glad of the fact that she did not need makeup. To her, it was a bother to put all that stuff on. Satisfied with the look, she went downstairs to meet the men.
Web stood by the side exit, looking out at the many panes of glass. Another man with a cowboy hat hanging from his hands sat on the loveseat. He stood when she entered the room. Nature was thankful that Sandy had not let anyone sit on her preferred spot, the couch. She
* * * *
Nature sat up on the couch gasping. She had been dreaming, dreaming about the man, the one who loved to torture. She clutched at her throat. She could still feel his hands there. Sweat covered her brow. Swinging her legs over the side, she got up and went through the dark house to the kitchen. When she opened the door to the refrigerator, the bright light caused her to turn away and blink several times.. She fumbled inside, grabbed a bottled water, then shut the door, blocking the painful light. She twisted the cap and took a long drink. The cold moisture wet her parched throat. She pulled out a stool from the breakfast bar and sat down. She moved the bottle to her forehead. It helped reduce the heat coming off.
What was it about this case that bothered her? None of the others had even crossed her mind. Why was this one different?
"Couldn't sleep either?"
The sound of Sandy's voice nearly caused her to jump out of her skin. Nature turned to see her secretary leaning against the doorframe, wrapped in an oversized white terrycloth robe, her arms crossed before her.
"Don't DO that. You nearly caused me to have a heart attack. Out in the middle of nowhere ... that would not be good."
Ignoring the comment, Sandy went to the fridge, grabbed another bottle of water, and moved to the other barstool next to Nature.. She took a drink before setting it on the counter. Reaching over, she flicked on a small florescent light over the bar. It was shielded, preventing the glow from hurting their eyes.
"I heard you calling out. I listened for a while. When the noise stopped, I knew you were awake. That's when I heard the stool slide across the floor. I decided to join you."
Nature gripped the bottle with both hands. She stared at it. “I was dreaming about that girl ... and the man who did those terrible things. I tried to see him, but he remained hidden. He laughed at me."
"I heard you moan several times."
Nature remained silent. She remembered the touch of the man's hands on the girl. She remembered the touch of her husband on her own body. She missed it. She missed him. She was lonely.
"What do you think it means?” Sandy asked.
"I think it means I want to solve this case so badly that I'm subconsciously responding to it. I want him caught before he kills again."
"You'll catch him."
"But will it be in time?"
"I hope so."
Both women sat at the bar, talking, until the rays of daylight broke over the horizon. They moved to the patio located to the rear of the house and watched in silence as the reddish orange colors of sunrise washed over everything. When they became too tired to stay awake, they went inside. Both retired to their rooms in an attempt to get more sleep. The sun was high in the sky before either did.
Heavy pounding on the front door jerked them awake. Nature heard Sandy's bare feet trot down the stairs. The front door opened and voices echoed in the hall. Silence followed. Then she heard footsteps come up the stairs. She sat up as Sandy entered. Her look was blank.
"Sheriff Westerly is downstairs. He's not alone. Another man is with him. I think he's another cop."
"What happened?"
"I don't know. They wouldn't say."
"Take them into the study. I'll be down in a few."
Nature threw the covers back. She walked to the dresser, pulled out a comfortable long sleeved pullover shirt and put it on. Jeans hung on hangers in the closet. She grabbed a dark pair and put them on. She went into the bathroom and ran a comb through her hair. She was glad of the fact that she did not need makeup. To her, it was a bother to put all that stuff on. Satisfied with the look, she went downstairs to meet the men.
Web stood by the side exit, looking out at the many panes of glass. Another man with a cowboy hat hanging from his hands sat on the loveseat. He stood when she entered the room. Nature was thankful that Sandy had not let anyone sit on her preferred spot, the couch. She
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