blankets, snuggled into a comfortable position and had just closed her eyes when a thumping noise caught her attention. Her heart stalled and her eyes popped open. She waited, completely frozen, as she listened.
A distant deep, gravelly voice rumbled from somewhere in the house. Shooting up in bed, she squinted at the digital display on her cell phone. Five forty-five. Would Nick be up this early? And talking on the phone to someone? Stiffening, she strained her ears to detect any movements over the moan of the gusty wind outside the window. For seconds nothing, then soft clumps and a thud sounded.
She remembered Nick saying he’d see her at seven. Schooling herself to stay calm, she switched on the bedside lamp. The bulb flickered on, chasing shadows into the far corners of the room. She breathed easier.
Silence lingered for another ten seconds, then floorboards creaked, sending her stomach plunging. Her calm evaporated. As she cocked her head, her ears picked up a raspy mumble. Definitely a voice. Someone was in the house.
Icy fingers stroked along her spine, setting off an epidemic of goose bumps.
As she rubbed at the raised patches on her arms, wind gusts rattled the outside shutters. Fear dissolved into relief. It must have only been the wind.
But when something hard struck the floor, she kicked back her covers and clambered to her feet, her phone dropping to the floor.
Grabbing her robe from the back of a chair, she quickly pulled it on. Her eyes went to the door. Darkness seeped through the cracks around the edges of the jamb. If Nick was out there, wouldn’t he turn on the lights?
Another bump startled her into action. She started to call out to him and then clamped a hand over her lips. What if it wasn’t Nick?
Nerves on alert, she rushed to the door. She slipped her fingers over the knob, ready to punch in the lock. Firm footsteps hit the rustic hardwood in the hallway and she retracted her hand. The steady booted clip sent a shudder of fear ripping through her.
Frozen in place, she counted the long seconds until the plodding steps halted, right outside her bedroom door.
Fighting down the shriek that had risen in her throat, she tried for the doorknob again and her fingers fumbled at the first attempt. Then taking a deep breath, she managed to lock it.
Relief trickled through her.
Now she needed her phone, needed to text Nick, that is, if she could only get her legs to move and stop trembling.
The air around her went still and the footsteps started again.
She released a breath and strained to listen.
Hinges creaked. A door banged.
Shivering, she pivoted around and sagged against the closed door, working to breathe. Working to think.
A shadowed movement caught her eye outside the window. Wind howled, leaves rustled, a tree branch crackled, tediously tapping against the glass pane.
The gusty breeze. She held her breath, hoping that was all.
Seconds passed. A dark silhouette of a man emerged, hurrying by the window.
Her mouth dropped open, but she quickly recovered, avoiding a gasp. Pushing fear aside, she scooted across the room to the window and tugged back a corner of the curtain. She peered intently through the pane, lifting her gaze above the top of the bushes. No one was there. Nothing looked out of the ordinary.
Just when she was convinced she was going crazy, a car spun past the house, red taillights burning through the morning fog. She dropped to the floor and scrambled on her knees to her cell phone.
Confusion merged with the anxiety twisting away at her insides. What was going on? Was she now alone? Or would someone at any moment knock down the door and find her?
Staying silent, she frantically scrolled through her contacts and typed Nick a message— HELP!
SIX
F acing the mirror in the bathroom, Nick stopped shaving his morning stubble when a text alert sounded on his cell.
Only a few people had his number. And that scared him.
Fumbling with the razor in his hand, he lost his
A distant deep, gravelly voice rumbled from somewhere in the house. Shooting up in bed, she squinted at the digital display on her cell phone. Five forty-five. Would Nick be up this early? And talking on the phone to someone? Stiffening, she strained her ears to detect any movements over the moan of the gusty wind outside the window. For seconds nothing, then soft clumps and a thud sounded.
She remembered Nick saying he’d see her at seven. Schooling herself to stay calm, she switched on the bedside lamp. The bulb flickered on, chasing shadows into the far corners of the room. She breathed easier.
Silence lingered for another ten seconds, then floorboards creaked, sending her stomach plunging. Her calm evaporated. As she cocked her head, her ears picked up a raspy mumble. Definitely a voice. Someone was in the house.
Icy fingers stroked along her spine, setting off an epidemic of goose bumps.
As she rubbed at the raised patches on her arms, wind gusts rattled the outside shutters. Fear dissolved into relief. It must have only been the wind.
But when something hard struck the floor, she kicked back her covers and clambered to her feet, her phone dropping to the floor.
Grabbing her robe from the back of a chair, she quickly pulled it on. Her eyes went to the door. Darkness seeped through the cracks around the edges of the jamb. If Nick was out there, wouldn’t he turn on the lights?
Another bump startled her into action. She started to call out to him and then clamped a hand over her lips. What if it wasn’t Nick?
Nerves on alert, she rushed to the door. She slipped her fingers over the knob, ready to punch in the lock. Firm footsteps hit the rustic hardwood in the hallway and she retracted her hand. The steady booted clip sent a shudder of fear ripping through her.
Frozen in place, she counted the long seconds until the plodding steps halted, right outside her bedroom door.
Fighting down the shriek that had risen in her throat, she tried for the doorknob again and her fingers fumbled at the first attempt. Then taking a deep breath, she managed to lock it.
Relief trickled through her.
Now she needed her phone, needed to text Nick, that is, if she could only get her legs to move and stop trembling.
The air around her went still and the footsteps started again.
She released a breath and strained to listen.
Hinges creaked. A door banged.
Shivering, she pivoted around and sagged against the closed door, working to breathe. Working to think.
A shadowed movement caught her eye outside the window. Wind howled, leaves rustled, a tree branch crackled, tediously tapping against the glass pane.
The gusty breeze. She held her breath, hoping that was all.
Seconds passed. A dark silhouette of a man emerged, hurrying by the window.
Her mouth dropped open, but she quickly recovered, avoiding a gasp. Pushing fear aside, she scooted across the room to the window and tugged back a corner of the curtain. She peered intently through the pane, lifting her gaze above the top of the bushes. No one was there. Nothing looked out of the ordinary.
Just when she was convinced she was going crazy, a car spun past the house, red taillights burning through the morning fog. She dropped to the floor and scrambled on her knees to her cell phone.
Confusion merged with the anxiety twisting away at her insides. What was going on? Was she now alone? Or would someone at any moment knock down the door and find her?
Staying silent, she frantically scrolled through her contacts and typed Nick a message— HELP!
SIX
F acing the mirror in the bathroom, Nick stopped shaving his morning stubble when a text alert sounded on his cell.
Only a few people had his number. And that scared him.
Fumbling with the razor in his hand, he lost his
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