Page 94

Raymond is stocky and balding. This figure was male, but slender, with light hair.

Not Raymond. Not Henry. Not the bartender.

Someone is stalking her. Just like when she was a teen and—

She swallows hard. It’s an illusion. Something to scare her.

Like the monster had been something to scare Caleb? That was no illusion.

She shakes her head. Whoever is behind her, they’re staying behind her. Just keep going and listen for any sign they get close.

Noemi sets out, and when she hears leaves underfoot, she only clocks that it’s the same distance away as before. Not chasing but following. Like the man who’d stalked her, always around the next corner, never coming near.

Until he did.

Until he broke in while she was alone and—

She takes deep breaths and continues walking. When the next noise comes, though, it’s from her right, and that makes her turn, so fast she catches a glimpse of the man.

Only it’s not the same man. This one is shorter, wider, and as she’s staring at the spot where he disappeared behind a tree, another sound comes, and she glances over as the first man dives for cover.

Her heart races, and she struggles for breath.

Just keep going. Find Henry. Find Ellie.

Five more paces, and then there’s a figure right up ahead, stepping out from behind a tree. He’s tall and slender and she can’t see his face, but he’s staring right at her.

She turns left and picks up speed, and when she glances right, the tall man darts behind a tree, as he keeps pace with her. A glance left shows the first man running from hiding spot to hiding spot. And the crackle of leaves tells her the second man is behind her.

Her heart slams so hard she can’t breathe. They have her surrounded. They’re biding their time and then …

The memory surges. Noemi relaxing on the recliner. The TV’s on but it’s mostly background noise as she does her homework. She’s at her dad’s place while he’s out with her stepmom, and Noemi may have snuck a bit of liqueur into her coffee. It’s cold in the basement. She needs a warm-up.

She’s comfortable and happy. Yes, she’s happy doing her homework, because it means knocking something off the to-do list, and if that list is cleared, Dad won’t just let her go to the movies with friends tonight—he’ll drive them and pay their way.

Only two more worksheets and—

The TV room door opens, and Noemi gulps the boozy coffee so fast it burns her throat.

“Hey, you’re back ear—”

Then the man in the doorway isn’t her dad. She hesitates. Is it one of his clerks come to grab paperwork? Or—

The man steps into the room, and her heart stops. It’s the guy who’s been stalking her.

He doesn’t say a word. He just comes in and closes the door and then—

Noemi snaps back to the present, and her heart is pounding, her legs wobbling. She’d fought that guy off, but now there are three of them. She can’t fight three of them.

She does the only thing she can.

She runs.

Noemi tears through the forest, blood pounding in her ears. Somewhere in the distance, a shot rings out, and she stumbles, but it’s far away and she keeps going and then there’s someone in her path. A fourth stalker, blocking her …

No, this figure is familiar, the broad-shouldered bulk of him, and she could cry in relief.

“Henry,” she says.