Chapter 31
Nicole
The noise of a soft scrape woke me.
It must have still been late. The house was pitch black except for the logo of the TV streaming service glowing on the screen.
I stayed still. Listened. Waiting for another sound. When nothing came, I turned my face into the pillow and closed my eyes again.
Then the hallway stairs creaked.
That sound. I’d heard it a million times before. A footstep pressing against the old wood of an old house.
Somebody was coming up the stairs.
My body jerked upright as adrenaline surged through me. Anyone I knew would just come up the stairs without trying to be quiet.
Another creak.
Closer.
An icy tingle flooded me like a tsunami wave. Quickly, I stumbled out of bed.
Another creak. Halfway up the stairs now.
Reality hit hard. Where could I go? The stairs were the only way down. I looked at the window for a second. But it was too dangerous to jump.
My eyes snapped to the closet. It had no lock.
The bathroom.
I rushed in and locked the door behind me, the click sounding too loud.
Shit.
My phone was downstairs on the hallway sideboard. Left there like an idiot. But what good would it do anyway? The police would never make it in time.
I stood in the dark bathroom. Motionless, I stared at the door.
The creaking stopped.
Right at the top of the stairs.
Then there was only quiet.
Had I imagined it all? Maybe it was just a nightmare? But just as I started to calm down, the bathroom doorknob slowly turned.
Just enough to meet the resistance of the lock.
I watched in horror as the knob eased back into place.
Then silence again.
I didn’t breathe. Didn’t blink. Didn’t move an inch.
This wasn’t a dream. Somebody was in my house. Coming after me.
SLAM!
Someone threw their body full force against the locked bathroom door. The white door rattled.
“Help!”
The scream exploded out of me. Raw and full of horror.
The person hurled himself at the door again. Harder this time. The impact shook the wood and my bones. I pushed against the door as hard as I could. But each blow came faster now. Stronger. Again and again. The door shuddered violently, and with every hit, it felt less like a barrier.
It would break and fall on top of me.
My eyes scanned the room for anything sharp to fight with. But there was nothing.
Then my eyes locked onto the window. As insane as it was, it was my only chance.
I launched myself toward it and yanked it open. Behind me, the pounding kept going like a countdown. And just when my hands grabbed the window frame, and I pushed my body through it, wood shattered behind me with a sharp crack.
I dragged myself onto the dormer and eased down toward the main roof. I was almost on the main roof when my attacker grabbed my nightgown.
I turned and caught a glimpse of him. He was wearing a black ski mask.
“Help me!” I screamed and pulled at my nightgown. It ripped, and my foot slipped. The roof’s shingles burned against my bare legs like sandpaper as I slid down. I clawed at the roof, trying to stop the fall, but gravity owned me now, and I rolled off the roof.
The ground raced toward me, and the impact was unforgiving. It punched the air out of my lungs. My leg bent the wrong way and snapped. Pain detonated through me. The ground felt wet and cold.
This was pure horror.
“Help!” I screamed again. “Help me!”
My attacker jumped onto the roof. At the edge, he turned smoothly, dangled for a moment, then dropped to the lawn like it was nothing at all.
I tried to scramble up despite my leg’s pain paralyzing me. But I didn’t make it far. He was on top of me in seconds. His head snapped around, scanning the yard like he was looking for something he had dropped. A knife?
Then his hand closed around my throat and squeezed.
The pressure was crushing. No air came in or out. My eyes bulged, and bright spots burst across my vision.
My fingers desperately clawed at his arms, but his grip didn’t loosen.
I tried to scream again, but only gagging groans made it past my lips.
Faces flashed before my eyes.
Lacey.
The kids.
Amanda.
Even Brian. Stupid, horrible Brian, collecting women like tourist-shop magnets.
I felt my body weaken. My arms slackening. The fight draining out of me.
Was this it?
Would it end like this?
The same hands that destroyed my daughter would now end me too, leaving the kids without their mother and grandmother.
I couldn't let that happen!
A different kind of strength rose within me. Ugly and desperate and furious.
“Ehhhbbb!”
My nails dug deeper, scraping harder, refusing to stop.
But his grip stayed tight.
My eyes burned with tears as a new idea emerged. Quickly, my hands shot up, scrambling for the man’s ski mask. I needed to see his face so I could come back and haunt him. Follow him from the afterlife. Make him pay for what he’d done to my family.
I gripped the mask tight and yanked it sideways.
And there he was.
A round, ugly face, barely lit by the weak glow of the streetlight. His eyes were dark and flat. The large scar on his forehead was impossible to miss.
My body went still.
Myers.
He looked shocked for a moment, and his grip on my throat loosened.
Finally, air filled my lungs in the form of a violent cough.
This was it.
My chance.
The only one I would get.
I gathered every last bit of air and strength. And screamed.
“HEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLP!”
The sound was so loud, I scared myself. It split the night. My ears rang from it.
A bark exploded two houses down. Ginny the Doberman.
Myers’ eyes snapped toward the Warner house just as the porch light flared on and the front door flew open.
“Hel—”
I tried again, but Myers’ fist slammed into my face.
There was a loud crack as a hot metallic taste flooded my mouth and poured down my lip.
The bastard broke my nose.
In the distance, Mr. Warner shouted Ginny’s name. And I realized that her barking was surging closer.
Suddenly, Myers jumped off. I was free again and rolled onto my side. In the distance, Myers was already sprinting down the street like prey that knew it was being hunted.
“Ginny!” Mr. Warner screamed. “Ginny, no!”
She didn’t listen.
Ginny launched herself at Myers, all muscle and teeth. She hit him hard, jaws clamping onto his leg. He went down hard, slamming onto the road as she shook him wildly like a toy.
Myers screamed. High-pitched and raw.
Moments later, Mr. Warner reached them, barefoot and in boxers. He grabbed Ginny’s collar with both hands, bracing his weight back.
“Stop!” Mr. Warner shouted as he pulled at Ginny. But Ginny wasn’t having it and dragged Myers violently over the concrete.
“No! Bad dog!” Mr. Warner yelled. “Let go or no treats!”
Finally, she released him just as porch lights turned on one by one.
Myers scrambled up and limped down the street as fast as he could. Mr. Warner was holding on to Ginny’s collar as she strained after Myers, barking in short, vicious barks.
“Mr. Warner, help!” I called out.
He turned fast. “Oh my God,” he shouted. “Mrs. Kolter!”
He rushed to me, pulling Ginny along.
“Emma!” he yelled toward his house. “Call 911!”
His hands were on me now. Steady. Helping me sit upright.
“Dear God,” he said. “I’ll get help. Here. In case he comes back.”
He pressed Ginny’s collar into my hand and took off. I held her in one hand and cupped my broken nose with the other.
She sat by my side, chest heaving up and down, her massive body still shaking with adrenaline. Blood streaked her mouth and teeth.
When my arms wrapped around her massive chest, Ginny leaned into me, solid and warm.
Of course she could run if she wanted. My grip would not hold her. But she stayed, guarding and comforting me all at once.
“Thank you,” I cried into her silky fur. “Thank you, Ginny.”
I was overwhelmed with emotion.
Relief. Gratitude. Love.
For Ginny. The Doberman everyone hated. The dog that parents pulled their kids away from. The one the neighborhood called the beast.
This queen had my devotion forever. What a hero.
Then the truth settled in. Myers had tried to kill me. And there were witnesses. There was blood. DNA. Evidence. The AG couldn’t ignore this.
As crazy as it was, a smile split my bloody lips.
This night of horror was Lacey’s chance to prove her innocence.
It was her way out.