Chapter 17
Trevor had been gone too long, and it was nearly dark outside.
What if he couldn’t find his way back without the chimney smoke to guide him?
Olivia paced the living room, questioning whether or not she should go after him.
Getting herself lost on this mountain wasn’t going to help anyone, and she was damn sure she didn’t know how to ski.
She lit a candle and made her way to the bedroom. Opening the closet, she flipped through coats, jackets, and snow pants. Nearly everything here belonged to a man, though she supposed she could wear something too big if she had to.
Suddenly, she froze, the hair on the back of her neck standing up. She was overwhelmed by the sensation that she was being watched, and wished she’d thought to close the drapes. Forcing her hand to move, she continued to flip hangers.
What if the snowmobile guy got away from Trevor, and now he’s come back for me?
Or maybe it is Trevor.
No. Trevor wouldn’t be peeking in through the window.
Her heart was racing and a high-pitched hum invaded her hearing. This was fight or flight, with nowhere to go and nothing to fight with.
Think, Olivia. Think.
Damn it, where had she put that knife? Her mind flew through the cabin, looking for anything that could help her. Another kitchen knife, but they were too far away. A metal shovel that had caught her eye in the garage, also too far.
The baseball bat under the bed.
She closed her eyes, seeing it clearly in her memory. A good ol’ Louisville Slugger that was never intended for sports.
The slightest noise at the window confirmed her suspicions. Someone was out there, she was certain. Fear made her limbs stiff and difficult to move. If she was going to do this, she had one chance to do it right.
One, two, three!
Olivia blew out her candle and spun around, the room thrown into darkness. She dropped to the ground and crawled to the bed, making her way around it by feel and wishing her eyes would adjust so she could see. Sure enough, her hand closed around the barrel of a baseball bat.
A noise came from the other room and she tiptoed down the hall, bat at the ready. She forced her fear to disconnect from her body. Her eyes adjusted to the lack of light and she rounded the corner into the living room.
The front door was open several inches, the sound of freezing rain falling outside like white noise. Olivia pulled the bat back over her shoulder and prepared to fight for her life.