She Thought She Was Safe

Chapter 45 #2

The moonlight winks out and rain starts to pelt the roof.

Then I hear footsteps, heavy and nearby.

Alex. Is he coming for me now? The door to the attic stairs is at the end of the hall near Mary’s room.

I stand, my pulse racing, beads of sweat at my hairline.

I head to the door, place my ear against it, listen.

The steps are coming closer, closer. I glance at the window.

Do I break it? Arm myself now with a piece of glass?

I’m quivering, but before I can decide, the footsteps recede. I hear a door open and a feminine voice. Sunny. She’s still awake and I’m safe for now. He’s going back down the hall. I blow out a ragged breath and sink to the floor, my back against the door.

The house is quiet now, the rain reduced to a soft patter.

Maybe Sunny and Alex have both gone to their rooms—Sunny to sleep and Alex to wait.

But when he thinks his precious daughter is in dreamland, he’ll deal with me.

He must protect his baby girl from anything as deplorable as killing your own child.

He looks to Sunny as his chief admirer. I see the dynamic clearly now.

In his narcissism, he needs worshipers, and Sunny is number one in his orbit.

So, maybe I owe her. A couple of hours reprieve, anyway, if I’m lucky.

I try to make a plan as I sit on the floor, but the residual effects of whatever drug he gave me and my own terror make thinking straight nearly impossible.

The night drags on and it must be late. With every passing moment, my fear grows like a greedy beast. I pull myself up and walk over to the dumbwaiter again, listen.

I hear the chime of the grandfather clock, not distinctly, but like it’s on another planet.

I can hear enough to count the chimes. Two chimes.

Two a.m. My teeth chatter. Alex must be coming for me soon.

I hear nothing from the second floor. I picture Sunny in her princess room dozing peacefully, while Alex plans and Larry waits.

I pace as quietly as I can, trying to come up with a plan of my own.

Then I hear a noise and panic hits my bloodstream. Is Alex finally on his way? I’ll scream. I’ll wake Sunny. But the noise isn’t coming from the attic staircase.

It’s coming from the dumbwaiter.

I tiptoe over to it. There’s a soft rattle.

It’s coming up. Maybe Alex is sending me water laced with more drugs.

Maybe lethal this time. The tray is slowly making its way up as if the sender is trying to be quiet.

I try to see it, but it’s too dark in the shaft.

It’s getting closer. And then the noise stops.

The tray scrapes to a halt. There’s something on it, but I can’t see what it is.

I reach out my hand and grasp a set of keys.

My car keys! Beside them is my phone, and tucked under the phone is what feels like money, a couple of bills folded together. I quickly stash them in my pocket.

I’m so jittery, I nearly drop the phone on the floor trying to turn it on. The screen lights. The battery is at 30 percent. But it’s on. I let go a shuddery breath. Who did this? Who is helping me?

I don’t have time to figure it out, and I hope that Alex didn’t hear the dumbwaiter moving in the shaft.

I dash for the attic door. Locked. I forgot in my excitement.

I stick my car keys in my pocket and run back to the dumbwaiter.

I feel around the tray, praying for a key.

I grasp something metal. It feels like the key ring from the pantry.

It’s cold and grainy as I pick it up and nearly drop it as I head back to the door.

I listen. Is anyone on the second floor?

Is Alex in his room? I don’t hear anything, so I try to slide the first key into the lock, but it won’t fit.

I’m going to have to try each one in turn.

With shaking fingers, I go through the keys.

Finally, one slips smoothly into the lock and I turn it.

Nothing. What if it’s been too many years since it’s been used, and rust has set up and it won’t work.

I wiggle the key madly, desperate. I hear a click and the door opens.

I listen, but my heart is beating so loudly, that’s all I hear.

But I need to go, take a chance. I head slowly down the attic stairs, pause, listen before stepping down onto the second floor.

All’s quiet except for the wind rattling the house.

I continue down the backstairs. I step on a tread that creaks loudly.

Shit. But I continue, a little faster now.

I pause before entering the kitchen. The grandfather clock chimes again on the half hour and scares me.

I pull up, wait a second, and listen. Then I hear it.

Heavy footsteps overhead, on the second floor.

I can’t breathe. I cut through the kitchen to the back door. I struggle with the dead bolt. I hear the footsteps nearing the attic stairs. He’ll see the door I left open. He’ll know I’m out. I panic, twist the knob, and the lock finally lets go.

I stumble down the three steps and hit the gravel driveway hard, pain searing my ankles.

Rain is wetting me as I run down the driveway, clicking my key fob.

My car lights up, chirps, which sounds incredibly loud in the dark night.

I hurry, pull the door open, slide inside, and push the ignition button.

I nearly cry when the engine hums to life.

I leave my headlights off, not wanting to draw attention to myself.

But then the dark waters of the lake loom behind me, and I click on the lights as I swing the car onto the road.

I drive as fast as I can, cognizant always of the dark water that laps so close to the road’s edge. I glance up in the rearview mirror. Is Alex following me? He might be able to catch up as I wait for the gates to open. My heart feels like it will explode.

I pull up at the gates and they whir and slowly open.

Hurry. Hurry. I don’t see anyone behind me.

Not yet anyway. I pull into the street, then realize I have no idea where I’m going.

Then I remember Nina’s text. I’m torn. I should head straight for the police station, but when I get to the highway, I change my mind.

I’m heading to Nina’s first. I’ll call the detectives from there.

I need an ally. And I need answers, and Nina’s hinted that she will provide both.

I clear my throat and calmly ask Siri for directions to Nina’s Retreat.