Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“Okay, the worst part is over.”
She exhaled. “They hurt more than I wanted to admit.”
I looked up at her and winked. “I have some slippers you can wear until we get you some shoes.”
As I put on the ointment, Mallory said, “I don’t even know what size shoe I wear…when my birthday is…how old I am. Whether I like chocolate ice cream or vanilla, whether I can even eat ice cream. What if I’m vegan.”
I chuckled. “Then you won’t like tonight’s dinner.”
Mallory smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
After wrapping the last of the gauze around her feet, I straightened. “I can’t imagine how you feel right now. The fact that you were kidnapped, held prisoner, escaped, and can’t figure out who you are…it has to be taking a toll on your mental state.”
She nodded. “I hope you don’t mind, but I used your laptop. I tried to search my name for any missing persons. Nothing came up. He called me Mallory, but I’m not sure that’s even my name.”
“Does it feel like it could be your name?”
Looking at the ceiling, she closed her eyes briefly, then snapped them open. “I think I just had a memory! It was an older woman standing in a kitchen, wearing an apron and smiling at me. She called me Mallory!”
“That’s wonderful! Do you remember details about the kitchen? Pictures on the walls, anything?”
Squeezing her eyes shut again, she eventually shook her head. “I just see her. I wonder who she is?”
“I don’t know, but I think we can safely say your name is Mallory. Whoever took you must have known you.”
Tilting her head, she said, “Then that means I’m from around here?”
“Not necessarily. Maybe this person just owns a place here. Something in the middle of nowhere, just for this purpose. You said he mentioned taking other women, so he has to have a place where he takes them. At least that’s what I’m thinking.”
Nodding, she whispered, “The monster.” Her eyes lifted to meet mine. “I’m sorry I found her necklace, Liam. I hope that Emily’s still out there somewhere.”
I tried to speak but nothing came out. After a moment, I finally said, “I want to believe that. But my heart is telling me something different. It’s just so much time has passed since she disappeared…”
Reaching for my hand, Mallory laced her fingers with mine. “And I want all of this be a nightmare. I want to wake up and not be terrified.”
I swallowed hard. “Mallory…I have a cousin who works for the Lewistown Police Department.”
She started to speak, but I pulled my hand free from hers and held it up.
“Let me just say this. I trust him with my life and wouldn’t suggest talking to him if I didn’t think we could use his help. I know you don’t want to go to the police for fear this lunatic will know you’re alive or staying here. But I think Randy can help. He has resources we need. At the very least, he can run your fingerprints and maybe find out who you are.”
Her brows rose. “You think he could?”
“I know he could, if your prints are in the system for any reason. I know you haven’t known me long at all…but I think you’re learning that you can trust me.”
“I do,” she said as she nodded. “I don’t know why, but my gut tells me I can trust you.”
Smiling, I said, “Good. Are you okay with me inviting him over here to talk to you? I don’t think you should be going into town. Lewistown is the next biggest town over from Grass Range, but I still think you need to lie low.”
“I agree. One thing, though, how will we get me shoes if I don’t know my size?”
I thought about it for a few moments. “We can go online and find a chart to print out for your shoe size.”
She smiled, then it slipped away. “I would say I’d cook to repay you for all your help, but I don’t know if I actually can.”
I laughed, and almost kissed her on the forehead for such a sweet thought, but caught myself in time. “We’ll figure it all out, don’t worry.”
Reaching for her waist, I lifted her and helped her off the counter. When her feet touched the floor, she hissed in pain and stumbled slightly, and her hands flew to my chest to steady herself. We both froze, and Mallory blushed.
It took a few moments for us to move before I finally made my feet take a few steps back. “How about some lunch?”
She nodded. “Lunch sounds good.”
“Let me get you those slippers.”
I motioned for her to head out of the bathroom first, and I took a minute to figure out why in the hell my heart had jumped at the feel of her touch.