Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“That’s a good start,” he said, even if I knew he was just being nice. A stocky guy in too-tight clothes could be found walking damn near any street in the state.
“What about the basement or the house?”
“I didn’t see the house. When we left, he pulled me with him out of the outside steps to the basement.”
“That’s something. Not every house has Bilco doors. What about the yard? The car?”
“It was my car,” I told him.
“He brought you here in your own car?”
“Yes.”
“Where? Where is the car? How far did you walk?”
“Just… out front,” I said, waving in the general direction. “Kind of at the corner of the fence out front.”
“What kind of car is it, honey?”
“Just a black sedan. With a bumper sticker.”
“What’s it say?” he asked, lips curving up slightly.
“Oh, uh, Chasing that Scholastic Book Fair high.”
The smile I assumed came so easily to him spread across his face, making his already handsome face look even more appealing.
“Got my ass a lot of comic books at those things,” he said, nodding. “When you got out of the car, did he?”
To that, my brows pinched.
“No, no. I mean… maybe. He was still sitting there when I got out. I remember he was waving the thing in his hand at me. But when I was walking away, I’m pretty sure I heard the door close.”
“Waving what thing at you?”
“The thing he had in his hand. With the button. You know… for the vest.”
“A detonator? He had one in his hand?” Sully asked, seeming confused by that.
“Yeah. He kept threatening me with it.”
“In the basement and car?”
“To get me to do what he wanted. What… oh,” I said, shoulders falling as I realized why he was asking.
There was no way he would have detonated a bomb when he was in close proximity to me.
“Wow. That was stupid,” I decided. “I should have run.”
“Run where?” Sully asked. “The cops wouldn’t have been able to do anything if that thing was live. Which it may have been. I haven’t gotten a chance to really look it over.”
“So, you know a lot about… that kind of thing?”
“I was in the service for a long time. Saw quite a few bombs in my day. I guess I know more than most,” he said, shrugging that off. Like he didn’t want to talk about it. “Is there anything else you can remember about the guy? The house? Anything. Sights, smells, sounds…”
Sounds.
“Oh! I heard the train,” I told him. “When we were leaving the basement, I heard the train. I mean, I don’t know how helpful that is.”
“Hey, it narrows things down a bit,” he said, nodding. “Now, I have some more… personal questions.”
“Okay…”
“Do you know me?” he asked. “I feel like I’d remember you if I’d seen you before, but maybe—no?” he asked when I shook my head.
“No. I mean, unless you bring a dog into my work… or frequent the local book or craft stores…”
“Seems like I’m hanging out in the wrong places,” he said, smile curving up, making his eyes crinkle just a little bit.
He was one of those guys.
The ones who couldn’t help but flirt with every woman he crossed paths with.
I wasn’t immune to the effects.
Even if I knew it wasn’t personal.
“I haven’t possibly… dated or hooked up with your friend, sister…”
“I don’t have a sister. Or, well, friends. Save for my boss. I mean… maybe you know Courtney,” I said, thinking of her active social life. “If you have your phone, you can look up the spa. Her picture is on the home screen.”
“Hm,” Sully said a moment later as he stared at his phone. I didn’t see any recognition in his face. “I don’t think I’ve seen her before either. That tattoo on her arm is memorable.”
It was a work in progress featuring all the dogs she’d had in her life. She was still getting the fifth—her current senior dog—filled in.
“You don’t think he chose me randomly?” I asked.
“It’s possible. I just wanted to make sure there wasn’t some obvious connection we were overlooking. I’m gonna assume you also don’t have any ex-boyfriends that fit this guy’s descriptions? Any old acquaintances that have something against you?”
“But the message was for you.”
“True,” he agreed, nodding. “Just covering all bases here.”
“No, I don’t… no.”
“Oh, come on. Surely it needs more thought than that. You gotta have a whole trail of heartbroken guys in your past.”
“I… no. Nope. And I would have recognized the voice.”
“Right.”
“Shouldn’t I be talking to the police?”
“You can, sure,” he agreed.
“You’re not going to talk to the police?”
“No, I’m not. Unless they need to talk to me after you give a statement.”
“Why not?”
“Are you from this area, honey?” he asked.
“Navesink Bank? No. I mean, not originally, no.”
“Where are you from?” he asked, interest piqued again.
“Pennsylvania. On the Ohio border.”