A Heart Full of Diamonds by A.M. Jenner

Author:A.M. Jenner [Jenner, A.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Electric Scroll
Published: 2014-08-08T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-one

It was mid-afternoon when Marilee finally slipped up the stairs and out of the basement. Taking her earlier precautions, she checked to see if the car was still there. It was.

A thought had come as she sat in the gloom searching for a solution. The men had now been inside her home. They knew she wasn’t there. Therefore, she should be able to slip in through the back door, get food, her bank book, a few clothes and get back outside before they knew she was even close by.

She’d wanted to wait until dark, feeling it would be safer, but hunger and other bodily functions brought her out. Silently backing away from Richard’s corner of the house, she moved stealthily to her own back door and up the single step. Marilee prayed they wouldn’t hear the squeak as she slowly opened the screen.

Pausing, she listened for a car door opening. All stayed quiet. She reached for the door knob. It wouldn’t turn. Tears of frustration filmed her eyes. Having come this far, she couldn’t give up.

Taking a deep breath, Marilee pulled the door tight against the frame and then twisted the knob once more. Slowly it rotated. Quietly, she expelled the air her lungs had held hostage; her tears stemmed as her nearly subconscious prayer of thanksgiving rose heavenward. Moving as quietly as possible, she opened the back door and slipped inside.

Her things were fairly well in order, but she could tell someone had been there. Books had been moved, a magazine she’d been reading wasn’t where she’d left it. Even though there was no destruction, she still felt a violation which all of the chasing during the long night had not given her. Now she was angry as well as frightened; however it changed nothing. She must escape this intolerable situation.

Marilee used the restroom, washing her face as well as her hands then quietly gathered some food. She stuffed her bank book and a few clothes in her duffle bag with the food, then zipped it closed.

She heard a car door whump shut and grabbing her bag, hustled out the back door, closing it softly behind her. Darting to the basement door, she opened it, stepped through, and secured it behind her.

Blood was pounding in her ears, her heart beating rapidly as she tried to control her breathing. She listened to find whether she’d been detected or not. Silence reigned. Slowly, her heart and breathing returned to normal limits.

An explosive sound shattered the stillness and she jumped, nearly knocking over a bucket before identifying the sound; a toilet flushing. Coming from just above her head, the noise indicated someone was in Richard’s apartment. Could it be…? They wouldn’t…!

Marilee heard the refrigerator door slam shut and realized Derrek had returned from school. It wasn’t the two men in the apartment. It wouldn’t be long now before Richard arrived home.

Marilee didn’t stop to wonder why that was significant for her, she just knew she’d be okay when he reached home and she could be with him.

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