Dead Ringer by Sharon Dunn

Author:Sharon Dunn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2010-10-19T04:00:00+00:00

NINE

Lucy flipped the light switch in her living room, but the room remained dark. She worked the switch up and down. “Something is wrong with the light.” She turned a half circle at the entrance of her house.

Eli came up behind her. “Electricity out?”

“I’m not sure, it might just be the bulb.” Having Eli close calmed her. They had had a good day together.

After they’d finished fishing, the four of them had decided to go out to eat, all except Nelson, who had caught his dinner. As they had wandered through downtown Mountain Springs and into the park where a final festival concert was taking place, Lucy had vacillated between feeling as though she had told Eli too much and knowing that it was the right thing to do. This was all so new to her, feeling safe enough with someone to share.

Eli brushed past her and leaned into her living room. “It’s darker than a cave in there. Do you want me to go get a flashlight? I know right where one is.”

“That would be good. I think all my flashlights are in the van.” It was nice to have Eli next door. Dawson had already made plans to drive back to his home.

Eli’s footsteps pounded on the porch floorboards, fading slowly.

Lucy stepped into her place. The light over the stove, which she always kept on, was not working, either. That meant it wasn’t a bulb. Her heartbeat quickened in response to the darkness. She’d been jittery since the break-in, and the lack of light didn’t do anything to calm her nerves.

She had candles and a lighter in a kitchen drawer. Those would be easy enough to find. She made her way across the living room. Her feet bumped against a laundry basket. She’d forgotten about leaving that there. Her hand brushed over the sleek wall between kitchen and living room. She entered the kitchen, counting drawers by touching the metal handles.

As she slid the third drawer open, she heard a muffled click on the other side of the room. “Eli?”

Lucy held her breath and listened. Even though her eyes had begun to adjust to the darkness, she could make out almost nothing in the room, only vague outlines of furniture. A little light from the moon filtered through the windows. Out of habit, she had closed the door when she’d stepped inside.

She turned slowly, brushing her fingers over the items in the kitchen drawer. She recognized the waxy texture of the candles right away, but nothing felt like a lighter. Her hand touched several hard square objects, chargers for something she either no longer owned or couldn’t find.

Had she left the lighter by the fireplace or outside by the barbecue? Gripping the candles, she opened another drawer and felt around, lifting objects and tossing them back in. Again, she thought she heard a noise coming from the living room.

As she walked back into the living room, her soft-soled shoes were nearly silent on the wood floor. She could make out the outline of the coat tree by the door.

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