Stolen Memories by Liz Johnson

Author:Liz Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2013-11-22T16:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

Julie covered her head with her hands and screamed as glass showered over her. The shards peppered her back, and when they stopped, she risked a glance toward the door, where a black-gloved hand slithered through the hollow of the broken window.

Heart pounding and ears ringing, she pushed herself up, rushing toward the fingers that grazed the interior key still in the lock. If he unlocked the door, she’d be dead. She didn’t doubt that.

She didn’t really have any choice but to fight back. There was no time to go for her phone or wait for help.

God, save me!

She swung the hockey stick toward the door, chanting the phrase over and over in her mind. Slashing awkwardly at the disembodied arm, she battled for control of the key. If she could just swipe his hand out of the way, she could get the key out of the lock.

The tips of her fingers had just pinched the edge of the key when the black glove grabbed her weapon, wrenching it enough to throw her off balance, sending her head slamming against the immobile frame.

White lights flashed before her eyes as fire blazed a trail across her scalp.

“Let me in!”

His growl was enough to keep her fighting. Yanking her arm, she nearly dislodged his grip on her elbow. He shifted his stance, and she saw his face for the first time—or rather the ski mask that covered it. But the sneer in the mouth opening couldn’t be denied.

Baring her nails, she dug into his arm, which was protected by a leather jacket.

Like the one the guy on the motorcycle had been wearing.

“Let go of me.” Her words were hoarse; her throat burned. Had she been screaming? The entire night ran together in one mad scramble as another window smashed, his other arm snaking through the opening to grab her hair.

Her head snapped back, tears flooding her eyes as the pain registered off the charts.

Gizmo’s sharp cries and scratches at the basement entrance only added to the cacophony.

“Let. Go!” She coughed and sputtered as he pulled her against the wall, banging her head again.

As quickly as he’d grabbed her, he let go.

Julie crumpled to the ground, her attacker’s clomping footfalls ringing down the back porch and vanishing as the front door swung open.

A gust of cold wind swept down the hall, leaving goose bumps up and down her arms. Or maybe it was the relief that she wasn’t alone anymore and that the masked man had taken off.

“Julie?”

From her kneeling position amid the broken glass, she looked toward the voice.

Samantha, arms full of grocery bags, stared at her as though she couldn’t understand what she was seeing. Then she dropped everything and rushed forward. “Julie!”

“Careful.” Julie’s shoulders couldn’t hold her up any longer, and she slumped forward, bending at the waist. “Broken glass.”

“What happened?” Samantha’s question came out on a breath, her eyes wide and mouth agape.

Julie pointed toward the door with one hand; the other rested on the floor by her knee.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.