The Girl Who Survived: A totally unputdownable crime thriller (Leigh Brody FBI Mystery Book 1) by Nichole Severn

Author:Nichole Severn [Severn, Nichole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Published: 2024-05-06T00:00:00+00:00

EIGHTEEN

Lebanon, New Hampshire

Sunday, March 14

10:45 p.m.

Officer Pierce hadn’t come to her rescue this time.

Leigh sucked oxygen out of a mask at the back of the ambulance. The fire was mostly under control with help from Lebanon Fire and Rescue, but the memories of what’d occurred within the house couldn’t be doused as easily.

Firefighters battled the last of the flames, leaving nothing but smoldering ashes and broken structure behind. The roof had caved in and kicked up a stench that collected in her nose. One of the shutters hung diagonally away from the window it was supposed to protect. Everything that’d connected her to this wretched town had gone up in flames and accelerant in a flash.

It was a miracle the fire hadn’t spread to the neighboring houses.

Towels soaked in cool water had been compressed round her shins to stop the burning process. It didn’t make sense at the time EMTs had pulled her from the backyard, but the pain had numbed a bit. The blanket draped over her shoulders was meant to keep her from going hypothermic, too. Funny. She didn’t think it was possible for her body temperature to drop after nearly being burned alive.

“You didn’t see anything that would give you an idea of who did this?” There was Boucher with his damn notebook. Only she’d never seen him in his civilian clothes since she’d joined the investigation. She hadn’t recognized him at first. Then he’d opened his mouth. He’d already asked her this question. Twice, but no amount of repeating would change her answer. She wasn’t suffering from a bump on the head this time. She remembered every second of what’d happened. “What was he wearing?”

“A ski mask, jeans, a jacket. I could’ve sworn he had a vest.” The oxygen mask muffled her answer. “I didn’t notice any jewelry or tattoos. If there was, they were covered up.” Almost like he’d gone out of his way not to be identified. Her attention was drawn to the officers at the scene, the ones asking her neighbors what they’d seen, if they were safe, and their versions of the story. Still no sign of Officer Pierce. Perhaps it was his night off.

But she did recognize one face. A woman carrying a toddler on her hip. It was the hair. Leigh could never forget that hair, even after all these years. Her childhood best friend must’ve still lived close, at least close enough to walk over with a toddler. She watched Leigh as though afraid she’d get off the back of the ambulance and tackle her to the ground. She was afraid. Leigh could feel it. Or was she nervous?

“A vest? Kevlar or cashmere?” Boucher asked.

She wanted to smack him but couldn’t summon the energy to lift her hand. “Kevlar.”

“You said this might be the same guy you chased after two nights ago.” Boucher repositioned himself between her and the woman across the street.

Leigh pulled in another lungful of oxygen then lowered the mask into her lap. She didn’t have

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