The Hunt: A Novel by Allison Brennan

Author:Allison Brennan [Brennan, Allison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Serial Murders, Fiction, Romance, Suspense, General, Serial Murderers, Romantic Suspense Fiction, United States, Psychological Fiction, Young Women, Young Women - Crimes Against
ISBN: 9780345480248
Google: X5RXWDiQpv8C
Amazon: 0345480244
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 2006-01-30T13:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

19

Miranda paced the waiting room for two hours before finally sitting in one of the green plastic chairs that lined the wall of the emergency room. She’d learned next to nothing about JoBeth Anderson’s condition. The hospital couldn’t reach her next of kin in Minnesota, so they’d contacted the University. An administrator was tracking down her parents, but because it was life or death, they took JoBeth in for surgery.

When Miranda’s phone rang earlier at two in the morning, she’d been pulled from a nightmare, grateful for the interruption.

It had been Nick. The Butcher had another victim.

At the time, Miranda hadn’t questioned JoBeth being left behind by her attacker. Now, she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Why hadn’t she been taken with Ashley?

Why had the Butcher attempted to kill her, leaving her by the side of the road?

And why had he acted so soon on the heels of Rebecca Douglas’s murder? His shortest interim period had been two weeks. Ashley had been abducted after just three days.

She needed to talk to Quinn and figure out what this meant. Were they any closer to catching the Butcher? Had something in this investigation tipped his hand? Or might this be the work of a copycat criminal? But Quinn and Nick weren’t around to answer questions. They were interviewing possible witnesses at the Junction, where JoBeth and Ashley had stopped to eat.

From the floor nurse, Miranda learned that JoBeth had a life-threatening contusion on the back of her head. She had been hit three times with enough force to crack her skull. The doctors were focusing on saving her life, but even then she could have a broken spinal cord. Her injuries were serious; the blows had been meant to kill.

She is a survivor, Miranda thought. Just like me.

JoBeth didn’t deserve this, lying in surgery as the doctors tried to stop her brain from bleeding.

Trapped in her brain could be something to lead them to the killer: maybe she had seen the Butcher, maybe she knew him, something to help! They needed a break. They needed the killer to make a mistake.

Miranda willed JoBeth to survive. To regain consciousness. To say, “Yes, I saw him, he is—”

Please make it, JoBeth.

Miranda sat in a hospital chair. As dawn peeked over the horizon, she closed her eyes. Just to rest for a minute.

JoBeth was still in surgery when Quinn walked in an hour later.

He wasn’t surprised Miranda was in the waiting room outside the surgery wing. But he was taken aback when he saw her lying on a couch, asleep, her backpack a pillow. A wool blanket covered her thin body; her arms were crossed over her chest, holding the blanket close. Like a child. Innocent.

Her pale skin was relaxed in sleep, belying her body’s simmering tension. He quietly approached; the sight tugged at his heart. Beautiful, strong, vibrant. Smart.

Passionate. Intelligent. Such a pain in the ass sometimes, she was so stubborn.

He licked his lips. He’d never be able to eat pecan pie again without picturing Miranda.

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