While She Slept: A psychological suspense thriller (Treacherous Trips Collection - Standalone Thrillers) by N.L. Hinkens

Author:N.L. Hinkens [Hinkens, N.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781947890398
Publisher: Dunecadia Publishing
Published: 2023-05-17T16:00:00+00:00

22

"Lynelle, please!" I say in a hoarse whisper, slowly raising my hands. "Put the gun down. I’m not here to hurt you."

Her eyes drill into me. "How did you find me?"

"I hired a private investigator. I knew it was you I saw at the airport terminal in Chicago."

"What do you want?"

"Can you please put the gun down and then we can talk."

She gestures with the barrel of the gun to the kitchen table. "Sit down. What’s in the backpack?"

"I’ll show you. I don’t have a weapon." I slip the pack off my shoulder and reach for the zipper.

"Don’t touch it!" she screams at me. "Toss it here."

I’m still staring down the barrel of a gun, so I do as she says. Milo bounds after the backpack, gripping it and shaking it like it’s a new toy.

Lynelle lowers the gun and unzips the pack. She pulls out the folder of information from Tonya, and several photos I took from Brynn’s album, before dropping the backpack to the floor. I hold my breath as she studies the photos intently without any apparent reaction. After a few minutes, she sets them on the kitchen counter, staring at me with icy indifference.

"I just want the truth," I say, picking up where I left off. "Put yourself in my shoes for a minute. My husband was abducted on our honeymoon. I paid the ransom and never heard from the kidnappers again, and then I discover his deceased first wife is still alive. Don’t you think I deserve some answers?"

Lynelle cocks her head to one side. "Why? So you can go straight to the police and have me arrested?"

"I’m not interested in having you arrested. This is about me. I don’t even know if I’m legally married anymore." I throw up my hands. "Or legally a widow."

Lynelle’s face tightens. "I Googled the story today at work. I’m sorry for your loss, but I don’t know anything about Declan’s abduction. As for where that leaves you, I was declared dead, which makes you legally married."

"Why did you do it—fake your own death?"

"It doesn’t concern you. I need you to leave, now, and this time, don’t come back."

It’s clear she’s hiding something, but she has no intention of coming clean. I can’t tell if she’s working with Declan, or if she’s afraid of him, like Kelly suggested. My mind thrashes about for some way to convince her to open up to me, but I’m afraid to antagonize her in case she reaches for the gun again. I gesture dejectedly at my backpack. "I need my stuff."

Lynelle gathers up the folder and photos on the counter and reaches for the backpack at her feet. Quick as a flash, Milo jumps up, tugging at the backpack like the game is back on, taking the feet out from under her. I watch in slow motion as she topples over his squat body, arms flailing as she tries in vain to recover her balance. My eyes go straight to the gun on the counter.

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