Dead Running by Checketts Cami

Author:Checketts, Cami [Checketts, Cami]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Publisher: Birch River Publishing
Published: 2012-03-27T04:30:00+00:00

Week Seven

Creeping down the slight bank of the river that ran through Smithfield Canyon, I was impressed with myself. I'd finally grown a brave bone. My idea to recreate a scene that gave me almost as many nightmares as Panetti chasing me with a knife was idiotic, but the possibility of the murder never being solved grated on me.

I reached the spot where I’d found the body that fateful race day and just stood there. The police caution tape had been removed weeks ago. As far as I knew, my detective buddies had seen no progress on the case. Why did I think I could help?

My legs started to tremble as the memory of the man invaded my brain. I sank onto my knees to avoid running away. Someone had killed that man and taken his identity. I was sure of it. Maybe if I could remember something about the body, besides his gouged-out head, it would spark some memory and I could give the policemen some kind of clue.

I stared at the spot I’d found him, reliving the awful moment when I had turned the body over. Fighting back a wave of queasiness, I bit the side of my tongue. It was all I could do to not start screaming again. Look past the face. Look past the face. I could see long, lean arms poking out of a T-shirt, but that was it. I couldn’t tell how tall the man was, what color of hair he had, or anything else about him.

I closed my eyes, wishing I hadn’t willingly let the memories come. Now I couldn’t shut them out.

Twigs cracked. A bird flitted away. My eyes popped open. I jumped to my feet, ready to sprint for safety.

Jesse held out his hands defensively. “It’s okay, Cassidy. It’s just me.”

His eyes were dark chocolate and oozing concern, but I wasn’t in the mood to be rescued. He crossed a couple more feet. I backed away, thumping into a scratchy pine tree.

Jesse stopped, watching me warily for several seconds before asking, “Are you all right?”

I shook my head.

“What are you doing here?” His tender voice and broad shoulders exuded the need to shelter me.

I wrapped my arms around my stomach, wishing I didn’t want his protection so badly. Who was he? The good-looking bad boy or the kind-eyed plastic surgeon? “I could ask the same of you.”

“I saw you from the road.”

My stomach lurched. I swiveled my gaze to the lush vegetation: bushes, weeds, pine and aspen trees. It was impossible to see the road from here. A quiver of fear shot through me. How could a man be so attractive and so unsettling at the same time?

“Are you following me?” I demanded.

Jesse grinned and the attractive factor shot above my unease. “It isn’t the first time.”

Unsettling and attractive were now battling. Was I just being paranoid? I had plenty of reasons to be. I clutched my hands behind me, the poky pine needles embedded into my palms. “Who are you really?”

He cocked an eyebrow.

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.