Out Of Her Mind: A brand new deliciously dark psychological thriller by Sally Hart

Author:Sally Hart [Hart, Sally]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloodhound Books - crime, thrillers & mysteries
Published: 2023-09-13T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

A floorboard creaked. Sarah froze, halfway out the door, only breathing when her aunt’s soft snores continued undisturbed. She had left the hall light on to minimise the risk of her stumbling on her way to the chest of drawers, and she could see Carolyn’s faint outline on the bed.

Her resolve wavered. After they had moved in with her uncle and aunt, she had often crept into their room in the middle of the night, needing comfort and always finding it. Maybe she didn’t have to do this on her own.

But then that’s what she had been doing. Facing the fear she was going mad. On her own.

With a heavy heart, she headed back to her room. Unfastening her dressing gown, she let the brown manilla envelope fall onto the duvet. Now she had it, the defiance she’d felt taking it while her aunt slept evaporated. Pushing the guilt away, Sarah stared at the plain, unassuming packet.

Yesterday, after Peter had tracked Geoffrey down and she’d spoken to him, she’d agreed to wait until he’d arrived, and they could then all help her through it. And she hadn’t woken up with the intent of going against that, but after struggling awake she didn’t want her mind to gnaw at the remaining pieces of her nightmare. Scared to go back to sleep, her thoughts had turned to the envelope. The temptation was too much.

Well, come on then, she goaded herself. You’ve got it. Open the damn thing.

Sarah didn’t move. It was one thing to want to take charge, but now she had possible answers in front of her, she hesitated. Only two days ago, the faceless man in her dreams was a figment of her imagination. A product of stress and tiredness. And now? The possibility he was real, terrified her.

And what if her condition, or whatever it was, turned out to be permanent? It could all be for nothing, and she was going to be screwed up forever.

Looking away from the bed, her gaze flitted round the bedroom before settling on a picture of Mike. Sarah picked it up. ‘Oh, Mike. I’m lost.’

She heard his voice, telling her that he had faith in her, knowing she would never give up. Would he be disappointed in her?

‘I miss you.’ She brought the frame up to her lips before placing it back down.

Clear what she had to do, Sarah reached for the envelope.

Downstairs, she rejected the cosiness of the dark living room for the open-plan kitchen. It was too early for any twilight glow from outside, but she didn’t turn on the overhead light, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. Her bare feet hit the cold tiles, and she shivered as the stone leached her body heat rapidly away.

Wrapping her hands round a hot coffee did nothing to banish the cold or lift her mood. It had felt the right thing to do to return her dad’s evidence to Carolyn’s room. Unopened. But, having no distraction meant she had no defence against the nightmare that was now seeping into her consciousness.

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