Speak Easy Speak Danger by Sharon G Clark

Author:Sharon G Clark [Clark, Sharon G]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781619294349
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Three days had passed since the dinner with Warren when Tessa heard the noise from the outside stairwell. She might otherwise have missed the sound if she weren’t still awake with worry for Jo, Margaret, and Fiona, replaying in her head. There the sound was again. The rattle as if someone were trying to get the door open. Her heart thudded in her chest with panic.

Someone was trying to break into her home. Was it the same person murdering women in Pueblo? Her first thought should have been to call her brother or to call the police. She hadn’t realized who she dialed until the sleep-heavy voice of Jo answered, “Hello?”

“Jo, someone is trying to break in,” she whispered into the receiver.

“Tessa? Okay, honey, I’m coming. The new lock should hold until I get there but find somewhere to hide until I arrive.” When nothing else was said, Tessa realized Jo had hung up.

Quiet as she could, and careful not to move too quickly and announce her location, Tessa made her way to the bedroom, grabbed a hat pin off the dresser, and crammed herself as far back into the armoire as she could squeeze, and then closed the door.

Tessa had no idea how long she waited or what she waited for, other than to hear Jo’s reassuring voice. But she couldn’t hear anything. Hidden away, time, and sound shut off from her. She wondered if she should open the armoire door to check if the intruder had left, but fear had her worried that she’d walk right into the arms of a killer.

Then Tessa realized she could make out slight sound, muffled shouts, and then— Was that a gunshot? Followed by more shouts. Oh, dear Lord, was Jo out there? Had she come to help Tessa, only to get in the way of the killer? Body trembling, imagining all manner of horrific scenarios that ended badly for Jo, Tessa began to cry. Pounding footsteps echoed through the outer stairwell, and then the rattle of the apartment door. Tessa clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle the startled exclamation. No sooner had she done so, then the blessed sound of Jo’s panicked voice reached her.

“Tessa? Tessa, where are you?”

Tears streamed down her face as she pushed open the armoire door, struggled to her feet, and launched herself into Jo’s waiting arms. “Oh, Jo, I am so sorry.”

Jo’s embrace grew tighter, but Tessa caught the sound of her quiet laughter. “Honey, why are you sorry?”

“I put you in danger when I called you. You could’ve been killed. For being a bother. I woke you. I heard gunshots. Oh God, I was—”

Jo pushed Tessa an arm’s length away and stared at her with incredulity. “The shots fired were a warning. I’m fine. Have you any idea how I would have felt if I couldn’t have been here for you?” Tessa stared at her and saw Jo’s confusion and frustration. “I can’t let anyone down again. Especially not now, not with you.

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