Alexander Death(94)

They tiptoed up to the front window, where they saw Dr. Heather Reynard and a man who Jenny guessed was her husband. They were both reading. A small girl with a short, fuzzy haircut slept on the couch next to the man.

“That's the little girl?” Jenny whispered.

“That's her. I cured her cancer.”

Jenny couldn't help giving him a quick kiss. “Okay, do we knock on the door?”

“We should wait for a chance to talk to her alone,” Seth said. “We're kidnapping her, remember?”

“But...oh. Her husband won't be in on it.”

“Not yet,” Seth said. “It has to look believable. Let's go hide in the back yard before some neighbor calls the cops on us.”

They walked around the house, moving as quietly as they could. The back yard was small, but fortunately two of the neighbors had fences, making it less likely that Jenny and Seth would be noticed. They found a window at the back through which they could see the family in the front parlor.

And they waited.

Eventually, the little girl stirred. Heather's husband smiled, said something to Heather, picked up the girl. He carried her toward the window where Jenny and Seth were hiding. They ducked, then Jenny peeked in again after a few seconds, to see the man carrying the girl upstairs.

“Okay, this is the best chance we're going to get,” Jenny whispered.

They stood and tiptoed across the patio to the sliding glass door. Seth took the handle.

“Let's hope it's unlocked,” he whispered.

He pulled, and the door slid open.

They crept through the kitchen. As they approached the front room, Seth spoke in a stage whisper: “Heather. It's Seth.”

Heather jumped as Seth and Jenny stepped into her parlor. Heather's eyes shifted from Seth to Jenny, and then she glanced at the ceiling. Jenny could guess what she was thinking—she didn't like the idea of having Jenny in her house, so close to her daughter.

“What are you—?” Heather began to ask, but Seth pressed a finger to his lips. “What are you doing here?” she whispered.

Seth made a gun with his thumb and forefinger, and he pointed it at Heather with a grin. “We're kidnapping you.”

“What?” Heather looked between them, panicked. “Why?”

“Because I need your help,” Seth said.

“I can't right now. I have to work in the morning.”

“But you won't show up, because you've been kidnapped,” Seth said. “See? It all works out.”

“Why do you keep saying that?”

“Because that's going to be the story,” Seth said. “Jenny and I kidnapped you, determined to make our side of the story clear.”

“You can just tell me your side of the story right here,” Heather whispered. “I'll listen.”

“That's not the real reason we're taking you. That's going to be your story, though.”

“Where are we going?”

“Fallen Oak,” Seth told her.

“For how long?”

“We don't know,” Seth said. “Until things happen.”

“It won't be long,” Jenny said. “I know Alexander. I've spent enough time in his campaign tents, watching him plan battles. He's going to move fast and with overwhelming force. We're lucky we've had so much time already.”

“Who is Alexander?” Heather asked.

“The zombie master,” Seth said. “He's coming back for Jenny, and he wants me dead.”

“What do you want me to do?” Heather asked. Floorboards creaked overhead—it sounded like her husband was returning to the stairs.

“We have to get going,” Jenny said. “There's plenty of time to explain on the way.”

Heather looked at Seth, then sighed. “Fine. Let me just tell Liam where I'm going.” She stood up and walked toward the stairs, but Seth stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

“You can't,” Seth said. “You're being kidnapped, remember?”

“He's going to worry. He might call the police.”

“He should do whatever he would normally do if you went missing,” Jenny said. “That will make your story more believable. We want people to think you were taken against your will.”

“That's not far off from the truth,” Heather said. Liam's footsteps approached down the steps.

“Let's go,” Seth said.

They left through the front door. Jenny quietly closed it behind them just as Liam reached the bottom floor.

Seth hurried Heather across the front yard and down the sidewalk. They'd come in Jenny's car, since Seth's Roadster didn't have much in the way of a back seat. Jenny's dad had fixed the window that Seth had smashed out with his fist.

Seth opened the passenger side door for Heather.