“I’d like to show you my middle finger about now.”
That made him laugh, and she heard his laughter echoing off the walls downstairs. At least now she knew where he was. “I’ll bet you would, Kendra. What else can you tell me?”
She tried to think, to give him anything that would delay the butchery.
“He shaves with an electric shaver. One with three round heads, which means it’s probably Norelco or Braun.”
“You could tell that?”
“Yes. His stubble is slightly uneven. I can also tell he shaves in a circular motion.”
“What else?”
“I think he’s from the South. He deliberately suppresses his accent. To do that, he unnaturally shortens his vowels and emphasizes the second consonants of his words…” She went still as it all came together. An icy ripple shot through her body. “… just like you.”
He was silent for a long moment. “What are you saying, Kendra?”
She didn’t answer, struggling to fight the wave of panic engulfing her.
He finally dropped that whisper. “You know, don’t you?”
“Yes.” She swallowed hard. “He’s you. You killed that officer before I even got here.”
“Bravo, Kendra.”
“You somehow knew I was coming here. Dear God, I was close enough to touch you and I didn’t even realize—”
“I did touch you, Kendra. And I’ll do it again.”
The threat was clear. He was going to be on the move.
She ran to the bedroom windows. It was a long way to the concrete path below.
She heard a footstep on the stairs.
Then another.
And another after that.
He was coming after her. She’d seen him, and he couldn’t let her live.
She tugged on the windows. They didn’t budge.
More footsteps on the stairs …
She had a minute, maybe less.
Kendra grabbed a vanity stool and threw it through the window. It shattered, and the glass was still falling as she hurled herself through the opening.
For an instant there was silence, as all sounds—the breaking glass, the pounding footsteps—vanished, as if part of a long-ago nightmare.
Then she struck the cold cement patio.
Pain.
Searing, stabbing pain in her legs and left wrist.
She rolled as she landed, bleeding in a dozen places from the shards of glass.
She looked up. The man was at the window, staring down at her. He abruptly turned and bolted out of view.
Shit. She had to get out of here.
She pulled herself to her feet, hoping that her legs would support her weight.
They did. For the moment.
She staggered toward the block wall that separated the yard from the next-door neighbors. She lifted herself up and over, fighting through the horrible pain in her left wrist. She hit the wet grass on the other side, then ran for the side yard. She crouched beside a tall bush.
Weapon. Find a weapon.
As her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, she spotted a shovel leaning against the house. She gripped it with the blade extended before her.
Come and get me, asshole …
She held her breath. She expected to hear the sound of the sliding back door, but there was nothing.
A car started on the street.
Was that him?
It idled for a few seconds, then roared away.
She slowly stood up, still gripping the shovel.
There was only silence from Corrine Harvey’s house.
He was gone.
CHAPTER
4
“THE PARAMEDICS SAID YOU were being a real pain in the ass to them,” Griffin said as he walked up Corrine Harvey’s driveway toward Kendra. “I told them welcome to the club.”
“Thanks for your support.” Kendra drew the paramedic blanket tighter around her. She couldn’t seem to shake the chill. Slightly over an hour had passed since her escape from the house, and the place was now surrounded by squad cars, work lights, and evidence-collecting police officers. Kendra carefully stood up from the driveway, where she’d been sitting since dismissing the paramedics. Every muscle was stiffening more by the minute. “They wanted to take me to the hospital. I told them I didn’t have the time.” She raised her left arm, which was covered by a wrist wrap. “It’s not broken, only a sprain. They gave me this and bandaged my cuts and treated my bruises. What more do I need?”
“An X-ray or two? Those bruises on your cheek and arm look pretty nasty. You tumbled out of a second-floor window. I sure as hell wouldn’t let one of my agents back on duty until they’d been checked out by a doctor.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m not one of your agents. And I didn’t tumble, I dove out.”
“Those paramedics have you pegged. A complete pain in the ass.”
And she couldn’t deal with any more well-intentioned people trying to stop her from doing what needed doing. She didn’t have the strength right now. “Any news on the police officer?”