Silent Night 3(36)

“No!” Grace stepped into the room and slammed the door.

Reva jumped.

“There’s no time! No time for anything!” Grace declared frantically. “Rory’s coming. He’s coming to kill us both!”

“But. . .”

“Are you deaf?” Grace shouted. “Rory called! He’s on his way to kill us! And you want to take a bath?”

She didn’t overhear my conversation. So I’ll play along, Reva thought. Humor her. “He can’t get in, Grace,” she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “Remember? The guard and the dogs will keep him out.”

“You’re wrong!” Grace insisted. She moved farther into the room.

Closer to the bed.

Reva’s heart thundered. Her mouth went dry.

Grace took another step. “Nothing will keep Rory out, Reva! Nothing! He’ll kill the guard, you know. He’ll kill the dogs, too!”

“No, he won’t!” Reva cried. “Trust me, Grace. He can’t get past them!”

Grace raked a hand through her hair and ground her teeth. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!” she shouted, moving another step closer to the bed. “You don’t have a clue!”

“Yes, I do! I know Rory is dead!” Reva blurted out the words without thinking.

Grace stopped, one hand still clutching her brown hair.

“I just finished talking to your mother,” Reva told her. “She explained about Rory. About the . . . accident. I know he can’t hurt anybody—because he’s dead.”

Grace’s arm dropped to her side. She frowned and shook her head, a confused expression on her face.

“You’re safe, Grace,” Reva continued quietly. “Really. Your mom is going to call your doctor. He’ll come and explain everything to you. You’re safe. You don’t have to be scared.”

“I don’t. I don’t have to be scared,” Grace repeated.

“That’s right,” Reva agreed. Now turn around and go away, Grace, she urged silently. Far away.

“I don’t have to be scared,” Grace chanted. Then she took another step, her eyes glittering wetly. “But you do, Reva!” she shouted. “You do!”

“No—”

“Rory is through with me,” Grace shrieked. “But he’s still coming. I know he is. He’s coming to kill you, Reva!”

Okay, enough fooling around and trying to play shrink, Reva decided. Time to call the police. She picked up the telephone. “I’m going to get help, Grace.”

“No!” Grace dove for the telephone.

Reva hung onto it and jumped to her feet.

With a cry, Grace grabbed hold of the phone cord and yanked it out of the wall.

Reva screamed.

Grace tore the phone from Reva’s hands and heaved it across the room. It bounced off the wall and crashed onto the dresser, shattering a bottle of perfume.

“No help for you!” Grace shouted. “Rory is going to kill you. He’s going to kill you now—like he killed Traci and Liza!”

Reva’s heart seemed to skip.

Traci and Liza? Grace killed them?

And now she’s going to kill me!

Reva began to edge her way along the side of the bed. If she could make it to the end, she might be able to slip past Grace and run for the door.

Had Grace locked them in? She didn’t know, but she had to try.

Reva took another cautious step.

Grace didn’t seem to notice. Her head was lowered as she fumbled for something in the pocket of her jeans.

Reva edged sideways again.

Grace’s head snapped up. Her hand came out of her pocket, clutching something.

Reva froze, terrified.

Grace held a long, green scarf in her hands.

“Rory is going to kill you, Reva.” Grace twisted the ends of the scarf around her palms and snapped it in the air. “He’s going to kill you.”

Reva broke for the door.

Grace leaped in front of her, cutting her off.

With a cry, Reva whirled around and started to race for the bathroom. She was only two steps away when she felt the soft, silky scarf wrap around her neck.

“No!” she gasped. She brought her hands up to her throat, hoping to get her fingers underneath the scarf.

Too late.

Panting in fury, Grace tightened her grip on the scarf and yanked, hard.

Reva gagged. She dragged air in through her nose, but not enough. Not nearly enough!

The scarf tightened again.

Reva grabbed hold of Grace’s wrists and tugged.

But Grace didn’t budge. She held on, pulling the scarf tighter.

The silky scarf felt like a wire slicing into Reva’s neck. Slicing deep into her throat.

Tighter.

Tighter. . .





Chapter 24





“KILL HER, RORY!”