Page 4 of Sachie's Hero

Standing in the starlight, dressed in a baggy T-shirt and tennis shoes, holding a butcher knife like a crazed killer, Sachie wanted to scream her frustration.

With houses close on either side of the cottage, she didn’t dare let loose on that scream, proving to her neighbors and herself she was losing her mind. No. She’d have to admit the traumatic incident had done more than splatter blood on her skin and clothes. It had left a lasting impression on her psyche, causing her to hallucinate.

She lowered her arm to her side, careful not to cut her thigh with the butcher knife.

As she turned toward the house, starlight glinted off the SUV’s windshield in a strange pattern, making Sachie pause to focus on what didn’t look right.

Then she realized the windshield was shattered as if something big had slammed into the glass. She looked up, half-expecting to see a palm tree hanging over the vehicle. The stars shined down from a clear indigo sky. Not a palm tree or anything else hung over the SUV.

Sachie’s heart skipped several beats, and she tensed. She raised the hand holding the butcher knifeand glanced around, searching for any sign of movement. A shiver of apprehension snaked down her spine. Moving slowly at first, she backed toward the cottage, knees bent, ready to fight or run.

She backed in through the front door. Once she cleared the opening, she slammed the door shut, threw the bolt home and ran for her cell phone.

Juggling the butcher knife as she fumbled one-handed with the cell phone, she called the first person she could think of.

The other end of the call rang four times. Meanwhile, Sachie hurried into the bedroom, opened the closet door and stepped in.

Sachie’s nerves stretched so tightly that she almost dropped the cell phone as she closed the door behind her.

Just when she thought she’d have to face her stalker alone, a groggy voice answered, “Sachie? Is that you?”

“Kalea,” she whispered the only thing she could think of saying, “I’m scared.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Kalea demanded, all grogginess gone from her tone.

Sachie cupped her hand around her mouth and spoke softly into the receiver, “You know how I thought I was imagining a stalker?”

“Holy hell, Sachie, did you see him?” Kalea asked. “Are you okay?”

“I did see someone in the window,” Sachie said. “At least, I think I did.”

“What do you mean you think you did?”

“There was a face,” Sachie said. “Then it was gone. I went outside—” Sachie started.

“Please tell me you didnotgo outside,” Kalea demanded.

“Then I won’t.” Sachie swallowed hard and added, “But I did.”

“Holy hell,” Kalea said. “Are you somewhere safe?”

“I’m in the cottage. The door’s locked.” Sachie gave a humorless laugh. “I thought it was all in my head until I looked at the SUV you loaned me. The front windshield is shattered, like someone hit it hard. I figure if he could do that much damage to automobile safety glass, home windows wouldn’t be that hard to breach.” Sachie’s voice faded, and her hand shook as she hunkered down on the closet floor.

“Sit tight, Sachie,” Kalea said. “Hawk is on his cell phone as we speak.” She paused. “I’ll tell her,” she said as if speaking to Hawk, and then to Sachie, she said, “Hawk called 911. They’re sending a unit your way. He also has one of his Brotherhood Protectors on his way. Since he’s in Hilo, he shouldn’t be more than five minutes. He might even get there before the HawaiiPolice Department. But don’t go anywhere. Since I can’t get there as fast from here on the Parkman Ranch, I need you to stay on the phone with me until the cavalry arrives.”

Sachie forced a laugh. “Oh, believe me, someone would have to pry my phone out of my cold, dead hands to end this call.”

“That’s not even remotely funny,” Kalea said.

Sachie didn’t think so, either.

As she hid in the bottom of a closet barely big enough to hold her, she jumped at the muffled sound of something hitting the outside of her house, hoping it wasn’t the stalker trying to get in.

She held her knife in front of her and prayed for the man Hawk had sent her way.

Please hurry!

CHAPTER 2

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