Page 87 of Out of the Shadow

Reaching the front step, I ring the doorbell. The chimes reverberate throughout the house. Hmm. I guess he’s already started moving his furniture out of the house.

“Be right there,” Robert calls.

The door opens, but no one is standing in the threshold. Odd. From within, Robert says, “Come on in, Angie.”

I push the door open a little wider and walk inside. “Hello?”

“So good of you to make it here on such short notice.”

The hairs on the back of my neck rise at Robert’s words, which come from behind the door. I twirl in that direction. “Robert?”

A man in the shadows pushes the door shut, causing me to jump. Robert’s tall, with stringy brown hair that looks like it hasn’t been washed in a week. His clothes are rumpled and he’s wearing sunglasses even though he’s inside. His wife must’ve died more recently than I had thought.

Get a grip. Take control of this situation. “Robert, I wanted to thank you for calling me to help you with your listing.” My voice drops. “I’m very sorry for your loss.” I extend my hand.

His hands remain behind his back. It strikes me that his clothes don’t fit him properly. Like he hasn’t eaten in a while. I drop my hand and am about to say something comforting when he throws his head back and laughs. The sound of his laugh rings a bell, which makes no sense. I’ve never been to this house before.

“Oh, Angie, you have no idea.”

“Excuse me?”

He raises his left hand—in an unsteady motion as if it’s injured—and takes off his sunglasses. Revealing pair of deep blue eyes. Ones I’ve definitely seen before. “Trevor?”

“So nice to see you again. Too bad it’s under these circumstances. But it’s not too late. Yet.”

I can’t move—I’m rooted to the spot. What could he possibly want from me? “I don’t understand.”

He lunges forward, a syringe appearing in his right hand. I drop my tote in an effort to flee, but I’m no match for Trevor, despite his gangly appearance. He wraps his body around me and I fight against him.

Punch.

Kick.

Scream.

He frees his right hand and shoves the needle into my neck, causing a burning sting. “Nighty night.”

Then blackness.

I REGAIN CONSCIOUSNESSbut keep my eyes closed. My hands are bound behind my back by what feel like zip-ties. I query my body, but I don’t have any pain except for where I’m restrained. The softness at my back suggests I’m on a bed.

I open my eyes a tiny fraction and confirm that I’m in a bedroom. Hoping Trevor’s not in here, I fling my eyes wide. And…I’m alone.

Relief floods through my system. I give my senses a few minutes to acclimate and shrug off the remnants of the drug he used to subdue me. When my equilibrium rights itself, I check out the stark room.

The window looks out onto the expansive backyard, which abuts the beach. I’m on the first floor. Unfortunately, my hands are immobile, so I can’t escape through it.

I wiggle to a seated position on the bed and manage to get to my feet. Taking a deep breath, I tiptoe over to the open doorway. Maybe I can make a break for it and escape out a door without Trevor being any the wiser. It’s the only plan I have, so I check to see if he’s in the hallway. Free and clear! I take a step out of the room and look right. Dead end. I head to the left.

A voice rings out as I reach the front staircase, and I plaster myself against the wall. Trevor’s off to the left, in what I assume is the kitchen. I take another step and freeze. “I want you to bring me one-hundred thousand by eight o’clock or your girlfriend bites it, King.”

King?

“I just texted you her photo. I haven’t touched a hair on her head. Yet. I might have skimmed some other parts of her, though.” He laughs, and I cringe. Since my clothes are all where they should be, that last part was to taunt King.

A clock on the wall catches my attention. It’s four now. He’s giving King four hours to raise the money. I can get out and call him off well before then. I take a step toward the front door. And another. And another. Just ten more to go.

“Stop.”

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