Page 104 of The Hanging Dolls
“Another thing. You should know… Nancy and I are separating.”
Zoe’s breath hitched. A seagull’s cried echoed. A couple of fishermen called out to each other. “Why?”
“Things have been rough.” He sighed. “We’ll see it how it goes. Just wanted you to know. It’s not about you, though,” he added quickly, with a tinge of awkwardness.
“Okay.” What choice did Zoe have but to believe him? “Anyway, I’ll see you soon.”
“See you.”
Zoe hung up. She had never told him about Nancy confronting her. It felt unnecessary to get even more entangled in their drama when she was being dragged into it already. But she pushed the thought of Simon away. There was something more important waiting for her.
She was just unlocking the door to her room when Aiden staggered at the end of the hallway, dragging his luggage. “Hey. Heading back?”
“Yeah.” He pushed his glasses up. “I’m heading to San Diego for a friend’s wedding.”
“Sounds fun. What about your mattress?”
He laughed. “I’ve decided to donate it to the motel.” Then his eyes assessed her. “How are you doing, Storm?”
A shiver rolled through her. Although the case was now closed, it had been picking away at her insides. “It is what it is. Just move on to the next one.”
“That’s a good attitude. You have my number if you need to give me a call.”
“Sure. It wasn’t too bad working with you. And as much as I hate to admit it, we wouldn’t have been able to solve this without you.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Really?”
She looked at her feet. “You were right about many things, two killers, unresolved childhood trauma. I think we make a good team.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not used to you being nice to me.” He frowned, humor dancing in his eyes.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m a rainbow, you’re the problem here. But still. It wasn’t too bad.”
“No, it wasn’t.” His eyes twinkled. “I’ll see you around.”
“Will you?”
“Absolutely.”
She watched his large frame grow smaller as he walked away and then disappeared around the corner. Despite that hot spurt of shame from Aiden coming so close to knowing her other side, a watery smile tugged on her lips.
She stumbled into her motel room, ready to pack up. She had a sore back—one thing she wasn’t going to miss was the soft mattress.
The room seemed unusually quiet, the kind of stillness that made her skin prickle. Zoe scanned the room, but her weariness made her dismiss the feeling of unease. She moved toward the bed, her hand reaching for the lamp to shed some light.
Before she could react, the closet door burst open behind her with a violent bang. A figure surged forward from the shadows, a blur of motion that left her no time to prepare. He struck her—his fist connecting squarely with the small of her back. Zoe’s breath exploded out of her in a harsh gasp, the pain radiating through her torso like fire.
Instinctively, she tried to fight back. She spun round, aiming a sharp elbow to his midsection, but he anticipated her move. His hand shot out, grabbing her arm and twisting it painfully behind her back. She cried out, her body jerking as she struggled to break free.
He slammed her against the wall with a powerful shove, disorienting her. Her head hit the hard surface, and the room seemed to tilt. Before she could regain her footing, he drove his knee into her side, sending her crashing to the floor.
Her head exploded in pain as she hit the ground. Dazed, she tried to push herself up, but his heavy boot was already on her chest, pinning her down. She swung her legs, aiming a desperate kick at his shin, but he was faster and brought his fist down in a punishing blow to her stomach.
Zoe’s vision swam. The room spun as she fought to stay conscious. Her mouth was flooded with the taste of metallicblood. He searched her pockets and found Keith’s key. She fumbled, trying to get a hold of it. For a moment, she had it in her grasp—but he ripped it away with such force that it sliced her palm open. Blood trickled out of her hand but her heart was bursting at the seams.
Not the key. Not that piece of her mother.
“No… please, no.”
