Page 69 of Silent Threat
She didn’t see Cole again for the rest of the day, although she kept catching herself looking for him. She hadn’t seen him since that morning when she’d run into him crossing the courtyard, and he’d offered to blow off a couple of his sessions so he could go with her to her feedings. She had thanked him, but declined, reassuring him that she wouldn’t be alone since Ed was sending over people. He had promised to go with her at midnight.
Annie completed her afternoon sessions, then she grabbed a quick dinner in the cafeteria with a handful of her patients. After dinner, she drove back to the house for the evening feeding.
David was gone, but Ed’s nephews were still there, as promised. They had an away game the next day, so tonight they were going to keep going with the cleanup until they finished.
They were sweeping up the last of the rubble when Annie left to drive back to Hope Hill at seven. She had to give it to them, they were hardworking kids.
She took Reservoir Road as usual, the fastest way to work. At this time of the evening, with the sun setting, the drive offered a spectacular view. The soft light of the setting autumn sun gilded the water with a golden glow. The breathtaking serenity was so awe-inspiring she decided to bring a Hope Hill group here for a meditation walk next week, if not sooner.
Screech. Crash.
A dark SUV hit her from behind.
Adrenaline slammed into her. She gripped the wheel.Ohmygod. People, pay attention!
She couldn’t see the driver, not with the last rays of the sun turning his windshield into a mirror.
Her instinct was to brake, and she had her foot on the brake pedal before she changed her mind. At any other time, she would have put that bump down to an accident, but she’d just had an intruder at home. Instead of pulling over to exchange insurance information, she kept going. They could both pull over a few miles down the road at the gas station.
Bam.The SUV hit her again.
OK.Thatcouldn’t be by accident. Her heart raced.Don’t panic.
Annie sped up to get away from whoever was behind her, but that meant she had to keep both hands on the steering wheel. She couldn’t call for help. Her phone was in her purse on the passenger seat.
The SUV caught up. This time, it hit her little Prius harder, with intent, pushing her toward the shoulder.
Her breath caught. Less than five feet of grass stood between the road and the water. She was not a good swimmer. Not even in a pool—forget the giant reservoir. In the dark.
She pulled to the left so far that she was in the opposite lane. But the SUV kept bumping her, kept herding her to the right. No other cars in sight. Where was everybody? She was on a back road, but still.
Cold fear rode her.
She drove as fast as she dared, but not nearly as fast as she wanted. If she went too fast and the idiot hit her again, she might lose control, spin out, and end up in the water. She held the steering wheel in a death grip.
She didn’t dare take her eyes off the road to look in the rearview mirror.
Joey?
Or was it someone else? This didn’t feel like Joey. Joey drove an old camo-painted pickup.
Except ... hedidhave access to a bunch of cars. The gas station had a repair shop in the back.
Focus on the road.She would think about the who and the why after she survived.Go, go, go.
She had maybe five hundred feet left before she’d pass the end of the reservoir and be surrounded by dry land. The SUV’s driver knew it, too, and rammed her again, harder. Her teeth snapped together so fast, she nearly bit off her tongue. That her airbag hadn’t gone off yet was a miracle.
Four hundred feet to go.
Bam.
Three hundred feet to go.
Bam.
She skidded onto the shoulder, fought hard, and veered back onto the road as her heart threatened to burst with panic. She had to stay on the pavement.
Two hundred feet.
