Page 102 of What She Saw
A silence settled over her. Going backward was never easy for him, and he guessed her as well. “I met him at a concert. He was repping a local band that I liked. We hit it off. We had a one-night stand, and life went on for me.”
“But not for him?”
“I kept running into him. He always seemed to be at the café, or across the street, or at the grocery store. Creeped me out. And then I didn’t see him for a couple of weeks, until I woke up in the middle of the night and found him at the foot of my bed. He was on top of me in a second.”
“The medical report said that you had no bruising.”
“He held a knife to my throat. Told me to lie very still. He said we would have a good time like we did the first time. I was terrified. So I lay still and let him do what he wanted. I mean, who was going to believe me, given our history? After, I thought he would leave, and that would be that. But he wrapped his hands around my neck. I felt the power in his hands. I hadn’t looked at him before, but now I had no choice. His eyes looked black. He could have strangled me, and I couldn’t do anything about it.”
“And he just stopped?”
“My roommate came home. We both heard her in the living area, which was off my room. He let go of me and kissed me on the lips. He told me I was special. And he would never forget me.”
“And he left?”
“Through the window. Like he’d come into the house.” She picked at a callus on her palm. “I went to the hospital. And filed a report. But you know how far that went.”
“Did your roommate take you to the ER?”
“No. I drove myself. I had sense enough not to shower.”
“Did you ever see him again?”
“No. I made such a fuss, and he sensed if anything happened to me, he’d be on the suspect list. As soon as the charges were dropped, he left town.”
“Did he try to strangle you the first time?”
“He put his hands around my neck. He didn’t squeeze hard, but he got right in my face. He said he’d dreamed about that all his life.”
“But you didn’t file charges that first time?”
“No. I’d said yes. And I was drunk. I figured I got what I deserved because I’d been stupid.”
“Know anyone else he did this to?”
“I try to stay as far away from him as I can.”
“Thanks for your time.”
“He liked seeing my fear,” she said in a rush. “It excited him knowing he had my life in his hands.”
“You mentioned you were aware of the festival.”
“Yes.”
“Did you go?”
She hesitated. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“I thought it would be fun. But when I arrived, I couldn’t stay.”
“Why?”
“An event like that would be the perfect setup for him. Girls are drinking. Crowds. Music. Like shooting fish in a barrel. Easy for a girl to fall through the cracks.”
Taggart drew in a breath. “Do you think Colton had a hand in the women’s disappearances?”
