Page 43
Story: The First Hunt
She leaned forward, submerging her head again to feel beneath her seat until her hand closed around the umbrella. She sat tall, taking as deep a breath as her freezing lungs would allow from the shrinking pocket of air beneath the roof.
She turned and thrust the umbrella’s metal handle into the driver’s side window with all her might. It splintered with acrackbut didn’t break. She swung it against the window again, hearing another crack. Then a third time.
Water rushed in, filling the top of the car after the umbrella broke through the glass. Holding her breath, Holly used both hands to bust a larger hole in the glass with the umbrella. As soon as the hole felt big enough, she swam through the opening, ignoring the pain from a shard slicing her wrist.
She was halfway through when she was pulled backward by her sweatshirt. Air escaped her mouth as she frantically tugged at the fabric. It was stuck.
Holly felt for the zipper and unzipped her hoodie, sliding her arms out one at a time. Now free, she propelled her arms through the water, kicking her legs once they were out of the car. Her lungs screamed for air as she swam through the dark, freezing water. She broke the surface and gasped for air.
Now on the opposite side of the bridge from where her car had gone into the water, she used the light from a nearby streetlamp and swam for the shore. Numb from the cold, her body was slow to respond to her commands when she reached the overgrown riverbank. Her teeth chattered and her whole body shivered as she trudged up the hillside, thick with foliage, and looked back at the river.
It struck her how close she’d come to never making it out. It would’ve taken only a few more minutes.I’m lucky to be alive,she thought as she continued up the hill. She thought of the young women who’d been dumped in these waters by the Green River Killer, who were beyond having a chance to escape. When she reached the top of the hillside, a wild blackberry bush pricked her bare arm, but her skin was too cold to feel any pain.
She trudged toward the road, exhaling with relief to see the dark sedan was nowhere in sight.It had to have been Jared inside that car.
Less than a block away, a white pickup pulled out of an industrial building’s parking area and turned toward her. Holly stepped into the road, blocking its path and waving her numb arms over her head. She recalled a witness statement from one of the early Green River Killer victims who had seen the prostitute get into a man’s white pickup the last time she’d been seen alive.
She lowered her hands as the truck slowed. What if she’d escaped Jared only to walk right into the hands of the Green River Killer? Wouldn’t that be ironic. Then, with a shudder, she thought back to what Andy told her earlier: that Jared and the Green River Killer could be one and the same.
The truck’s headlights blurred in her vision as a man stepped out. Holly was vaguely aware that she was swaying on her feet as the man came toward her.
“You okay, Miss?”
The world seemed to spin, like the road was moving beneath her. She stuck out her arms to steady herself before collapsing on the pavement.
Chapter 25
HOLLY
Laurie crossed her arms, turning toward her in-laws’ couch where Holly lay. “You know, I’ve been telling you for years you needed to get a new car. I don’t understand why you were still driving that beat-up Civic anyway. That thing should’ve been retired years ago.”
Holly managed a small smile, a dull ache forming in her chest as she thought back on the car that had been submerged in the river.
Laurie glanced around the living room. “Is there anything else I can do before I go?”
Holly set her alarm clock on the coffee table beside theTV Guidebefore lying back on the pillow Laurie had brought down from the upstairs bedroom. “I’ll be fine. Just need a short rest. Then I’ll get back to work on my manuscript.”
Her recollection of last night’s ambulance ride was fuzzy, but she faintly recalled giving the medics Laurie’s name and number. Laurie had arrived at the Valley Medical Center soon after Holly was brought to the ER and hadn’t left her side since.
Laurie frowned in the early morning light that filtered through the gap in the floral curtains. “You need more than a short rest. You’ve been up all night. Not to mention you nearly died last night. You shouldn’t even be thinking about work right now.”
“I have a deadline.” Holly yawned. “Plus, I took a few naps in the ER. You, of all people, should understand. You’re my publicist.”
“I’m also your friend.” Worry lines appeared between Laurie’s full brows. She crossed her arms. “Maybe I should stay.”
“No, really, I’m fine.” Aside from having mild hypothermia and needing six stitches from the gash where she’d hit her head on the steering wheel and sliced open her palm swimming through the broken window, she was unscathed from her near-death encounter. She’d spent most of her time in the ER waiting to have a scan to ensure she hadn’t sustained any head trauma, which she hadn’t. And Holly needed the quiet of an empty house to write.
She was already behind, so she couldn’t afford to lose a whole day sleeping. Roxy Vega’s life—and death—was already being made into a movie. And her publisher was set on releasing Holly’s book six months before the movie premiered to maximize sales. It was part of the contract she’d signed, and she’d already been paid her advance. But it wasn’t about the money. She wasn’t about to let Jared ruin her career or her reputation as an author. This was a competitive business. If she couldn’t come through for the publisher, someone else would.
“I’ll sleep better if the house is empty,” Holly added.
Laurie pursed her lips. “You mean write more.”
Laurie knew her too well. Holly turned on her side, pulling the knit blanket Laurie had draped over her up to her shoulders. “Don’t worry. I promise to get at least a few hours of sleep first.”
Laurie sighed, her signal she was giving up on the fight. “You should be sleeping all day after what you went through, not just a few hours. You’re lucky to be alive, you know.”
Holly closed her eyes. “I know.” She opened them a minute later, sensing Laurie was still looming over her.
She turned and thrust the umbrella’s metal handle into the driver’s side window with all her might. It splintered with acrackbut didn’t break. She swung it against the window again, hearing another crack. Then a third time.
Water rushed in, filling the top of the car after the umbrella broke through the glass. Holding her breath, Holly used both hands to bust a larger hole in the glass with the umbrella. As soon as the hole felt big enough, she swam through the opening, ignoring the pain from a shard slicing her wrist.
She was halfway through when she was pulled backward by her sweatshirt. Air escaped her mouth as she frantically tugged at the fabric. It was stuck.
Holly felt for the zipper and unzipped her hoodie, sliding her arms out one at a time. Now free, she propelled her arms through the water, kicking her legs once they were out of the car. Her lungs screamed for air as she swam through the dark, freezing water. She broke the surface and gasped for air.
Now on the opposite side of the bridge from where her car had gone into the water, she used the light from a nearby streetlamp and swam for the shore. Numb from the cold, her body was slow to respond to her commands when she reached the overgrown riverbank. Her teeth chattered and her whole body shivered as she trudged up the hillside, thick with foliage, and looked back at the river.
It struck her how close she’d come to never making it out. It would’ve taken only a few more minutes.I’m lucky to be alive,she thought as she continued up the hill. She thought of the young women who’d been dumped in these waters by the Green River Killer, who were beyond having a chance to escape. When she reached the top of the hillside, a wild blackberry bush pricked her bare arm, but her skin was too cold to feel any pain.
She trudged toward the road, exhaling with relief to see the dark sedan was nowhere in sight.It had to have been Jared inside that car.
Less than a block away, a white pickup pulled out of an industrial building’s parking area and turned toward her. Holly stepped into the road, blocking its path and waving her numb arms over her head. She recalled a witness statement from one of the early Green River Killer victims who had seen the prostitute get into a man’s white pickup the last time she’d been seen alive.
She lowered her hands as the truck slowed. What if she’d escaped Jared only to walk right into the hands of the Green River Killer? Wouldn’t that be ironic. Then, with a shudder, she thought back to what Andy told her earlier: that Jared and the Green River Killer could be one and the same.
The truck’s headlights blurred in her vision as a man stepped out. Holly was vaguely aware that she was swaying on her feet as the man came toward her.
“You okay, Miss?”
The world seemed to spin, like the road was moving beneath her. She stuck out her arms to steady herself before collapsing on the pavement.
Chapter 25
HOLLY
Laurie crossed her arms, turning toward her in-laws’ couch where Holly lay. “You know, I’ve been telling you for years you needed to get a new car. I don’t understand why you were still driving that beat-up Civic anyway. That thing should’ve been retired years ago.”
Holly managed a small smile, a dull ache forming in her chest as she thought back on the car that had been submerged in the river.
Laurie glanced around the living room. “Is there anything else I can do before I go?”
Holly set her alarm clock on the coffee table beside theTV Guidebefore lying back on the pillow Laurie had brought down from the upstairs bedroom. “I’ll be fine. Just need a short rest. Then I’ll get back to work on my manuscript.”
Her recollection of last night’s ambulance ride was fuzzy, but she faintly recalled giving the medics Laurie’s name and number. Laurie had arrived at the Valley Medical Center soon after Holly was brought to the ER and hadn’t left her side since.
Laurie frowned in the early morning light that filtered through the gap in the floral curtains. “You need more than a short rest. You’ve been up all night. Not to mention you nearly died last night. You shouldn’t even be thinking about work right now.”
“I have a deadline.” Holly yawned. “Plus, I took a few naps in the ER. You, of all people, should understand. You’re my publicist.”
“I’m also your friend.” Worry lines appeared between Laurie’s full brows. She crossed her arms. “Maybe I should stay.”
“No, really, I’m fine.” Aside from having mild hypothermia and needing six stitches from the gash where she’d hit her head on the steering wheel and sliced open her palm swimming through the broken window, she was unscathed from her near-death encounter. She’d spent most of her time in the ER waiting to have a scan to ensure she hadn’t sustained any head trauma, which she hadn’t. And Holly needed the quiet of an empty house to write.
She was already behind, so she couldn’t afford to lose a whole day sleeping. Roxy Vega’s life—and death—was already being made into a movie. And her publisher was set on releasing Holly’s book six months before the movie premiered to maximize sales. It was part of the contract she’d signed, and she’d already been paid her advance. But it wasn’t about the money. She wasn’t about to let Jared ruin her career or her reputation as an author. This was a competitive business. If she couldn’t come through for the publisher, someone else would.
“I’ll sleep better if the house is empty,” Holly added.
Laurie pursed her lips. “You mean write more.”
Laurie knew her too well. Holly turned on her side, pulling the knit blanket Laurie had draped over her up to her shoulders. “Don’t worry. I promise to get at least a few hours of sleep first.”
Laurie sighed, her signal she was giving up on the fight. “You should be sleeping all day after what you went through, not just a few hours. You’re lucky to be alive, you know.”
Holly closed her eyes. “I know.” She opened them a minute later, sensing Laurie was still looming over her.
Table of Contents
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