Page 119

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN

COAL MOUNTAIN HOSPITAL

He needed to end this before the cops figured out who he was. To do that, he had to get his hands on Barbara.

This time he wanted to torture her by making her watch him with those kids. Then he’d put her in the ground with them and get the hell away from this damn mountain.

He tugged the scrub cap over his head, put the white lab coat on over the scrubs and adjusted the mask. Seconds later, he entered the hospital then spotted the nurse’s station.

He waited near the receptionist desk until she left for a minute, then snuck behind the desk and checked the computer for Barbara’s room: 213.

Averting his face, he hurried past two nurses and a tech pushing a bed down the hall, then made his way to the elevator. Anticipation built in his gut.

He imagined Barbara’s face when she finally learned who he was. And that it was her fault for ignoring him all this time.

The elevator doors slid open and he entered, checking his phone to avoid eye contact with the couple already inside. Seconds later, he exited then scanned the area and waiting room before he walked down the hall past food carts and the nurses’ desk. Machines beeped and carts clanged. Voices and laughter echoed, although somewhere he heard soft crying.

He rounded the corner and paused as he spotted a policeman standing guard outside one of the rooms.

He cursed, forming a plan. He could quickly subdue the cop and duck into the room with Barbara. Then he could drug her and sneak her out of this place in a wheelchair.

The elevator down the hall dinged and he moved on, then pulled out his phone and pretended to be in conversation as he passed the guard. When he reached the end of the hallway, he glanced back and saw that detective who’d been all over the news walking hurriedly toward Barbara’s room, the fed beside her.

He cursed again and turned the corner. Dammit, that was a close call.

He’d evaded the police so far.

But he wouldn’t give up. Sooner or later those cops would leave Barbara’s room. Then he’d snatch her.