The Dead List (27 page)

I laughed, pulling my hand free. “Oh my God, you’re such a perv. No.”

“I wasn’t talking about that.” He waggled his brows, and on anyone else, it looked ridiculous, but he managed to make it look strangely hot. “Although-”

“Don’t even finish that sentence.”

Laughing softly, he dropped his arm around my shoulder, tucking me against his side as we headed toward the entrance. “But seriously, I would feel better if I was there.”

“I know, but since everything has happened, Linds and I haven’t spent any time together. And I even think Heidi is coming over. We need this.” I pushed open the door, glancing up at the cloudless sky. “A girls’ night.”

Jensen still wasn’t happy, but he relented when I promised to keep in contact, lock doors and windows, set the alarm, hide the kids, and all sharp objects. We swung by my house to grab some clothes and check in with Mom. When he dropped me off in Linds’ development, he leaned in, giving me a not so quick kiss that left me rethinking the whole inviting him.

He drew back, his fingers lingering on my cheek. “Text me later, okay?”

“I will.” I started to pull away, but then kissed his cheek. “Let me know how things go with Gavin.”

“Will do.”

I climbed out, grabbing my tote full of clothes and stuff. Giving Jensen a little wave, I headed up Linds’ driveway. Her neighborhood was newer and nicer than mine, each house built within the last decade, and had the whole
Stepford Wives
thing going on.

Without looking behind me, I knew Jensen was still at the bottom of the driveway, waiting for me to head inside. As I crossed the neatly trimmed yard, the front door opened.

“Perfect timing,” Linds said, stepping aside and holding the door open. “I just ordered pizza. Extra mushrooms.”

“You rock.”

Linds’ gaze flicked over my shoulder. “You know, he’s allowed to come in.”

“I know, but we haven’t spent a lot of time together. So boys not allowed.”

She shrugged as she closed the door. “Yeah, what happened to that whole being single our senior year? Apparently, I’m the only one following that.”

My grin turned sheepish. “Sorry, but I…”

“I wouldn’t turn down Jensen either.” Pulling a hair tie off her wrist, she pulled her tight curls up into a ponytail. “He could eat crackers and Chinese food in my bed, and I’ll be all right with that.”

I giggled. “At the same time?”

“Yep.” She sat on the arm of the sectional couch. Linds’ parents had very minimalistic tastes. Unlike Jensen’s house or mine, there was nothing cluttered. Everything had a place, and was either black, white, or beige.

I was always afraid of ruining the furniture.

“So you guys talked it all out?” she asked.

Dropping my bag on the shiny hardwood floors, I filled Linds in on everything, stopping when the pizza arrived, and continued as we demolished the large pepperoni and extra mushroom goodness.

“I didn’t know about his brother,” she said, frowning. “How did none of us know about his brother?”

“I don’t know.” I rubbed my full belly. “God, I wish I did. I feel so bad for Jensen and his family, having to go through that mostly alone.”

“Yeah, but he could’ve told you what was up. You guys were best friends for so long. So don’t feel too guilty about that.” She stood, dropping a black and white checkered pillow on the couch. “I mean, I get why it’s not something one would want to broadcast to the world, but he could’ve told you. Would’ve saved a lot of pain.”

True, but I hadn’t really given him the chance either when it mattered most. There was nothing I could do about that now, and my decision to stop living in the past meant that I had to stop dwelling on it.

“Hey, where’s Heidi?” I asked, changing the subject.

She shrugged. “I have no idea. She didn’t respond to my text. You know, I’m too ‘high strung’ for her.”

I rolled my eyes as I stood. “She’s never said that.”

Linds crossed her arms.

“Okay, she might have said something like that.” Glancing at the time, I sighed. It was already past eight, and I doubted Heidi would come out. “I’ll text her, but do you mind if I take a shower real quick? Jensen and I-”

“Worked up a sweat?” Her eyes widened. “Did you guys have sex before you came over?”

“Oh, my God, no.” I laughed. “We were at the warehouse. The whole self-defense thing.”

“Uh-huh. I’m beginning to think the whole self-defense lesson thing is code word for sex.”

“Whatever.” I tossed a pillow at her.

She caught it, grinning. “Yeah. Use my parents’ though. My bathroom is a hot mess.”

“No surprise there.” I grabbed my bag off the floor, smiling at the dirty look she sent my way. “I like your parents’ bathroom anyway. The shower could fit like five people.”

“It’s sweet, right?” She dropped the pillow on the couch. “I’ll go make us some popcorn. And dip. Cheese. Dip. And you will eat. A lot.”

There was always room for cheese dip.

Hurrying up the wide staircase, I headed down the hall toward her parents’ master bedroom. The double white doors were open and the room smelled like fresh linen. I stepped into the adjoining bathroom, sighing.

The shower had three separate showerheads. Heaven.

I sat my bag on the tiled ledge around the Jacuzzi tub and dragged out my shower stuff, fresh clothes, and an old terry cloth robe that reached my thighs. Since I was normally too lazy to towel myself off, I sort of enjoyed dripping dry.

Stripping off my clothes, I rolled them up in a messy ball and shoved them back in my tote. I reached in the gap between the wall and the blurred glass doors, turning on the water. I stepped under the multiple jets, barely able to contain a groan of envious pleasure. I could live in this shower; it was that awesome.

I took my time, like I always did when I used her parents’ shower. Lazily washing the shampoo and body wash off, letting the conditioner soak longer than necessary.

But there was cheese dip waiting for me.

Tipping my head back under the overhead showerhead, I closed my eyes as the water did its thing.

I stilled, my fingers in my hair, and my eyes opened wide.

Under the steady stream of water, I wasn’t sure what I heard at first, but something had snagged my attention. Lowering my chin and my arms, I peered out the glass doors as the water beat down on me. The room was blurred, distorted through the glass.

The bathroom doors were cracked open, uneven and leaving a small gap in-between them. Tiny bumps spread across my flesh. I’d swear I’d shut them behind me, but it was possible it hadn’t latched into place…. Turning away from the doors, I quickly set about rinsing the rest of the conditioner out of my hair, hating how easily I was rattled.

Not that I doubted anyone would blame me.

The sound came again and my eyes popped wide as my heart lurched in my chest. The bathroom light flicked off, and I turned to the doors just as a dark blur passed through them. The doors eased shut. The click of it latching in place was like a crack of thunder.

My heart stopped in my chest.

“Linds?” I called out and waited.

There was no response.

My hand shook as I reached over, turning off the water. My hair was plastered to my back as I opened the shower door. Holding my breath, I quickly scanned the bathroom. “Linds?” I called out again, but would she have done this? Turned the light off on me? I didn’t think so.

Dripping on the mat, I picked up my robe and slipped it on, belting it at the waist. I crept forward, the tile cool and slippery under my feet. I stood at the door, straining to hear something, anything, but there was nothing but silence. Every muscle in my back tensed up as I grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open, coming face to face with the ghastly white mask, empty black eye holes, and the open, grotesque red smile.

I jerked back out of shock, my hand falling off the door. He was
here
! Horror poured into my blood like an ice storm.

The mask tilted to the side as it raised a hand, waving its finger back and forth. A gruff tsking sound came from behind the mask.

Then he lurched forward.

I backpedaled, my feet slipping over the wet tile as a scream tore from my throat. A glove covered hand clamped down on my arm. I pulled back, nearly wrenching my arm from its socket.

He roared into the bathroom, a booted foot hitting one of the puddles as I twisted, ripping my arm free. The loss of contact threw him off balance, and his foot slipped on the wet tile. He went down on one knee.

I tore out of the bathroom, gripping the door and slamming it shut. As I whipped around, the doors exploded open behind me. Crap. I took another step and arms clamped down on my waist, and before I could even react, I was airborne.

I slammed into the bed, my hip hitting the bedpost. A sheet of soaked hair obscured my vision as pain knocked the air out of my lungs, but instinct was screaming through me, digging out all the time I spent in the warehouse with Jensen.

He was on me, his hands circling my throat and pressing down his weight. I sunk a good inch or so into the mattress, and all I could see was the terrifying smile, the empty eyes, and behind the hood, the frizzy, fake hair. My mouth was wide open, but I couldn’t get any air in my lungs.

Panic tried to dig its claws into me, but I couldn’t cave to the terror. Before he could trap my legs with his, I rolled my hips, pulling my leg up. With everything I had in me, I shoved my knee in its groin.

It grunted as its fingers loosened. Air streamed into my throat, and this time, I pulled both my legs up, slamming the heels of my feet into his legs. His weight shifted, and I was able to roll out from underneath him.

I pushed off the bed, wheezing in air as I ran across the bedroom. I threw open the door and my feet smacked off the hardwood floors of the hallway.

“Linds’!” I screamed her name over and over, fear amplifying when there was no answer.

Had he done something to her? Was she hurt?

I reached the stairs just as I heard his booted feet connect behind me. The hairs on my arms rose as I raced down the steps, taking them two at a time. Two steps up from the last, my foot slipped and I went down. Catching myself on the banister before I broke my neck, I ignored the screaming pain as skin and muscle tore up my skin. Straightening, I gained my balance as I reached the foyer.

Weight crashed into me from behind and I went down, my knees and hands cracking off the floor. A hand burrowed into my hair, roughly trying to turn me around. My fingers dug into the floor as I twisted at the waist, brought my knee back, and kicked him in the chest.

He let go, and I launched to my feet. On his, he went around me, blocking the front door. His chest was moving up and down, the hood fallen on broad shoulders, the wig slightly askew.

I
almost
charged him—
almost
went with a punch to the throat, but he reached behind him, brandishing something that glinted in the foyer light.

A knife.

A long and thick and wicked sharp knife—the kind serial killers coveted.

Screw that.

Whipping around, I darted for the nearest exit, through the garage. I screamed for Linds, and I just screamed. Every step I took I could practically feel the knife slicing through my back, ripping through cloth and flesh.

I slid across the kitchen floor, slamming into the door leading to the garage. Yanking on it, I realized it was locked. Pulse in stroke territory, I reached down, turning the little lock. As I opened the door, I glanced over my shoulder.

Clown Face wasn’t there.

Not wasting any time, I stepped into the dark garage, letting the door shut behind me. I dragged in a breath, and immediately I started coughing. At first I couldn’t make sense of the gas smell, the sound, or why I couldn’t breathe.

The car in the garage—a Lincoln sedan that belonged to Linds’ mom was running.

Pulling up the loose collar of my robe, I coughed into the material as I started to turn away, looking for the button to open the door, when I realized the car wasn’t empty.

There was a form in the driver’s seat.

Eyes starting to burn, I ran to the side, across chilly cement, and then cried out in horror.

Slumped behind the wheel was Linds.

Oh my God…

Somehow there was a part of my brain that was still functioning, that knew these fumes had built up in the garage, that it was deadly, that it had been on purpose, and that I needed to get Linds out of the car, into fresh air. I reached for the door. It was locked—so were the passenger and the back doors. A new kind of fear took hold, settling in my gut, adding to the weight already pressing down on my chest. Instinct spun me around, and I rushed back to the wall, slamming my palm down on the button.

Nothing happened.

I hit it again, and then again, and again, and still, the door wouldn’t open.

Hacking now, deep body shaking coughs, I whirled around, searching for anything. Spying a shovel in the shadowy corner, I grabbed it and went back to the car.

Arms shaking, lungs seizing up, I swung it back, shoving the heavy, sharp edge into backseat. Glass shattered. Tossing the shovel inside the car for nothing more than having a weapon nearby, I crawled through the window.

Tiny pieces of glass snagged my robe, scratching my skin as I wiggled through. Once inside, I grabbed Linds by the shoulders, and it seemed like forever before I was able to get her out of the seat, shoving her into the passenger seat.

Climbing over the center manifold, I gripped the steering wheel. The inside of the car was starting to spin, my arms almost too weak to hold up so that I could reach the gearshift. Squeezing my stinging eyes shut, I slid the gear into reverse and slammed my foot on the gas.

The car roared to life, jerking backward, and then the tires squealed in the darkness. It lurched and sped out, hitting the metal garage door. It rattled, but did not give.

God, this could not be happening—this could not be happening.

Hand tingling, I slipped the gears into drive, went forward, and then slammed it back into reverse. The car roared back, and this time metal and plastic gave way. The car flew into the driveway as the airbag deployed, popping into my face and pushing Linds’ body back. White dust clouded everything and, for a moment, I couldn’t see. One side of the car went up over a brick flower box and then down before the car coasted to a stop, half on the driveway and half in the grass.