Whispers in the Dark (27 page)
Read Whispers in the Dark Online
Authors: Chris Eboch
No, I didn’t. Even injured, Sean might prove a threat to the elderly couple. He might get a hostage and drag this out longer. But I didn’t trust him to take the keys and leave. He had to know he’d be better off with a hostage.
He lunged at me. I felt his arm brush past my hair as I dropped to the ground.
I grabbed a dead branch a couple of feet long. Sean took a step back but swayed on unsteady legs. I rose up on my knees and swung the branch at the leg he was favoring.
The thwack of the branch hitting his knee was almost drowned out by the loud pop of something dislocating. Sean shrieked and toppled like a bowling pin.
Robert and Lily crossed the clearing and stared down at him. I stayed on my knees, panting, still gripping the branch.
“He looks the worse for wear.” Lily sounded satisfied. “Did you do all that to him?”
“It’s less than he deserved,” Robert said.
Sean groaned and pushed himself up to sitting. He looked like a wild animal, ready to fight for survival. Would I have to hit him again?
I suddenly remembered the pepper spray. Oh, good grief, I might as well throw the stupid stuff away if I wasn’t going to use it when I needed it.
What the heck. I pulled it out of my pocket. “Stand back,” I told Lily and Robert. They did, and I saw Sean’s eyes widen as I held up the pepper spray. Before he could duck, I set it off. His scream was satisfying.
I heard footsteps coming up behind me, but I didn’t look back. Someone skidded to a stop beside me and crouched. An arm went around me.
Another person pushed into the clearing, a policeman with gun drawn. “What’s happening here?” he asked. “Is this the fugitive?”
Lily answered him as Sean writhed on the ground. I started to tremble and finally dropped the spray. Danesh pulled me close. “Are you all right?”
I leaned against him, burying my face in his shoulder. He held me as I shook. I inhaled the scent of him and focused on the feel of his arms around me. A wisp of his hair tickled my forehead. This moment was real, now. I could hold on to this.
The police officer spoke into a radio and then started to read Sean his rights. Danesh whispered, “It’s all over now. You’re safe.”
Yes. I’d done my part. Someone else could take over now. I took a deep breath and blew it out. Sean wasn’t dead, which was good for my conscience. He was captured, which was good for society. And I had proven yet again that I could keep going, no matter how tough the going got. Maybe my plans didn’t always play out like I’d hoped, but I had been able to act. And I would be able to go forward, without the past haunting me.
Danesh shifted to sit cross-legged and pulled me into his lap. I snuggled against him with a sigh. His arms tightened around me, but I felt him tremble. “You scared me,” he murmured. “We were at the rim when we heard that scream.... But I should’ve known you’d be taking care of things.” He rubbed his cheek against mine. “Have I mentioned you’re amazing?”
I leaned back enough to look into his face and smiled. “Sometimes I amaze even myself.”
“What do you need now? What do you want?”
I thought for a minute. “A couple of aspirin for my ankle. An enormous lunch. And then....” I leaned in, brushing my cheek against his. I thought we could make it. I knew now I had the strength to work through the hard times. I couldn’t be perfect. I might not always be strong enough to succeed in the short term. But I thought I could make it for the long haul.
I whispered in his ear. “And then I think I’d like to spend the rest of the afternoon in bed.”
He pressed a kiss to my neck. “You’ve certainly earned your rest.” He paused as I nibbled his earlobe. “You did mean you’d spend the afternoon resting, right?”
I chuckled. “Maybe some of that, too.”
Dear Readers,
Whispers in the Dark
was inspired by a visit to Hovenweep National Monument, on the Utah-Colorado border in the Four Corners area. I gave my setting a fictional name because I wanted the freedom to change details of the park and surrounding towns. Hovenweep is a Ute Indian word meaning “deserted valley,” so I chose to name my fictional site Lost Valley.
If you get the chance, try to visit Hovenweep or one of the other Ancestral Pueblo cultural sites in the Southwest, such as Chaco Culture National Historical Park (Chaco Canyon) or Mesa Verde National Park. At Hovenweep, you’ll see many of the ruins described in this story, though some names and details may be different. All characters are, of course, fictional.
I hope you’ll keep an eye out for my future books. Visit my website at
www.krisbock.com
to sign up for a newsletter announcing new releases.
About The Author
Kris Bock
writes action-packed romantic suspense, often involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Her first southwestern adventure novel was
Rattled
.
Praise for Rattled:
“The action never stopped .... It was adventure and romance at its best.”
“The story has it all—action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship....”
“I couldn’t put this book down. You’ll love it.”
Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Adventures
A legendary treasure hunt in the dramatic—and deadly—New Mexico desert....
The lost Victorio Peak treasure is the stuff of legends—a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider.
When Erin, a quiet history professor, uncovers a clue that may pinpoint the lost treasure cave, she prepares for adventure. But when a hit-and-run driver nearly kills her, she realizes she’s not the only one after the treasure. And is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?
Just how far will Erin go to find the treasure and discover what she’s really made of?
Buy
Rattled
or other Kris Bock books
on Amazon
.
To read the opening chapters or learn more about Kris Bock’s latest work, visit
www.krisbock.com
.
Ms. Bock also writes for young people under the name Chris Eboch.
The Eyes of Pharaoh
is a fast-paced mystery set against the exotic backdrop of ancient Egypt. In
The Well of Sacrifice
, a Mayan girl in ninth-century Guatemala rebels against the High Priest who sacrifices anyone challenging his power.
The Haunted series follows a brother and sister who travel with their parents’ ghost hunter TV show and try to help the ghosts. In
The Ghost on the Stairs
, an 1880s ghost bride haunts a Colorado hotel, waiting for her missing husband to return.
The Riverboat Phantom
features a steamboat pilot still trying to prevent a long-ago disaster. In
The Knight in the Shadows
, a Renaissance French squire protects a sword on display at a New York City museum.
Browse Chris Eboch books on Amazon
.
Read excerpts at
www.chriseboch.com
.
Cover designer Rollin Thomas
is an award-winning illustrator, author, designer, and educator. Rollin teaches writing, arts, and illustration at all levels. The cover includes photographs by Anette Romanenko, John Sfondilias, George Burba, and T1000s, from Dreamstime.
All rights reserved. For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, contact the author through her website at
www.krisbock.com
.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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