by Laurèn Lee
I ignored his calls to me and bolted toward the closest house. All its lights were out. I pushed myself harder until I put more distance between us. Maybe it'd give me enough time to rouse the homeowners. Oxygen eluded my lungs. I couldn't stop; I needed to reach safety.
I reached the front door of the house and rang the doorbell incessantly. I yelled for help until my throat was raw. Noah caught up. He was close now. I rang the doorbell a dozen more times, but not even a light flickered on. I gave up on this house and set my eyes on the next one down the road, several hundred yards away. My knees felt like they'd give out at any moment, but I couldn't give up now. If I stopped, it'd be the same as committing suicide. Noah wouldn't give up on me, and I couldn't give up, either.
"Elle, stop! We can talk about this!" he heaved while his paced slowed a bit, but not enough to lose him.
I sprinted as fast as my body would carry me to the next house. It was getting closer into view. I started screaming until my throat turned raw. "Help me! Help me! Somebody!”
The silence of the night turned eerie. Even though I was near houses where people were surely living, it felt like I was as alone as ever. Would anyone hear me? Would anybody help?
Despite being out of the woods, the light wasn't all that better out here. The streetlights were few and far between, and the moon hid behind the clouds. The vast array of stars in the sky weren't enough to ignite the night. The darkness inside my soul now enveloped me on the outside too.
I cut across the lawn toward the front porch of another house. In a flash, I fell to the ground as my feet caught a hole in the grass. My body landed hard with a heavy thud. I bit into my lip upon smacking against the ground. Blood flowed freely from my face and dripped onto the grass blades beside me. I tried to pull myself up, but my foot was stuck in the hole. I screamed at the top of my lungs for help.
I turned to see Noah was closing in on me. A grin spread across his face like a predator about to capture his prey. My heart skipped a beat. I'd fought hard, but the end was near. I wriggled and writhed, but my foot wouldn't budge, not to mention I could tell my ankle was sprained. Even if I were to get out, I wouldn't be able to escape very far.
Noah slowed his run to a jog until he approached me with glee. "Hello, Elle.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks. "You're not going to get away with this."
He laughed heartily, clutching at his chest. "Well, of course I am. No one is going to save you now. I'll kill you the same as I did Callie and dump your dead body into the river. No one's going to miss you. No one in Keygate cares about you, Elle.”
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I sobbed at Noah's feet. Memories from the past invaded my mind. I remembered the first time Noah and I made love together. The way he held my face in his hands and kissed me gently. I remembered the heartache of when he finally admitted to cheating on me. I remembered the way he shattered my universe when we broke up for good. The same person to breathe life into me as a young girl was about to snuff it out as a woman.
"Do it, then. Get it over with, you fucking coward," I snarled.
Noah knelt beside me and stared deeply in my eyes. I'd stopped crying now. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of breaking me. He caressed my cheek with the back of his hand. I turned away, disgusted by his touch.
"I did love you, you know, back then. But I can't let this ruin me or my family."
"You ruined your family all on your own, you sick bastard. Angela knows you’re cheating on her!" I spat.
Noah's eyes expanded. "How? Did you tell her?”
"No, Noah. I overheard her talking to friends at dinner. She was telling them that she knew. So if you kill me, you won't be able to go back to life as you knew it. It's over for you.”
Noah grabbed at my face with his hand, mushing my bleeding lips together. I tried to pull away, but he was too strong. He pulled my face toward his as he pressed his mouth against mine. I recoiled at his touch, but his grip was too rigid.
"I'm sorry I have to do this," he said. "But there's no other way.”
My heart sank, dropping completely into my belly. This was it. I was going to see Zac again. I'd see Callie's smile again. I'd miss my parents. This would utterly shatter them. They'd survive, though. They taught me to be tough—now they would have to be tough too.
Noah kissed my forehead before placing his hands around my throat. I turned away, not wanting his face to be the last thing I saw on this earth. I knew in my heart if I were to fight him any more, he may not let me go as easily. I wanted a peaceful death, as peaceful as one can be with a man's hands wrapped around your neck. I could finally be at peace. No more battling my grief. It was the end.
Noah squeezed his hands while tears streaked my cheeks. I closed my eyes, although my body reacted instinctively and squirmed, desperate for air. Within a few moments, I opened my eyes, and my vision turned white and spotty, like a migraine. Only this was the kiss of death.
Noah whispered over and over, "I'm sorry, Elle. I never intended for this to happen."
His apologies meant nothing to me.
Everything faded away. My sorrow, my hopes, my worries, my regrets. They all floated away. It wouldn't be long until my soul followed suit and disappeared too. I couldn't breathe any longer, and a vibrant light inside my head burned. This was it. It was time to depart this world.
As I was about to fully give in, a door opened and slammed nearby. A man's voice yelled something, probably at Noah, but he didn't relinquish his grip. Loud shots rang out as Noah's hands left my neck. But it was too late. Everything went black once more.
Forty
Pain radiated throughout my entire body. It hurt to breathe, and my ankle throbbed. The familiar smell of pungent sanitizer and disinfectant wafted into my nose. The beeps of a machine pinged close by.
My eyes fluttered open, and I was bombarded with bright lights and white walls. I closed them again quickly.
"Elle? Elle? Are you awake?" my mother asked.
Am I dead? Is this Heaven? So much white.
Someone grasped my hands in theirs. I opened my eyes again to see a few people I recognized: my mom, Jack, and my dad. Their eyes were similarly bloodshot, while their faces appeared gaunt and panic-stricken.
"I'll go grab the doctor," Jack said and disappeared.
My mom and dad smiled back at me. I couldn't remember the last time they were together. Maybe my college graduation? Even then, they kept their distance from each other. My heart exploded with happiness. I wasn't dead; I was very much alive. The pain ricocheting inside of me was proof of that, if seeing my parents beside each other wasn't enough.
My dad kissed my forehead while my mom rested her head gently on my belly, softly weeping.
"We thought we lost you, baby girl," my dad said.
"Not yet," I croaked with difficulty.
The doctor, old with graying hair, entered my room with a broad smile. "Welcome back, Elle.”
After the doctor explained my injuries, a sprained ankle, bruised throat and trachea, not to mention the severe oxygen loss, he assured me that I'd make a full recovery in time. The hustle and bustle of waking up and seeing my family soon exhausted me, though, and after asking for some additional pain meds, I drifted off to dreamless sleep.
I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but I roused what felt like many hours later. When I opened my eyes, my room was dark. A figure sat in the chair across the room. I screeched in fright, wondering if Noah had arrived to finish me off.
A man stirred, but it wasn't Noah.
Renlee rushed over to me and flicked the light on. "It's just me, Elle! You're safe."
I sighed. My scalp was clammy, and my ankle ached. "What happened?"
Renlee reached for a clean white washcloth. He dipped it in a water bucket beside me and gently patted my forehead, cheeks and neck. The cool water felt amazing against my warm skin. I closed my eyes for a moment to enjoy the sensation.
"Well, as luck would have it, that bastard
chose the wrong yard to try and kill you in," Renlee said with a smirk.
I looked to him with furrowed eyebrows. "What do you mean?”
"You two were on the sergeant's cousin’s lawn. He heard the commotion and came out to see what was going on. Then he called Sarge, who arrived faster than the rest of the squad.”
The distant memory of the yelling and gunshots returned to me. "Is Noah, I mean…is he dead?”
Renlee shook his head. "Naw. Sergeant shot him in the shoulder. Then arrested him. He confessed to everything, Elle. We got ‘im. He even admitted that you were on to him, which is why he went after you. And, if the confession wasn’t enough, we got his burner phone along with the other one we found. We figured out it belonged to Callie."
Relief flooded my body. This seemed too good to be true. Somehow, someway, Callie's murderer would finally be brought to justice.
“Why did he confess, though?” I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “He could have made something up about why he went after me.”
“In the back of the car, he said he’d tell us everything if they took the death penalty off the table. You know, because of his kids and stuff. It took a little convincing talking to the DA about a deal like that, but in the end, it went through.
I sighed.
"It's all because of you, too," Renlee said quietly. "We didn't press as hard as we should have. You solved the case, Elle.”
Pride bloomed inside my heart. While I couldn't have protected Callie, I was able to do one more thing for her, my little girl I loved so dearly.
"That bastard is going to rot in jail for the rest of his life," Renlee said.
"Good," I whispered.
“Tell me, though. Was Peter involved at all?”
“Not that we can prove. But I can’t imagine he’ll be visiting his friend in jail anytime soon seeing as Noah tried to frame him with that whole website stuff. It was actually Noah subscribing to Callie’s page, using Peter’s IP address.”
“Wow. He truly doesn’t care about anyone apart from himself. Not his wife, his children or even his best friend.”
Renlee nodded.
“Hey, uh, listen,” Renlee said. “I’m sorry for how I treated you. You know, like a drunk.”
“Renlee, I am a drunk.” There. I said it. And I knew with all my heart that it was true. I depended on alcohol to carry me through the grieving process, but I knew it was only making things worse. Guilt reverberated inside my head. I’d put myself in so many precarious situations because of my drinking. Going out alone, getting hammered and then driving. Approaching Noah with no real way to defend myself. I couldn’t go on like this. Not if I ever wanted to heal.
“You were, I mean, you are a good detective. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt,” Renlee said, his head in his hands.
“Don’t blame yourself. I didn’t give you a reason to give me the benefit of the doubt. I am sorry. Sorry for everything.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks, the salty sadness meeting my lips. “I’m no good to anyone if I’m wasted every day. I want to be better,” I said as my body shook.
“You can be better. You just have to start.” Renlee reached for my hand and softly kissed it.
Without another word, he walked out of my room, and I drifted back to sleep.
"Mom, I appreciate the offer, but it's time for me to go home," I said, pleading with the woman who birthed me.
"But this is your home, Elle!”
I chuckled. "You should move to Ashford.”
My mom clucked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "Well, can you at least stay another week or two?”
I wrapped my arms around my mom's neck, then kissed her cheek. "It's time, Mom. I've got to get back to my own life. Dry out and grow up.”
I let go of my mom and snickered while she frowned and crossed her arms over her body. Jack and my father stood beside her, an image I'd never imagined I’d see in a million years.
"You can come visit anytime!”
"Be safe, honey," my dad said as he enveloped me in his grasp.
All the love that radiated off my parents toward me filled my heart to the brim. The past few weeks were consumed with darkness and distress, and while sadness still lingered in the air, hope was peeking out from behind the clouds. Life went on, as it always does. The pain would never disappear, but with time, it would heal more and more until it wouldn't break us to get out of bed each day.
Callie's parents also visited the hospital before I was discharged. They hugged and endlessly thanked me for bringing their baby girl's killer to justice.
Soon, we'd all begin the process of healing, one day at a time.
With a slight limp, I hobbled to my car, which was full of my belongings and many Tupperware containers stuffed with food my mom prepared. I was grateful for the gesture, as I had absolutely no groceries at home.
I reversed out of the driveway, and with the most important people in my life waving, I drove down the street and out of Keygate.
Half of me reeled in anticipation to go to my new home, and part of me would miss being in my first home. But I couldn’t live in the past. We all needed to move on and look toward the future, as hard as that might be.
I hadn't had one sip of alcohol since the night with Noah, and detoxing was more painful than the wounds he inflicted upon my body and heart. I had a long way to go before I could fully recover, but at least I opened the door. Light didn’t exist without darkness, and there couldn’t be happiness without suffering.
I drove home with the windows down, letting the wind dance through my hair. I didn't turn on any music because I was no longer afraid of being alone with my own thoughts. Visiting Keygate again and solving Callie's murder helped me out of my depression and into better days. I still missed Zac like no words could describe, but it didn't feel like I'd live in agony the rest of my life. I would overcome this, just as I'd hurdled all the other obstacles in my way. He'd want me to be happy. He wouldn't want me to suffer.
Finally, I pulled into the paved parking lot behind my five-story brick apartment building. Anticipation rattled through my mind at the reality of being home once more.
I hauled the food with me first; I'd come back for the rest of my stuff later. I entered through the back door and trotted toward the elevator. The lobby appeared the same as it did when I left: spotless black and tan patterned marble floors with local photography covering the walls. There were only twenty apartments in the whole complex, which meant all the neighbors knew everyone at least on a first-name basis.
I entered the elevator and nudged the number "5" on the keypad with my elbow as I was holding several bags of food. My pulse quickened at the idea of being in my apartment again. I'd clean the entire place in the coming days, washing away the grief littered about. I could buy fresh plants, maybe some new curtains?
I stepped off the elevator and strode to my door, #20. I set down some of the bags so I could retrieve my keys and unlock the door. Once inside, I saw a pile of letters and bills that'd been squeezed through the mail slot. I never thought about having my mail stopped while I was gone.
I put away the prepared food inside my empty refrigerator and then collected the mail from off the floor. I plopped down onto my gray fabric loveseat with the dozens of envelopes in hand.
Most of them were bills, coupon advertisements, a stray sympathy card, but one letter at the bottom of the pile piqued my interest.
The front of the envelope was sloppily addressed to me with no return address. I ripped open the envelope and pulled out a piece of notebook paper, which was equally illegible. I read the first few lines of the letter, and my heart skipped a beat. I clutched at my chest, unable to breathe. I dropped the letter to the floor as my body forcefully shook.
Hi, Elle,
You don't know me, but I know you. I also know Zac. In fact, I'm the one who killed him. That dirty pig deserved to die. The world is a better place without him. You better be careful. You could be next...
> Yours truly, Tiger
GET BOOK 2: CHASING DEATH
Also by Laurèn Lee
Chasing Death (Detective Dahlia Book 2)
Capturing Evil (Detective Dahlia Book 3)
Charlotte’s Pact (Demons in New York Book 1)
Liam Rising (Demons in New York Book 2)
Adriel’s Reckoning (Demons in New York Book 3)
When Houses Burn
Cranberry Lane
Running in Circles
We’ll Begin Again
The Scanner
Little Girl Lost
A Tainted Life (Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Series)
Acknowledgments
Coming Home wouldn’t have been possible without my incredible author friends, Emerald, Kiersten, Megan and Rachel.
Thank you to Krista for being such an incredible editor and being patient when I change deadlines a million times.
Murphy Rae, thank you for designing the perfect cover for this book and the series.
And, last but not least, thank you, reader, for taking the time to support me. I wouldn’t be here without you!
About the Author
Laurèn Lee was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. She loves hockey, chicken wings and spending time with family, friends and her boyfriend.
Reading and writing are her life’s passions and becoming an author is her ultimate dream.
As a child, Laurèn became enamored with the Harry Potter series. As an adult, she loves psychological thrillers and mysteries with a twist.
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For more information…
www.laurenleeauthor.com
