Killer Exposure. Jessica R. Patch
daughter. Greer’s pregnancy would be nothing but a trap, a means to get her way of having a family—at least that’s how he’d eventually see it. He’d blame his child and Greer for all the years he lost. Just like Dad. Then he would walk out and Lin would have to live with the same fear, the same guilt, the same heartache as Greer. Dad’s words to Mama echoed in Greer’s ears every day.
“You got pregnant and trapped me! I never wanted this life. I want to do what I want. I want my life back.” And Dad had left Mama.
And Greer and her older brother, Hollister.
The pain had been overwhelming. Greer would never let Lin experience that kind of heartache. She was no one’s prison. She would never have to grow up feeling unwanted or unloved. Greer would never reject and abandon her.
But now, as she sat in her driveway, she wondered how in the world she was going to keep Locke from finding out. Deep in the marrow of her bones, a whisper formed that he had every right to know and always had.
Fear held her hostage from listening to it.
She climbed from her vehicle, exhausted. Her best friend, Tori, had already offered to keep Lin for the night since it was so late, and she was available to watch her tomorrow. Tori’s job as a nurse at the hospital allowed her to keep Lin a couple of days and nights a week, depending on what shift she was working. Greer didn’t have a lot of money for day care, so she appreciated having friends who could help. She still had medical bills for Mama. A house payment. Insurance. Ugh. The thought of bills only further soured her mood.
Trudging up the walkway to the small home Mama had lived in, Greer held back tears. Being a single mama was no joke. No one to help her. No one to help carry the pressures of daily life, finances or parenting. Fear and dread of how she was going to manage each day, how she was going to provide for Lin. But she wouldn’t change it. And she’d move heaven and earth to make sure Lin was happy and had everything she needed to feel loved and successful. Like her own mama had, working extra shifts and jobs at Christmas to provide for Greer and Hollister. As children they’d never appreciated or understood the sacrifices Mama had made.
Greer knew now.
She unlocked the front door and entered. Still smelled like Mama’s White Diamonds perfume. The ache swept through her empty stomach and clutched her ribs.
As she switched on the lamp in the cozy living room, Greer’s hairs on her arms rose. She froze and scanned the area. Nothing looked out of place. Her adrenaline raced again. Too much commotion and devastation tonight. She was paranoid.
Creeping down the small hallway, she entered the only bathroom in the two-bedroom home and switched on the shower to scalding hot, then closed the door to let the steam rise. Greer popped into the nursery, turned on the light and inhaled Lin’s scent. She missed her baby girl. She entered her bedroom, which the bathroom separated from Lin’s, and stripped off her outer hoodie, tossing it into the hall to wash. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. She had dozens of carnies to question. Hopefully they’d find this guy tonight. Maybe she should have stuck around regardless. But she was no good to anyone or to the investigation right now with so little sleep.
Hairs on her neck spiked.
She whirled toward the closet, reaching for her gun as the killer from the woods lunged and knocked her to the bedroom floor before she could grab it.
Locke haphazardly punched his steering wheel, sighed and raked a hand through his hair. He needed a haircut, but during storm-chasing season he didn’t pay attention to haircuts or daily shaving. He was parked down the street from Greer’s. It wasn’t hard to find. Not when he’d been here before.
It was after midnight, and the last thing Locke wanted to do was wake up Greer’s mom, especially since she was in bad health. But after going back to the camper park, showering and getting dry clothes on, he couldn’t concentrate on a single thing. He had this ball in his gut that kept signaling red flags.
Locke groaned and went with his gut. He turned his lights off as he pulled behind Greer’s silver CR-V. If she still had the same bedroom, he could tap on her window. Probably terrify her after what happened earlier tonight, but he didn’t want to wake the entire house. He slipped around back and tiptoed to the room Greer had slept in when he visited.
Greer screamed.
Locke’s heart leaped into his throat.
Another shrill scream, but it came from outside. Hurrying, he rushed around the side of the house as Greer bolted through the patio doors.
The killer burst through after her, clobbering her to the ground.
Blood turning hot and adrenaline spiking, Locke flew to the attacker and grabbed him by the collar, then hurled him into the air and two feet from Greer. He landed with a thud and a curse. Stalking toward him, Locke had no intentions of letting this creep get away again.
The guy hopped to his feet and raced behind the house toward the neighbor’s. Locke gave chase. With every stride, he grew angrier. How dare this guy try to come back? No one was going to hurt Greer. No one.
Locke gained on him as he hurdled a chain link fence into a backyard. Locke scaled the fence and turned the corner. Something smacked him upside the head, knocking him to the ground in a daze. He glanced down. The aluminum lid to a trash can was lying beside him. A flash of the attacker sprang over another fence.
Giving his head a good shake, Locke stood and rubbed his cheek. That was going to bring a nice, fat headache in a few hours. Greer might be hurt, and the attacker was now too far away to chase. Locke ran back to her house. This time, he knocked on the side patio door that she’d run through.
Greer opened it, looking worse for wear, hair hanging in knotted clumps. Same wet clothing she’d had on earlier. Dirt, grime and tears streaked her face. Her hands shook uncontrollably. Without thinking, he yanked her to him and crushed her in an embrace. She winced, and he eased up. “Greer,” he whispered. “Are you hurt? Did he... Did he hurt you?”
She sniffed against his chest. She’d always fit perfectly, her head coming right under his chin. “No. I haven’t been home long enough to go through this again.”
“How did he get in?” Locke asked.
“Everything looked fine when I got home, but the window to the laundry room was broken. He got in through there.”
How would the attacker know where she lived if he was a maintenance worker at the carnival?
“I don’t suppose it would be too difficult to find out where I live. It’s a small town. He couldn’t have followed me. He was here when I got home.”
Guess she’d been thinking the same thing. The sound of the shower running caught his attention. “Did you call it in?”
“Yes. Deputy Crisp is out searching for him. I’m assuming he got away.” She didn’t pull away from him, and the familiarity pooled like warm goodness in his stomach.
“He did. Which reminds me. Can I have a couple pain relievers?”
Greer broke the hug and peered up at him. Lightly, she touched his cheek with her quaking fingers. She caught his eye, and their gazes held. Suddenly, she wrenched her hand away and strode to the cabinet by the fridge. “What did he get you with?” She fetched him two ibuprofens and a bottle of water.
“Metal trash lid.”
“Ouch.” She grabbed a pack of frozen peas from the freezer and handed them to him. “You’ll want this.”
Locke scanned the kitchen. The house was quiet. Too quiet. “Where’s your mama? Is she okay?”
Greer looked away. “She—she passed three months ago. Another heart attack.”
His stomach bottomed