Page 75 of The Blackmail of Denise Randall

This time, instead of a knock, there’s violent banging. Then the window by the door breaks.

“Keaton, I need help! My electricity is out and now someone’s trying to break into the house!” I shriek and rush toward the back of the house.

The guest house is a little smaller than an average house, so I opt for the second bedroom. I hurry inside and slam the door shut, lock it and then run to a far corner of the room. I place the phone back to my ear and cry, “Keaton.”

“Denise, where are you in the house?”

“I ran to the back bedroom and locked the door.”

“Is there a window?”

“Yes.” I ease over to the window.

“Stay down but peek out. Is the coast clear?”

I slowly move the curtain and lean up. “Y-yes. But it’s dark, I can’t be sure. Keaton, I’m scared.”

“You’re doing wonderful, Baby. I’m going to get you out of this, okay? Do you believe me?”

“Yes.” I feel a little better knowing that Keaton is with me on the phone. I hear glass shattering in the living room, the door opening and footsteps crunching on glass, then a humorless, cold chuckle that sends a shiver down my spine.

“Come out, come out.” A few more steps. Crunch. Crunch. “Hello?” I don’t recognize the male voice.

I whisper to Keaton, “I’m putting my phone on speaker, so you can listen.”

“Come on out, princess. I’m patient since my boss is a generous man. A very generous man, I might add.” I hear doors being opened. “He paid me in full to come over here. Scare you. I’m not supposed to touch you. But if you make this job any more difficult, then I might have you as a bonus for my trouble. I suggest you come on out.”

Keaton whispers through the phone, “Go out the window. Get to your parents’ house. I’m almost there.”

As quietly as I can, I ease up and unlock the window. I slide it up and crawl through. Once my feet hit the ground, I take off in a hard run. I hear gunshots. Tears pour down my face, and my heart feels like it might explode. I put my phone back to my ear and pant. “Keaton? Did you hear that? Keaton? Those were gunshots!”

I hurry and key in the security code for the back door. I fall into the house and lock the door behind me. Sobbing, I sneak a peek through the window. I place the phone back to my ear and whisper, “Keaton?” No response. Panic courses through my veins. “Keat!”

The line disconnects.

“Mom! Dad! Mom! Daddy!” Quickly, I dial 911 and explain what’s happened. I hear sirens shortly after. That was fast. I watch through the window as red and blue lights pull into the yard from all directions. I can’t get a good look at the front of the house, so I move over to a different window. A knock at the back door has me jumping out of my skin. I peer through the window to find Keaton. I throw open the door and jump onto him. I wrap my arms and legs around him and cry into his neck. He stumbles back and groans. Immediately, I release him and that’s when I notice the dark stain on his thigh.

“Keat!” I stare in horror as it quickly grows. “What happened? You need help!”

“I’m fine. It’s a cut. Are you okay?” That’s not a cut. More like a stab wound. “Are you okay?” he asks again.

“I’m shaken up is all. Let’s go!” I get under his shoulder and help him walk toward the police cruisers. “You have to be in agony. Why didn’t you just call me back instead of walking over here?”

He hisses through his teeth. “I had to see that you were safe. Besides, my phone got broken in the fight. That’s the second time this has happened.”

“What about the other guy?”

“He got away. I tried, but he took off out the back. A few officers went after him.” That sends an icy chill down my spine.

“How’d you get to me so fast?”

“I was already on my way here.” He cuts his eyes to appraise me. I see the hesitancy in his eyes. This wasn’t a coincidence.

“Tell me.”

“Don’t get mad. Which you’d be ridiculous to, considering I shed blood for you, but you’re absurd sometimes.” He sucks in a deep breath and then hisses. “Trent called. He wanted to apologize for some of the stuff he said, but he made it clear that he wasn’t apologizing for beating my ass. He mentioned that Wyatt wouldn’t stop harassing you. I was on my way to check on you.”

“He called one time! And I told him to let me handle it!”

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