Page 131 of Fatal Witness

“No!”

It sounded like someone was rolling around on the floor. Then there wasa loud noise, like when her daddy shot his gun.

“I want my diamonds.”

“You shouldn’t have killedher!”

Suddenly there were more loud booms. Then it wasso quiet.

Danielle’s heart beat so fast she thought it’d jump out of her chest. She looked throughthe small hole and didn’t see anyone. Slowly, sheeased the cabinet door open and crept down the hallway to the kitchen.

Her daddy lay on the floor beside her mama. A man knelt next to them. Dani musthave made a noise because he looked right at her with mean black eyes. She turned around and raced downthe hall to the cabinet and pulled the door closed.

Footsteps stomped down the hallway.

“Where did shego?” he muttered.

Danielle barely breathed, fearing he would hear her. Way, way off, she heard a horn like theone Sheriff Stone had on his car. The man swore,then it sounded like he ran down the hall and slammed the back door.

Danielle’s body started shaking and tears ran down her face. The back door opened again,and she tried to stop her tears. Whoever it wassaid something, but she couldn’t hear what it was.Footsteps came down the hall, and suddenly the cabinet door flew open.

“Danielle?”

Dani sank to the floor and took a shuddering breath. She remembered it all now. Keith had taken her out the front door to his car, then they had driven for what seemed like days, and probably had been.

She leaned her head back against the wall as quiet settled around her. At least now she had answers. It had been Rick Adkins she’d seen kneeling over her parents.

And now he wanted her. He would kill Nonny if she didn’t do what he said.

Where were the diamonds? She’d thought her dad had buried them, but he hadn’t.Think!

Her father had put something in the wall before he made her get into the cabinet. Was that where he’d hidden the diamonds?

She got on her hands and knees and leaned inside the cabinet, running her hand over the wood. There. A small hole in the back wall. She stuck her finger in the hole and something clicked, releasing a small section of the paneling. She pried it open and pulled out a small bag. Her hands trembled as she opened it.

Dani caught her breath as light reflected off the glittering diamonds. She didn’t know much about diamonds, but she’d bet even the smallest ones were bigger than a carat.

Could she use them to buy her grandmother’s life?

A text dinged on her phone.

You must not care about your grandmother.

She texted back.

On my way.

You better hurry if you want to see her alive again.

If you hurt her, you’ll never see me ... or the diamonds.

She poured the gems on the floor, snapped a photo, and sent it to him.

A minute later another text chimed on her phone.

Bring them with you.

No.A plan formed in her mind. Maybe she held an ace in the hole.

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