Page 39 of Rescuing Ryder

“What do you want?” she gritted out as the pressure of the knife sunk deeper into the side of her neck and she dropped her only means of defense.

“I love classical music too. It makes me feel relaxed. We’ll sit in your study while we get acquainted with one another again,” he sneered.

“How did you find me here?”

David Kilner chuckled. “Did you honestly think I lost track of you? I know you have an affinity for helping soldiers; why else would anyone move here? But they can’t help you now. Do you remember how my wife and her mother died? I opened the refrigerator door every morning to stare at her lovely face, knowing she’d never leave me. Her mother interfered and I couldn’t risk witnesses to my wife’s untimely demise.”

“You killed them in cold blood. You didn’t eat them,” Claire revealed to him as she tried to buy time. Her heart pounded inher ears. After listening to Kassie’s story, she knew how much danger she was in. Her friend suffered for days before the team located her. David Kilner wanted to play with her like he accomplished with the letters before making her suffer a brutal death.

“Tell me, why did you side with Dr. Klein while the leading psychologist insisted me sane?” The knife moved from her neck to her back at her kidneys.

What were the chances of survival if he stabbed her there? Did she have time to escape or the strength to move with such an injury? Claire scanned the room, searching for any blunt objects. She almost finished unpacking her office. The paperweight sat on the bookshelf, where she set it a few days ago when she rearranged her desk in the middle of the night.

“As you described killing your mother-in-law, you smiled. When you spoke of your wife, you regretted it,” Claire admitted while she attempted to move closer to the heavy object.

“Her mother wanted her to divorce me. She knew what I did. She saw me kill her dog in the backyard. I never should’ve agreed to let her live with us. She interfered too much just like you.”

Claire swallowed. She closed her eyes, thinking about all the time she wasted focusing on her career, not the things that mattered. Ryder’s face appeared before her and she regretted not speaking with him. She wondered if her death would add another name to his list of guilt.

“What do you want? Did you need money to escape? It’s the reason why you wanted the temporary insanity plea. You figured after a couple of years, you’d convince them of your mental stability and they’d release you,” she informed him as he moved her to sit in the winged back chair she added to her study for reading, a few feet from the paperweight.

He pulled a gun from his waist and pointed it at her. “Oh, Claire. You disappoint me. I’ll need a new wife and you fit thebill perfectly. Now, be a good girl and shut up. Where’s the file you kept on me? We don’t need the police or your friends finding it once you’ve disappeared.” He sat at her desk and rummaged through the files, keeping his weapon trained on her.

Could she run fast enough to escape a bullet?

“I kept them at my office on the mountain. You didn’t think I’d leave them here after your notes, did you?” she asked.

Kilner paused for a moment before smiling smugly at her. “It’s too bad. I’ll have to tie you up and take the doctor’s baby you hang around. I’m sure his wife will do anything to save her child. Maybe I’ll take her, too. She’s a beautiful woman. I hope you don’t mind sharing. There’s enough of me to go around.”

Panic set in. She knew Kassie enough to know she’d sacrifice herself for her child. She already experienced enough in her lifetime to endure losing the child she desperately prayed for. Now wasn’t the time to show her fear.

“I’ll get the records for you. You don’t need to take an innocent child. This doesn’t involve anyone other than the two of us. Kassie didn’t witness anything like your wife’s mom. You don’t have a reason to hurt her,” she argued.

“Do you think I need a reason? Do you know what it’s like to watch life slowly slip away from someone you love? There’s a thrill you can’t begin to imagine. You control their life and death and they can’t do anything about it,” he stated as he breathed deeply, almost relishing the thought. It made her shiver and shake to the core.

“Maybe I was wrong. You might be sane after all. Only a monster finds killing a harmless child and mother exciting. You’re nothing more than a criminal who preys on helpless victims who can’t fight back,” she challenged.

He swiftly walked toward her with the gun. His face filled with rage as he hit her on the side of the head, making her see stars. “Shut up, you bitch,” he seethed. “Now we’ll go to yourbedroom and you’ll do exactly as I say.” He jerked her roughly from the chair.

She wanted to fight or struggle, but the gun dug into her stomach.

A loud pounding on her front door startled both of them.

“Claire, I know you’re in there. Open the door,” Ryder demanded.

David Kilner cursed under his breath as he searched the room. Still dizzy from the strike to the head, Claire fought against the fog threatening her. She didn’t want him to hurt Ryder. Despite his thinking, he fought the urge to harm himself, which proved he wanted to live. He only needed a reason. She refused to allow him to lose his life now.

“Damn it, Claire. We need to discuss this. Your neighbor lady keeps watching me from the window. She’ll call the cops on me if you don’t let me in. Then you’ll have to come out and explain to the police. Open the door,” he demanded again.

“He won’t go away and the neighbors won’t hesitate to contact the authorities. Let me speak with him and he’ll leave peacefully,” she begged.

David hesitated as he ran his hand through his hair, momentarily loosening his grip on Claire. But now Ryder’s life hung in the balance and she refused to risk him.

“Answer the door. I’m standing in the next room and can hear everything you say. If you warn him in any way, I’ll shoot him where he stands. And Claire?” he let his warning hang.

“What?” she gritted out.

“We practiced shooting guns and I always hit the mark. Don’t think I’ll hesitate,” he warned.

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