Page 41 of Perilous Healing

“Little Selena. It’s good to see you all grown up.” He smiles and steps further into the living room. I eye the cell phone on the coffee table. “I wouldn’t. I’ve got a gunman on your precious SEAL at the moment, and he’s more than happy to pull the trigger should anything happen to me.”

Because I can’t take that risk, I lower my weapon, though I keep it gripped firmly in my hand.Lord, please be with me now. Please grant me strength to face this nightmare and walk away. Please protect Silas and Eloise, and any others River may be threatening. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.“What do you want? I got your letter.”

“Good, good.” He runs his fingers over the counter. “Sorry about the gunshot.”

“Sure you are.”

“If it helps, he was supposed to miss. He was just supposed to scare you. You were never in any real danger.”

“And how about everyone on the street?” I ask. “They could have been hit.”

He shrugs and takes a seat in the armchair to the left of the couch. “Collateral damage.”

“I don’t believe in innocents being caught in gunfire.”

“No, you never had the taste for games, did you?”

“Not when those games involve someone’s life.”

He gestures toward the couch. “Sit with me, will you?” I don’t move. River rolls his eyes. “You’re making me nervous, Selena, and I don’t think that will make the man listening to us very happy. It might make his trigger finger a bit shaky…”

Slowly, I lower to the couch, though I keep my weapon in hand.

“Good girl.” He grins. “So, how are you? It’s been a long time.”

“Seems like you know since you’ve been stalking me for years.”

“You always figured it out rather quickly,” he says curiously. “But this time you knew you were being followed, yet you didn’t run. Why is that, I wonder?”

I don’t answer. This is the thing about River. Helovesplaying games, like a predator toying with their prey.

“I suppose it has something to do with that SEAL and his little girl.”

I try to keep my expression flat. Try not to let him see that the very thought of him watching Silas and Eloise makes me want to vomit.

“Oh, don’t worry, Selena. I have no intention of hurting him or the girl.” He laughs. “Well, at least not the child.”

“Why are you here?”

“Family gathering,” he replies.

“Funny. Everyone else is dead.”

River’s expression falters a moment, the cool mask he wears so elegantly falling. Anger replaces it, and for a moment I worry that I’ve gone too far. After all, if he’s telling the truth, one word from him would end Silas’s life.

“You’d better watch what you say. I don’t often let murderers live. Yet I’ve allowed you to walk this earth for quite some time even knowing you were guilty.”

“You have no say over whether I live or die,” I reply.

He arches a brow. “Found God, have we?”

“Yes.”

River throws his head back and laughs. “I think the small town is getting to you, Selena. Anyway. I won’t take up too much of your time. I just wanted to pop in, check on things, and make sure you knew better than to ignore my invitation.”

“You did have me shot earlier today. I might not feel like attending a dinner party.”

River stands and crosses over toward me. He takes a seat on the couch and leans in, the stench of his cologne filling my lungs. My stomach churns. “You will go,” he replies, pushing some of my hair behind my ear. He leans in and whispers, “Or I will burn this entire town to the ground with everyone trapped inside.” His expression turns amused as he stands. “See you at dinner, Selena. Wear something your mother would have worn. Classy. And bring that SEAL with you. I’d love to visit with him again, too.”

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