Page 50 of Shrouded Past

Bryce stepped into the room and immediately realized someone had been there.

“Go back downstairs and get JT. He’s been here.”

The horror on Piper’s face as she quickly nodded and flew down the stairs would be forever embedded in his mind.

Bryce eased through the opening. The light was on. It illuminated the cluttered space that ran the length of the house.

A chill chased down his spine. Was the kidnapper still here?

Multiple footsteps hurried up the stairs. Bryce turned.

JT, Rachel, and Janine entered the room.

Bryce breathed out a sigh of relief.

“The window’s open.” Janine pointed to where wind and rain blew through the opening.

Bryce went over to the window and noticed what looked like a bedspread hung through the opening. He pulled the soggy spread up. “He got away.”

“Unbelievable. I’m calling Will.” JT punched the contact number for his friend and waited for Will to pick up.

“We should clear the room to be safe. I’ll start over here.” Rachel wove her way through the clutter off to the right.

While JT explained, Bryce started searching around the stored pieces of furniture. The end result yielded what looked like a pallet made of clothes.

“He’s been here for a while.” He told them about the pallet.

“Maybe Will can get some DNA off them or the bedspread. He’s heading over, by the way.”

“Let’s go back downstairs.” Bryce didn’t want to contaminate the crime scene any further.

Downstairs, Piper had been sitting with Katrina watching for them. She hurried up to Bryce. “Did you find anything?”

Bryce told her what they’d discovered.

“So, he knew we were here. Why didn’t he attack when it was just us?”

“Maybe he didn’t have time.” Bryce remembered he’d called soon after he’d heard the noise. “I’m guessing he was waiting for us to go to sleep so he could get you alone.”

She visibly shivered. “That’s frightening.”

JT told her and Katrina about Will. “It could take a while for him to reach us.” He shifted toward Bryce. “You want to see if we can find what direction he went?”

Bryce did. “You’re safe here with Rachel and Katrina,” he told Piper. Both women were trained in the use of firearms.

She followed him to the back door. “Be careful. This guy is desperate.”

And desperate people did deadly things.

Chapter Nine

His breath came in labored gasps. Somehow, he’d managed to escape, but they were coming after him. He glanced over his shoulder. So far, they hadn’t found him, but with the rain there would be no way to hide his footprints.

The vehicle he’d stolen was parked down the road from the entrance of the subdivision, though in the trees. If the police arrived before he reached it, they’d block the road off. There would be no escape by vehicle. He’d be on foot.

The storm at least would work in his favor on this. Response time would be delayed. If he could get off the road before the cops arrived, he’d be able to escape.

His hands pumped at his side. He cut through the neighbor’s property and hoped they’d boarded up their windows and wouldn’t be able to see him fleeing.

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