Page 94 of Right Number, Wrong Man
Taking a knife from the kitchen drawer is hopeless. Justin has longer arms and even if he’s not that tall or muscular, he’s probably still stronger than me. I can’t get the pink revolver from my closet in the bedroom, either. In 20/20hindsight, I shouldn’t have stashed it there, but I didn’t think I’d ever need it.
Colt would be so mad if he saw me now, and that almost upsets me more than Justin living his knife-wielding psycho dreams in my damn kitchen.
Wait, that’s it!Colt!
In my panic, I forgot the phone in my hand. If I can distract Justin long enough to get a text to Colt…
“Actually, I’m so glad you’re here. Perfect timing!” I say, praying I sound convincing. “I bought some snacks for date night.”
Waving my free hand at the groceries, I turn my back, using the opportunity to glance at my phone. I pretend to rifle through a bag, add911to my unfinished text to Colt and hit send. My heart in my throat, I stuff the phone under a packet of M&Ms.
I pray Colt understands. Now I have to stall for time.
I take out a bucket of ice cream and hold it up with a smile. “Hope you like salted caramel! I have raspberry chocolate fudge in there somewhere too if you?—”
Justin lunges and I drop the ice cream. I scream as he grabs my arm and wrenches it behind my back, yanking me against his body.
“You’re a liar, Hailey! All women lie and cheat! They just lie and cheat and lie and cheat!” he spits.
I shiver when his breath hits my face, but it’s not like he stinks. His breath is minty and he smells of neutral soap and laundry detergent. He’s freshly-shaved, his pants and shirt are neatly ironed. Besides my gut feeling when we met, I never would’ve expected a shy, nerdy guy like him to be a murderer.
“I can see the lies in your eyes, whore! The eyes always give them away!” Justin snarls and when he presses the knife to my brow, black flecks float into my vision.
The news articles and radio reports all come flooding back.
Mutilated women. Missing eyes.
Justin is truly nothing how I expected a deranged serial killer to be, but there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s The Eyesnatcher.
And I’m his next victim.
35
COLT
I toss the soft,pink ball onto the rustic carpet by the sofa. Gracie pounces on it, her feral growl tugging the corners of my mouth into a smile. She carries her prey to her brand new, fluffy basket under the coffee table and starts chewing on it, making the squeaker scream.
“We really gotta work on the concept of fetch. Don’t we, girl?” I ask, and Gracie gives me the typical chihuahua side-eye. I laugh, holding my hands up. “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt you. Do go on, Princess.”
While the tiny beast is occupied with murdering her ball, I sit down on the sofa to turn on the TV. Before I get to grab the remote, my phone chimes in my pocket.
Cody
Still nothing. That Justin guy is a ghost.
Me
How can that be?
Cody
That’s a good question, but I ain’t giving up yet. I’ll find out who that asshole is, if it’s the last thing I do.
Me
Thanks, man. What would I do without you?
Cody
