Page 72 of Shiver

“Donny. Donny Miller,” her papa said with a small shake of his head.

“Devra, you can’t leave,” her mama pleaded. “The chief is on his way.”

“I’m not going to let them lock me up again. Chief Marshall is convinced I killed his son. But now I know different, now I know it was my brother.”

“You can’t spend the rest of your life running and hiding,” her papa said. “You need to fight for your future.”

She stared at him, afraid to trust the strength flowing through her. They believed her. “You sound like Riley.”

Go back to the beginning and start from there, Riley’s words whispered through her mind. “I remember this house,” she said lifting the envelope. “The one in the picture. I dreamed about it earlier. I think it’s all coming back. I think I’m beginning to remember what happened.”

Her mama shook her head. “You were too young. Barely three.”

“I remember the floor, and the blood.” A shiver coursed through her. “I’m going back there.”

“Let me go with you,” her papa said.

She was tempted. But she knew what would happen if she did, and if she had to watch her papa die, she really would go insane. “I’m sorry, but this is something I have to do on my own. I’m going to find this brother of mine, and I’m going to stop him. I’m taking my life back.”

“Please, Devy, let the authorities handle this,” her mama pleaded.

“I wish I could, but I can’t trust them.”

“What about that young man of yours?”

“He doesn’t believe in me, either.” The words hurt, but she knew in her heart they were true. She opened the screen door. “But I’ll prove them all wrong.”

Without glancing back, Devra climbed into the truck, turned on the ignition, and buckled her seat belt. As she pulled down the drive, a movement behind one of the tall pines caught her eye. As she passed, she glanced behind it but nothing was there.

She was jumping at shadows, she thought as she settled further into her seat. She turned onto the main road, heading east away from Rosemont, away from the chief, and away from Riley.

Riley. He was probably furious at her. She pushed him out of her mind. The only chance she had of winning him back was to prove her innocence and for the first time in her life, she finally had something to go on.

She adjusted her rearview mirror. Eyes as black as a Washington night sky stared back through the mirror. Close enough to bore into her soul and burn her with those red glints of laughter.

She stared, frozen. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the steering wheel. Her vision shot back to the road, then back to the rearview mirror. He was gone. She imagined him. He wasn’t there. But still, she was afraid to look, afraid he was there, lying on the backseat.Waiting for her.

“What do you want?” she said, her voice quavering.

Silence filled the space.

He’s not there. She slowed, gathering the nerve to turn and look, to see for herself the backseat was empty.

“You can run, but you can’t hide. Not from me.”

Devra’s heart slammed into her chest.

She kept her eyes on the road, refusing to look into the mirror. He was in the backseat.God help her!Adrenaline surged through her. She hit the brakes hard. The Expedition lurched and spun onto the shoulder. Pain erupted across her chest as the seatbelt cut into her skin, and kept her from hitting the steering wheel.

She stayed like that for a long moment, afraid to move, afraid to see him. Fear quickened her blood and sent it roaring through her ears. She forced herself to lift her head, to turn and look into the backseat—into the face of her nightmares.

Into the face of her brother.

He smiled—his teeth gleaming and white and perfect. “Peekaboo, Devy.”

Chapter 27

Stunned,Riley stared at William. “What do you mean she’s gone?” Fury doused with fear surged through him. “There’s a serial killer stalking Devra and you let her leave?”

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