Page 8 of Yuletide Hero

It had been almost fifteen minutes since his call. If she called him back now, she’d probably preempt another visit. It wasn’t that she didn't want to see Brian it was just that she was too tired right now to deal with that.

Hayley was just about to dial when she heard a thump, then the sound of shattering glass.

Startled, she staggered to her feet.

What was going on?

Was it one of her windows that had just broken?

A bird flying into it?

No, it was winter, already well past dark, and the birds had already settled for the night.

Something else had broken her window.

Cell phone still in hand, Hayley was running toward the back of the house where it sounded like the window had broken when her front window shattered.

Whatever had been thrown through the window was on fire.

Flames danced about and quickly latched onto her carpet.

She looked down in the direction the other window had broken and saw the orange glow of fire.

Someone was throwing rocks wrapped in material soaked in something flammable and set alight into her house.

Twice.

This wasn't an accident.

Another rock shattered her other front window, and Hayley ran upstairs. Flames were consuming the downstairs of her house far too quickly, and someone was out there who was trying to kill her, so even if she got out the door, she wasn't safe. At least upstairs she could hide out until help arrived.

Help.

She had her phone and quickly dialed 911 reporting the fire and that the cops were needed as well.

“Hayley.”

Someone called her name, but it wasn't a voice she recognized. Hayley moved to her bedroom window, and when she looked out her heart dropped.

Jay Turner stood in her front yard.

It didn't take a genius to figure out why he was here and what he wanted.

He was here to kill her.

She had taken his daughter away, and now he was going to take her life away. The cops and fire department would be on their way, but it would be a few minutes at least before they arrived.

She might not make it out of this house alive.

Brian.

Her mind immediately flew to Brian and a need to tell him goodbye filled her. As much as she loved her parents, her little sister, her best friend, and the rest of her family, there was only one person she couldn’t die without talking to one last time.

“Not such a tough girl now, are you,” Jay Turner mocked. Even from up here, she could see the smirk on his face and the malevolent glint in his eyes.

Determined not to give him what he wanted, Hayley stepped away from the window so he couldn’t see her anymore. Quickly she dialed Brian’s number.

“You missed my call,” he said as soon as he answered.

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