Page 26 of Just Hide

"You must be careful," her mother pleaded. "I've seen on the news that they're targeting women like you. The police said you must be very cautious when entering and leaving your house."

Sammi sighed. Really, like she needed this ongoing drip-drip of negativity in her life.

"There's nobody like me," she said, turning the idiotic negativity into a joke.

"Sammi, I'm warning you. This killer is operating in the Boston area, and he's targeting women who have your looks. The police have put out a special cautionary bulletin. You do need to be careful. Perhaps you should come and stay here for a few nights?"

Sammi snorted. "Mom, I'm fine. I'm sure the police know what they're doing. I'm sure they'll catch him soon. I'm not going to hide in my room just because some psycho is on the loose. I'm going to do my thing and live my life. I'm going to let nobody stop me."Not even you,she thought.

"I really think it's a worry, Sammi."

Sammi couldn't believe it. Her mother was trying to keep her on a leash, and it had been getting worse since she'd moved out three years ago.

"Mom," she said firmly, "I'm a grown woman, and I know how to take care of myself. You need to trust that I can handle everything on my own. I'm perfectly safe here. I'm not going anywhere."

Her mom sighed, and Sammi could hear the worry in her voice. "Alright," she said. "But at least stay in tonight. Make sure the door’s locked. And keep your phone on you at all times."

Sammi hung up the phone, determined to put the whole thing out of her mind. She knew her mom was just worried about her, but she didn't need that kind of negativity.

It wasn’t like she didn’t know how to be vigilant. She was in a big city, and there was always the chance of danger, but that didn't mean she had to give up the life she wanted to live.

Sweeping into the driveway, she cast a disparaging glance at the neighbor's home with its untidy fence and unmowed front yard. They’d been struggling financially, she remembered. The husband had lost his job and not gotten another one yet, so they’d had to let their gardener go.

If you couldn't afford to live here, then you should get out. That was her view, although she knew it was harsh. It had been her father who always emphasized that it was a dog-eat-dog world and that the strong were the ones who got ahead in it.

Sammi had always been more inclined to listen to her father than she had to her nagging mother with her insistence on having a career she could fall back on and her random warnings about danger.

Fall back on? She intended to capitalize on her seriously amazing looks for as long as she could, and by then, she'd be wealthy enough not to care. She'd made a good start, and the money was rolling in.

Turning into her driveway, she glanced in approval at the neat front yard of her own home, a home she was proud to have purchased from the proceeds of her career. And it was in a safe neighborhood, much safer than the apartment where her folks lived.

Sammi was not about to let anyone take that away from her. She wasn't about to let any crazy killer ruin her plans. She was stronger than that.

With a smile, she flicked off the ignition and stepped out of the car. It was time for her to go inside and enjoy her sanctuary.

Walking to the front door, she saw that one of the garden services people was hard at work, crouched over the hedges that lined the front path, wearing that green canvas jacket, as per usual. Good. She liked a neat yard. And she liked people staying out of her hair. The gardener didn't even look up as she swished by. That was the way she wanted it.

She could hear the snip-snip of the shears as she strode up to the front door and unlocked it.

It was only then that Sammi realized, with a frown, that the garden services weren't usually here today. This wasn't one of their days. Why were they not caring for her yard at the right times?

Turning around with a slight frown, she decided to check this. She didn't want anything extra on her bill, if that was what they were trying to sneak by her.

The gardener stood up, and Sammi cleared her throat. She couldn't see if it was a man or a woman under those shapeless overalls and large hat with a wide brim that totally obscured this person's face.

"Listen," she began, hearing the arrogant tone in her own voice but not caring, "listen, you weren't supposed to come today."

And then her words tapered off into a shrill, terrified squawk as the gardener lunged for her. One minute, this individual had been all apologetic, with a bowed head and body language seeming like the ground should swallow them up.

And the next, the shears clattered to the pathway, and the predatory intent was all too obvious as the gardener lunged toward her.

"No!" Sammi shrieked, flinging out a hand in self-defense, but it was too late.

The realization of what had happened hit her like a ton of bricks, and she felt a wave of terror wash over her.

She had been so confident. She had been so sure that she was safe. But it was too late now.

A flashing blade buried itself in her chest, and she took a breath to scream again, but the breath didn't come, and the world was darkening around her.

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