Page 26 of Holiday Grief

Her personal bogeyman.

The man she once believed she was in love with.

Back when she was young and stupid. But he stole her youth, her innocence, her family, her daughter, and maybe even her future.

“I’ve been waiting for this.”

At the sound of the voice, Jasmine jolted to her feet, spinning around to find him standing by her front door, closing it, and locking it behind him.

Locking her in here with him.

Even if she’d left as soon as she realized something was wrong, he would have gotten her. He’d come for her, there was no way he was leaving without getting what he wanted.

“It’s been a long time, Jasmine. Too long. You thought you got away from me. Almost did, too. I didn't think you’d be stupid enough to stay here. I’ve been looking for you in the wrong place. Until you killed a man. Lucky for me I have someone in the department who alerted me to your presence here. Thought you were smart, didn't you? Using a different name for the farm, hiding out here, but I have you now, and this time, I'm never letting you go.”

When he took a step toward her, she ran.

But just like when she’d been a kid, he was bigger, stronger, and on her in seconds.

Spinning her around, he slammed her back up against the nearest wall, his large hands clamped around her throat.

How many times had he had her in this same position?

Too many to recall.

Bobby wasn’t leaving here without her. She couldn’t fight him off, her only hope was to leave behind something for someone to find and pray that they figured out who had taken her.

Lifting her hands, she clawed at his arms. It was part instinctual since those arms were attached to his hands which were squeezing the life out of her, and part the only hope she had to leave a clue behind. Scraping her fingernails down his arms hard enough to draw blood, she used that blood to write his initials on the sonogram she still held.

His hands were squeezing.

Her vision began to fade.

A rushing sound like waves filled her ears.

The sonogram picture fluttered to the floor.

The world around her turned black.

* * * * *

December 16th

8:12 A.M.

Adam hoped coming here wasn’t a mistake.

There had been no reply to the message he and Claire had left yesterday or to the one he’d left her late last night, but something was urging him to come here.

Not one to argue with the universe, after dropping Claire off at her school he’d driven straight over to the farm. As he approached Jasmine’s house it looked quiet, peaceful, and yet he got an edgy feeling.

Something felt wrong, but nothing looked wrong.

Still, his gut told him things for a reason, and as he parked his vehicle and got out, he let his hand hover over his weapon. If nothing was going on he didn't want to scare or upset Jasmine, but if there was something untoward happening, he wanted to be prepared.

Even before he climbed the porch steps, he knew he was right.

The sound of Fauna whimpering and crying in the backyard told him something was wrong.

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