Read Online A Heart Full of Diamonds by A.M. Jenner - Free Book Online

the car was still there. It was.
    A thought had come as she sat in the gloom searching for a
solution. The men had now been inside her home. They knew she wasn’t there. Therefore,
she should be able to slip in through the back door, get food, her bank book, a
few clothes and get back outside before they knew she was even close by.
    She’d wanted to wait until dark, feeling it would be safer,
but hunger and other bodily functions brought her out. Silently backing away
from Richard’s corner of the house, she moved stealthily to her own back door
and up the single step. Marilee prayed they wouldn’t hear the squeak as she
slowly opened the screen.
    Pausing, she listened for a car door opening. All stayed
quiet. She reached for the door knob. It wouldn’t turn. Tears of frustration
filmed her eyes. Having come this far, she couldn’t give up.
    Taking a deep breath, Marilee pulled the door tight against
the frame and then twisted the knob once more. Slowly it rotated. Quietly, she
expelled the air her lungs had held hostage; her tears stemmed as her nearly subconscious
prayer of thanksgiving rose heavenward. Moving as quietly as possible, she
opened the back door and slipped inside.
    Her things were fairly well in order, but she could tell
someone had been there. Books had been moved, a magazine she’d been reading
wasn’t where she’d left it. Even though there was no destruction, she still felt
a violation which all of the chasing during the long night had not given her. Now
she was angry as well as frightened; however it changed nothing. She must
escape this intolerable situation.
    Marilee used the restroom, washing her face as well as her
hands then quietly gathered some food. She stuffed her bank book and a few
clothes in her duffle bag with the food, then zipped it closed.
    She heard a car door whump shut and grabbing her bag,
hustled out the back door, closing it softly behind her. Darting to the
basement door, she opened it, stepped through, and secured it behind her.
    Blood was pounding in her ears, her heart beating rapidly as
she tried to control her breathing. She listened to find whether she’d been
detected or not. Silence reigned. Slowly, her heart and breathing returned to
normal limits.
    An explosive sound shattered the stillness and she jumped,
nearly knocking over a bucket before identifying the sound; a toilet flushing. Coming
from just above her head, the noise indicated someone was in Richard’s
apartment. Could it be…? They wouldn’t…!
    Marilee heard the refrigerator door slam shut and realized Derrek
had returned from school. It wasn’t the two men in the apartment. It wouldn’t
be long now before Richard arrived home.
    Marilee didn’t stop to wonder why that was significant for
her, she just knew she’d be okay when he reached home and she could be with
him. The day’s reflections and plans thought of and discarded let her know just
one thing for certain; she needed help.
    Sitting quietly, she waited for the next hour to pass. She studied
ways Richard could help her get away. She thought of different destinations,
but found herself discarding each one with little consideration; as if she
could stay here. Finally, deciding she was simply too tired to think any more,
Marilee lay down to await Richard’s arrival from work, pillowing her head on
the duffle bag.
    Darkness settled on the valley, seeping into the minuscule
basement, wrapping Marilee in sheltered arms. She heard Richard’s truck drive
into his parking place, and stood to stretch, straining to identify all sounds
coming to her. Nothing out of the ordinary was heard. Marilee felt encouraged.
    She hefted the duffle bag and softly stepped from the
basement. She tiptoed to Richard’s corner of the house, setting the bag by his
back door on the way. Peeking around the corner, she found Richard’s truck in
his usual spot. The black car was pulled up almost to the front of Mr.
Brimblecom’s porch. They must have rolled forward