Read Online A Killer's Watch by Tallulah Grace - Free Book Online Page B

question. The fact that he is wealthy may
give him a higher profile.”
    “It also makes it easier for him to hide,” Ethan added.
    “True,” Jeri nodded. “Based on his timeline thus far, we
only have a short window to find Allison, before he kills her. Monique, you and
Chloe revise the lists we made last night, focusing on properties with homes
valued at five - hundred thousand and above. We
may be starting low, but I don’t want him slipping through the cracks.”
    “Sure, then we start searching, one by one?” Monique asked.
    “Yes, Ethan and I will join in, as soon as we make sure that
the body they found this morning is Shelby.”
    “What do we say to the homeowners? This is different from checking
up on convicted pedophiles. These people don’t have to let us in, right?”
    “No, but if they refuse, that moves them to the top of our
list. Use your EJB ID’s, explain that you’re working with the FBI to help solve
the murders. Tell them we’re doing a house by house search of basements and
cellars. By allowing us to check out the space, they are eliminated from
further investigation.” Ethan stood, preparing to leave.
    “Whatever you do, stay together. Never search alone, or out
of sight of each other. If you get a feeling that something’s not right, get
out of there. We don’t need heroes, remember that.” Jeri’s voice was stern.
    “Okay, clear enough,” Chloe nodded. “Will you let us know if
it’s Shelby?”
    “Of course. Be safe.”
     
    ~~~
     
    Allison awoke from a fitful sleep, but she couldn’t tell if
it was day or night. The room was marginally warmer, thanks to the space heater
the man had placed in the corner, several hours ago.
    Or was it minutes?
    Days?
    No , she thought, it couldn’t be
days, she would know if she’d been here for days, wouldn’t she?
    Every muscle in her body ached with the need to move, but
the bonds were as tight as ever. Her stomach growled with hunger, and her mouth
felt as dry as a desert.
    But food and drink were the last things on her mind.
    He could come back at any second. The man who made
her skin crawl, more than the mice she heard scurrying around the floor.
    She wasn’t stupid, she knew what he would do to her. The
look in his eyes when he touched her said it all.
    She wanted to fight him, claw his eyes out, but her
struggles made him laugh. So, she did her best to lie still.
    Listening intently for any sounds of life, other than the
mice, Allison heard nothing but the drip, drip, drip of water, seeping through
the cracks in the concrete. The dripping liquid only amplified her thirst,
increased the longing for any comforts of home.
    Home.
    Mom.
    Ashley.
    They must be going crazy with worry. Did they find the car?
Her mom worked so hard to get the second car, when Ashley turned seventeen.
Their dad refused to help, said he did enough by paying child support.
    Dad.
    She used to think of him all the time, wished for him to
come home, or at least show up once in a while. But he never did. Aside from
the occasional phone call, Ashley and Allison never saw, or heard from, their
father.
    “ Good riddance to bad
rubbish, ” ”  her grandmother used to say.
But it still hurt to know that he didn’t want his daughters in his life.
    Not willing to spend one more moment thinking of him, when
he probably didn’t even care that she was missing, Allison focused on the
camera.
    The light was still blinking, so it must be on. Was someone
watching her? Could they hear her, too? Maybe she could talk to them, or him.
Convince him to let her go.
    It was worth a shot ,
she thought.
    “My name is Allison Wells. I’m sixteen years old and live in
Marsville, Kansas. I’m a sophomore in high school. Please, let me go. I won’t
tell anyone who you are, or where I am. How could I, I don’t know. Please,
please, let me go. My mother and my sister need me. I want to go home.”
     
    ~~~
    Graham put on headphones as soon as he saw that Allison was
speaking. His