Read Online Gone in a Flash by Lynette Eason - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lynette Eason
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Alexia took off after her.
By the time they got the door open again, Jillian was nowhere to be seen.
1
Ten Years Later
April 6, 2012
5:45 p.m.
He suspected what was in the envelope. Shaky fingers opened it and pulled out the single white sheet with the block-style printed words.
I KNOW.
Senator Frank Hoffman leaned back in his plush leather chair and drew in a deep breath.
It was Jillian; he knew it. She’d decided to come out of hiding. He’d searched high and low for the girl ten years ago, when she simply dropped off the face of the earth.
But the letter proved she wasn’t dead. She was back, taunting him with the skeleton in his closet.
Jillian Carter. The one person who could kill his career, ruin his shaky marriage, and sabotage his future.
He’d rather put a bullet in her brain than let that happen.
Again, he read the words.
I KNOW.
Amazing that two small words could instill such terror.
Jaw tight, he started to crumple the letter into a ball, then thought better of it.
Pulling out a large brown envelope, he added it to the one that had come two weeks ago. The one that said, “HELLO FRANK. I’LL BE IN TOUCH.” The one he’d been praying was from anyone but her.
He shoved the envelope into the top drawer of his desk, shut the drawer with a snap, and twisted the key to make sure it was locked. He did not want his wife finding those notes.
What did Jillian want? There’d been no blackmail demand, no reason given for the subtle threat.
Just, I KNOW.
And only two people on this earth knew his secret.
Of course one wasn’t talking. Were there others?
He doubted it. The fact that the last ten years had flown by without a peep from anyone was proof of that. With dread in his heart, he knew the truth of his situation. A truth he had avoided facing for ten years. Now that truth stared him in the face, mocking him. Letting him know that his comfort zone had just been penetrated.
He had to find Jillian Carter.
There was only one way to restore peace to his life. He picked up the phone and called the one person he trusted with absolute confidence to bury this secret so deep it would never stir again.
2
April 10, 4:35 p.m.
The flames reached for the ceiling, consuming everything in their path. Sprawled on her belly and forearms, staying as low as possible in the burning house, Alexia paused and listened. Visibility was almost nonexistent. She heard an ominous creaking and raised her eyes to the ceiling. It splintered, cracked. The fire had been burning up there a lot longer than reported if the ceiling was ready to go.
“Joel! Get out from under there!” She shoved herself toward him, still staying low and knowing she wouldn’t reach him in time to push him out of the way.
On his knees, testing the door in front of him, Joel looked up—just as the ceiling caved, sending a large piece of wood crashing down on his shoulder, then glancing off the side of his helmet.
With a cry, he went down flat against the rapidly heating floor.
“Joel!” She made her way back through the smoke to reach him. Into her radio, she called, “Joel’s down, Captain, I need help!”
“On the way,” he reassured her. “Lex, the mother just showed up. Little girl, three years old, name’s Maddy. In the back bedroom, last door on the left.”
Alexia froze. A kid?
She scrambled over to Joel, grabbed him under his arms, and started hauling him to the exit, her exertions using more air. How much time did she have left? Plenty. They’d been in the building less than two minutes. “Joel, there’s another kid in here somewhere. I’ve got to find her.” But she couldn’t leave her partner. Not yet, not ever. She made sure his air tank was functioning. He looked dazed, stunned, but not seriously injured.
Looking up, she made out the shape of another firefighter. “Get Joel, he’s hurt. The girl’s in the back! I’m going to look.”
“I’ve got him.” Alexia recognized Snoop’s voice.
“I’ll be
By the time they got the door open again, Jillian was nowhere to be seen.
1
Ten Years Later
April 6, 2012
5:45 p.m.
He suspected what was in the envelope. Shaky fingers opened it and pulled out the single white sheet with the block-style printed words.
I KNOW.
Senator Frank Hoffman leaned back in his plush leather chair and drew in a deep breath.
It was Jillian; he knew it. She’d decided to come out of hiding. He’d searched high and low for the girl ten years ago, when she simply dropped off the face of the earth.
But the letter proved she wasn’t dead. She was back, taunting him with the skeleton in his closet.
Jillian Carter. The one person who could kill his career, ruin his shaky marriage, and sabotage his future.
He’d rather put a bullet in her brain than let that happen.
Again, he read the words.
I KNOW.
Amazing that two small words could instill such terror.
Jaw tight, he started to crumple the letter into a ball, then thought better of it.
Pulling out a large brown envelope, he added it to the one that had come two weeks ago. The one that said, “HELLO FRANK. I’LL BE IN TOUCH.” The one he’d been praying was from anyone but her.
He shoved the envelope into the top drawer of his desk, shut the drawer with a snap, and twisted the key to make sure it was locked. He did not want his wife finding those notes.
What did Jillian want? There’d been no blackmail demand, no reason given for the subtle threat.
Just, I KNOW.
And only two people on this earth knew his secret.
Of course one wasn’t talking. Were there others?
He doubted it. The fact that the last ten years had flown by without a peep from anyone was proof of that. With dread in his heart, he knew the truth of his situation. A truth he had avoided facing for ten years. Now that truth stared him in the face, mocking him. Letting him know that his comfort zone had just been penetrated.
He had to find Jillian Carter.
There was only one way to restore peace to his life. He picked up the phone and called the one person he trusted with absolute confidence to bury this secret so deep it would never stir again.
2
April 10, 4:35 p.m.
The flames reached for the ceiling, consuming everything in their path. Sprawled on her belly and forearms, staying as low as possible in the burning house, Alexia paused and listened. Visibility was almost nonexistent. She heard an ominous creaking and raised her eyes to the ceiling. It splintered, cracked. The fire had been burning up there a lot longer than reported if the ceiling was ready to go.
“Joel! Get out from under there!” She shoved herself toward him, still staying low and knowing she wouldn’t reach him in time to push him out of the way.
On his knees, testing the door in front of him, Joel looked up—just as the ceiling caved, sending a large piece of wood crashing down on his shoulder, then glancing off the side of his helmet.
With a cry, he went down flat against the rapidly heating floor.
“Joel!” She made her way back through the smoke to reach him. Into her radio, she called, “Joel’s down, Captain, I need help!”
“On the way,” he reassured her. “Lex, the mother just showed up. Little girl, three years old, name’s Maddy. In the back bedroom, last door on the left.”
Alexia froze. A kid?
She scrambled over to Joel, grabbed him under his arms, and started hauling him to the exit, her exertions using more air. How much time did she have left? Plenty. They’d been in the building less than two minutes. “Joel, there’s another kid in here somewhere. I’ve got to find her.” But she couldn’t leave her partner. Not yet, not ever. She made sure his air tank was functioning. He looked dazed, stunned, but not seriously injured.
Looking up, she made out the shape of another firefighter. “Get Joel, he’s hurt. The girl’s in the back! I’m going to look.”
“I’ve got him.” Alexia recognized Snoop’s voice.
“I’ll be
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