Read Online If You Know Her: A Novel of Romantic Suspense by Shiloh Walker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shiloh Walker
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speculation. But nobody
knew
, which meant whatever her business was, she was keeping it close to her chest. He’d learned a long time ago how to separate the facts from the fancy and all there was now—it was just fancy.
Nobody
knew
.
Coming to a stop in front of the hotel, he let his van idle as he peered down the side.
He could see her bike, but not her. She was already checked in, tucked into her room. She’d have the door locked, probably. Both the chain and the deadbolt in place, her being a city girl.
Not that it could keep him out, but he couldn’t exactly go and do something that blatant, now could he?
Still, he needed to know why she was here.
The small hotel wasn’t much but Nia didn’t need much. It was clean and it was quiet. That was all that mattered.
It faced away from the street, and the woods that rose at the back provided some extra shade against the bright summer sun. When she pulled the curtains, it darkened the room so that she could barely see her way to the bed. She didn’t need to see—stripping her clothes away, she left them in a trail on her way to the bed and paused only long enough to pull the blankets back.
She needed sleep, desperately. Sleep, then she’d figure out where to go from here.
What to do next …
Sleep …
Nightmares chased her. Taunted her. Haunted her.
In the dream, she was no longer herself, but Joely. Running—breathless and terrified—through the trees, no idea where she was going, just certain she had to get away.
And he followed along behind.
Nameless.
Faceless.
A malicious, dark presence that watched, waited …
She could feel his eyes, all but crawling along her. All but touching her.
Waiting … waiting …
She wanted to scream, but didn’t dare. Keeping it trapped in her throat, she bit her lip almost bloody to keep it locked inside. If she screamed, it made it that much easier for him to find her.
Not that he wouldn’t find her anyway.
It was just a matter of time—didn’t matter where she went, where she ran, she couldn’t escape … this was his town …
She came awake to complete dark.
As a sob tried to tear its way free, Nia fought loose from the blankets that had wrapped around her like chains. Standing by the bed, nude and shaking, she wrapped her arms around herself.
Calm down … you have to calm down …
The dream replayed itself through her head over and over. She saw herself—but it wasn’t her. It was Joely. Running, trying to get away.
No shocker, there.
Joely hadn’t been always ready to pick a fight the wayNia would, but she wouldn’t back down from one, either—she would have fought. And fought hard.
It was disconcerting, though, the way she found herself remembering …
This was his town …
Blowing out a breath, she bent over and snagged her shirt from the floor, pulled it over her head. She didn’t give a damn what the official reports said and she didn’t give a damn what so-called evidence had been found when Joe Carson’s body was found.
She wasn’t buying it. The killer was local.
In her gut, she knew it.
Which meant the killer wasn’t Joe Carson … and was still out there. Somewhere. She shivered, rubbing her neck. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, made her feel like somebody was watching, staring at her. Waiting.
“You’re paranoid,” she muttered even as she shoved upright and went to go check the locks on the hotel door, and the curtains. The curtains were closed up tight, and the door was locked securely, the deadbolt in place. No way somebody could be watching her unless they’d bugged the damn room, and she shouldn’t even be
thinking
about that, as antsy as she was.
Throwing a look at the clock, she wondered if it was still possible to get food around here. It was a little after 8:30 on a Monday. Was there any place
open
?
Her belly rumbled.
Only one way to find out.
She came sauntering into Mac’s Grill and if she realized everybody in there was
knew
, which meant whatever her business was, she was keeping it close to her chest. He’d learned a long time ago how to separate the facts from the fancy and all there was now—it was just fancy.
Nobody
knew
.
Coming to a stop in front of the hotel, he let his van idle as he peered down the side.
He could see her bike, but not her. She was already checked in, tucked into her room. She’d have the door locked, probably. Both the chain and the deadbolt in place, her being a city girl.
Not that it could keep him out, but he couldn’t exactly go and do something that blatant, now could he?
Still, he needed to know why she was here.
The small hotel wasn’t much but Nia didn’t need much. It was clean and it was quiet. That was all that mattered.
It faced away from the street, and the woods that rose at the back provided some extra shade against the bright summer sun. When she pulled the curtains, it darkened the room so that she could barely see her way to the bed. She didn’t need to see—stripping her clothes away, she left them in a trail on her way to the bed and paused only long enough to pull the blankets back.
She needed sleep, desperately. Sleep, then she’d figure out where to go from here.
What to do next …
Sleep …
Nightmares chased her. Taunted her. Haunted her.
In the dream, she was no longer herself, but Joely. Running—breathless and terrified—through the trees, no idea where she was going, just certain she had to get away.
And he followed along behind.
Nameless.
Faceless.
A malicious, dark presence that watched, waited …
She could feel his eyes, all but crawling along her. All but touching her.
Waiting … waiting …
She wanted to scream, but didn’t dare. Keeping it trapped in her throat, she bit her lip almost bloody to keep it locked inside. If she screamed, it made it that much easier for him to find her.
Not that he wouldn’t find her anyway.
It was just a matter of time—didn’t matter where she went, where she ran, she couldn’t escape … this was his town …
She came awake to complete dark.
As a sob tried to tear its way free, Nia fought loose from the blankets that had wrapped around her like chains. Standing by the bed, nude and shaking, she wrapped her arms around herself.
Calm down … you have to calm down …
The dream replayed itself through her head over and over. She saw herself—but it wasn’t her. It was Joely. Running, trying to get away.
No shocker, there.
Joely hadn’t been always ready to pick a fight the wayNia would, but she wouldn’t back down from one, either—she would have fought. And fought hard.
It was disconcerting, though, the way she found herself remembering …
This was his town …
Blowing out a breath, she bent over and snagged her shirt from the floor, pulled it over her head. She didn’t give a damn what the official reports said and she didn’t give a damn what so-called evidence had been found when Joe Carson’s body was found.
She wasn’t buying it. The killer was local.
In her gut, she knew it.
Which meant the killer wasn’t Joe Carson … and was still out there. Somewhere. She shivered, rubbing her neck. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, made her feel like somebody was watching, staring at her. Waiting.
“You’re paranoid,” she muttered even as she shoved upright and went to go check the locks on the hotel door, and the curtains. The curtains were closed up tight, and the door was locked securely, the deadbolt in place. No way somebody could be watching her unless they’d bugged the damn room, and she shouldn’t even be
thinking
about that, as antsy as she was.
Throwing a look at the clock, she wondered if it was still possible to get food around here. It was a little after 8:30 on a Monday. Was there any place
open
?
Her belly rumbled.
Only one way to find out.
She came sauntering into Mac’s Grill and if she realized everybody in there was
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