Read Online Perfection (JL Spelbring) by JL Spelbring - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: JL Spelbring
Tags: Perfection
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accelerated. “I should go there.”
“Don’t be silly,” Dyllon said. “There isn’t anything you can do tonight. It’s not like in the city. We’re deep in the woods. By the time we set up the necessary equipment and the spotlights, it’ll be morning, anyway.”
Angela hesitated for a moment, one foot planted outside the car.
“I’ll make the appropriate arrangements. Don’t worry about anything.” Dyllon flashed his stunning smile.
Angela’s gaze slid between the wooded area and the car, the prospect of a good night’s sleep tempting her. “Fine,” she said, her mind made up. “First thing in the morning.”
“First thing,” Dyllon promised.
9
As soon as Angela ducked under the yellow caution tape, Dyllon waved her over, a smile lighting his face. He stood next to a patch of grass where the rocky shore ended.
“Look,” he said, pointing toward an area where a darkened, misshapen figure-eight stained the green.
Slipping on a latex glove, the detective lowered to her heels. “Is that blood?”
“Yes. My people have already taken a sample for analysis.”
Angela ran her hand over the fine grass to where the blades stuck together in the dried crimson, plucking free a blue piece of material. “She’s hurt,” she said, bringing the material to her nose. Faint traces of copper mingled with the forest scent.
“Considering the amount of blood, I would say she is badly wounded.”
“If you look at the indentation mark,” Angela said, indicating where the greenery lay crushed, “it’s thicker here. I think it’s her leg.”
“Which should slow her down considerably.”
The news worked wonders on the detective’s mood. For the first time since Ellyssa had escaped, things might actually get easier. Angela stood, her lips spreading into a chilling grin.
Ellyssa hobbled to the edge of the truss bridge. Sun-bleached planks were missing from the deck and beams hung precariously from the long rafters. Wooziness rotated in her midsection as she looked over the side of the cliff. Turbulent water leapt over the jagged rocks, reflecting the sun in dappled shards. Stomach lurching, Ellyssa leaned against the branch she’d been using as a makeshift crutch and sank to the ground, closing her lids and hoping the nausea would pass.
When the dizziness steadied, Ellyssa turned and looked down the old paved road, wondering if she’d made the right choice to move back to land. Roots and vegetation jutted between the cracks of the blackened asphalt, nature on a quest to take back what had once been hers. The terrain was rugged, but no more than the slippery rocks she’d already navigated. At least her feet were no longer numb, and the tremors that had shaken her body had settled to mild shivers.
There was no going back or second guessing herself now. Only one way—forward.
Ellyssa pulled out the water bottle and took a small sip, then poured some in her hand and wiped her face. It wasn’t as cool as the stream, but it was still refreshing.
Using the crutch, she pulled herself up and limped over to the edge where broken asphalt met wood, her leg singing a tune of pain.
Ellyssa slipped the crutch lengthwise through the flap of her bag and grabbed one of the few remaining beams crossing the triangulated latticework. She placed her left foot on the first plank of the bridge, testing it. It mumbled, but held. She pulled her right foot next to her left.
The next plank made a loud popping noise when Ellyssa tested it. Bypassing that board, she skimmed over to the next and stilled.
Nothing.
Pent-up breath whooshed from her lungs. She continued, moving slowly, skipping over the boards that groaned too loudly or dipped under the pressure of her weight.
Three-fourths of the way across, the muscles in Ellyssa’s arms and legs quivered from the exertion and careful precision of moving. Her heart slammed against her ribs, keeping time with the pounding in her head. Her chest heaved short gasps of air.
“Don’t be silly,” Dyllon said. “There isn’t anything you can do tonight. It’s not like in the city. We’re deep in the woods. By the time we set up the necessary equipment and the spotlights, it’ll be morning, anyway.”
Angela hesitated for a moment, one foot planted outside the car.
“I’ll make the appropriate arrangements. Don’t worry about anything.” Dyllon flashed his stunning smile.
Angela’s gaze slid between the wooded area and the car, the prospect of a good night’s sleep tempting her. “Fine,” she said, her mind made up. “First thing in the morning.”
“First thing,” Dyllon promised.
9
As soon as Angela ducked under the yellow caution tape, Dyllon waved her over, a smile lighting his face. He stood next to a patch of grass where the rocky shore ended.
“Look,” he said, pointing toward an area where a darkened, misshapen figure-eight stained the green.
Slipping on a latex glove, the detective lowered to her heels. “Is that blood?”
“Yes. My people have already taken a sample for analysis.”
Angela ran her hand over the fine grass to where the blades stuck together in the dried crimson, plucking free a blue piece of material. “She’s hurt,” she said, bringing the material to her nose. Faint traces of copper mingled with the forest scent.
“Considering the amount of blood, I would say she is badly wounded.”
“If you look at the indentation mark,” Angela said, indicating where the greenery lay crushed, “it’s thicker here. I think it’s her leg.”
“Which should slow her down considerably.”
The news worked wonders on the detective’s mood. For the first time since Ellyssa had escaped, things might actually get easier. Angela stood, her lips spreading into a chilling grin.
Ellyssa hobbled to the edge of the truss bridge. Sun-bleached planks were missing from the deck and beams hung precariously from the long rafters. Wooziness rotated in her midsection as she looked over the side of the cliff. Turbulent water leapt over the jagged rocks, reflecting the sun in dappled shards. Stomach lurching, Ellyssa leaned against the branch she’d been using as a makeshift crutch and sank to the ground, closing her lids and hoping the nausea would pass.
When the dizziness steadied, Ellyssa turned and looked down the old paved road, wondering if she’d made the right choice to move back to land. Roots and vegetation jutted between the cracks of the blackened asphalt, nature on a quest to take back what had once been hers. The terrain was rugged, but no more than the slippery rocks she’d already navigated. At least her feet were no longer numb, and the tremors that had shaken her body had settled to mild shivers.
There was no going back or second guessing herself now. Only one way—forward.
Ellyssa pulled out the water bottle and took a small sip, then poured some in her hand and wiped her face. It wasn’t as cool as the stream, but it was still refreshing.
Using the crutch, she pulled herself up and limped over to the edge where broken asphalt met wood, her leg singing a tune of pain.
Ellyssa slipped the crutch lengthwise through the flap of her bag and grabbed one of the few remaining beams crossing the triangulated latticework. She placed her left foot on the first plank of the bridge, testing it. It mumbled, but held. She pulled her right foot next to her left.
The next plank made a loud popping noise when Ellyssa tested it. Bypassing that board, she skimmed over to the next and stilled.
Nothing.
Pent-up breath whooshed from her lungs. She continued, moving slowly, skipping over the boards that groaned too loudly or dipped under the pressure of her weight.
Three-fourths of the way across, the muscles in Ellyssa’s arms and legs quivered from the exertion and careful precision of moving. Her heart slammed against her ribs, keeping time with the pounding in her head. Her chest heaved short gasps of air.
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