Read Online Ride the Nightmare by Richard Matheson - Free Book Online Page B

kind of man and never would be!
    Abruptly, the false defenses seemed to fall away like scales. He’d been wrong. It might entail a kind of courage to go on in the face of pressure but to face the obligation of honesty was the only true courage.
    Chris sighed. Strange that, after all his indecision, the solution should prove so simple. He could feel the simple rightness of it in his very flesh.
    He pulled the telephone across his desk and, lifting the receiver, dialed quickly.
    Helen’s mother answered.
    “This is Chris, Mom,” he said.
    “Yes, Chris.”
    “Could I speak to Helen for a moment?”
    “Helen? Is she supposed to be here?”
    “Yes.” Chris felt a sinking of disappointment. “I guess she hasn’t had time to get there yet.”
    “I didn’t know she was coming.”
    “Yes. She planned to pay you a visit, with Connie.”
    “Well, how lovely,” said Mrs. Shaw, “I’ll be looking for them.”
    “Would you ask her to phone me when she gets there?” he asked.
    “All right. At the store?”
    “Yes. Please.”
    “I will, Chris.”
    “Thanks, Mom. See you soon then.”
    After he’d hung up, Chris sat restively, tapping on his desk. He was anxious to talk with Helen, to let her know what he was planning to do. He wanted to hear her shocked yet—he felt sure—proud reaction. He needed it before he could call the police.
    For a moment, he wondered if what he really wanted was for her to talk him out of it. He thought about that, trying to decide what he’d do if she tried to dissuade him. Somehow, it seemed no problem. He couldn’t believe that he’d change his mind now.
    Sighing, he rotated his swivel chair and looked through the glass partition at the store. Jimmy was still hard at work relocating the LP albums. He was a good kid, Chris thought. With Helen’s assistance, Jimmy could manage the store very well while he was gone.
    Gone.
    Chris shuddered. The store had never looked more wonderful to him; his life with Helen and Connie had never seemed more perfect. Yet he’d be throwing it all away by calling the police.
    Involuntarily, he glanced at the wall clock. It was almost ten. There was still time. He could go to the bank, withdraw the money, drive to—
    No
. He closed his eyes, furious at the temptation. The choice was made. He wouldn’t weaken now.
    When he opened his eyes, Helen was just entering the store.
    Chris stood without knowing it. He stared at her expressionless face as she came walking down the length of the store with slow, unbalanced strides. Faintly, he heard Jimmy say good morning to her. She didn’t turn or answer. She kept walking toward the office, eyes fixed straight ahead, features tensely set. Chris stepped to the door on suddenly trembling legs and pulled it open.
    “Honey, what is it?” he heard himself mutter.
    Her voice was hoarse, shaking.
    “She’s gone,” she said.
    “What?”
    “
They took her!
” she gasped, “
They took my baby!
”

CHAPTER EIGHT
    Behind the counter, Jimmy glanced away embarrassedly. Chris looked back at Helen’s stricken face. He could feel his hands twitch, feel a thickened pulsing at his temples. Still, there was no horror. Numbly, he reached for her arm.
    “Come in the office,” he said.
    She jerked back. “Get away!” she whispered vehemently.
    “Helen.” He sucked in breath. “Helen, please come in the office,” he begged, “Jimmy can hear us.”
    “Oh, that matters,” she said, brokenly. “That really matters.”
    She stumbled past him and he followed dizzily, shutting the door behind himself.
    “What happened?” he asked.
    She whirled on him. “I told you!” she cried. “Are you deaf? They took Connie!” A sob tore at her throat. “They took my baby!”
    Again, instinctively, he reached for her. Again, she shrank away.
    “
Don’t touch me
,” she said.
    “Helen, do you think I—?”
    “Yes, I think it’s your fault! You were so careful to protect yourself! So
careful
.”
    “Helen, what