Read Online Smoky Mountain Investigation by Annslee Urban - Free Book Online
Authors: Annslee Urban
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grip, sending it clanking against the porcelain sink, but not before the sharp edge of the blade nicked him.
With the back of his hand, he swiped a dribble of blood from his chin and then lifted his phone off the sink basin. His heart tripped as he glared at the one-word text from Kylie.
HELP!
Snatching his keys, he wrestled on a pair of jogging pants and T-shirt as he made his way out of the small apartment. Taking two steps at a time, he bounded down a short flight of steps and crossed the driveway into the neighboring yard. He plunged his key into the lock of the side-porch door. A moment later, he was in the kitchen. Silence greeted him.
Stay calm. He held his tongue. Didn’t call out.
Senses on alert, Nick moved from one room to the next, his heart beating wildly despite his best efforts to stay rational. His combat-mission training had taught him to focus, carefully process the situation and then act.
No emotion involved. Something he’d perfected—until today.
A chill lingered in the air and the house was quiet. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, except the closed door to Kylie’s room.
He posed a hard-knuckled knock against the wood. “Kylie, are you okay?”
A sigh or a whimper. He couldn’t be sure.
Gripping the handle, he firmly leaned a shoulder against the door, ready to break it down if necessary. “Kylie,” he called out again.
“Nick!” Kylie’s panicked voice answered him.
The knob rattled a second before the door whipped open. He gripped the doorframe and righted his stance to keep from toppling onto her.
“There was someone in the house. He was in the hall, right outside my door,” she rasped out.
Questions and urgency flooded Nick’s thoughts.
Kylie eased toward him, trembling. Shock and fear tightened her features. She didn’t look capable of staying on her feet, much less supplying him with the answers he needed.
“Let’s get you to a chair and then you can tell me everything.” He draped an arm around her, steadying her.
Her slender frame compressed against him and wisps of her silky hair tickled his cheek. He tried to ignore the awareness it brought. Instinctively, he pulled her closer and guided her down the wood-floored hall until they emerged into the kitchen. He settled her into a chair and flipped on the light.
Kylie’s chest heaved with audible breaths. She expelled a raspy sigh, her trembling fingers clutching her cell phone.
He hunkered down in front of her and gave her a moment to recover.
“It’s okay.” He spoke softly, brushing errant locks from her face. And as he peered at her, the temptation to pull her close and comfort her burned deep inside him. Inhaling slowly, he bridled the emotion.
“It had to be him,” she muttered after a moment.
“Who are we talking about, Kylie?”
“The perpetrator. The killer. The stalker. Whoever he is.”
“Did you see someone?”
She shook her head. “No, but I heard him. He walked past my room. Then he went outside, I think through the front door.” She put a hand on Nick’s arm; her eyes widened. “And there was a crash. Something heavy fell on the floor.”
“Heavy? Like a pan or glass?”
She wagged her head. “Something solid. Maybe a gun or flashlight.”
That thought brought Nick to his feet. “Wait here.” He walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. He scanned the area and then went from there to each of the other rooms in the house, looking for any signs of an intruder. As before, nothing was out of place. The front and back doors remained locked, as were the windows.
Paranoia and fear, he hoped, were the culprits.
Breathing easier, Nick circled back to the kitchen. “Everything looks okay. The windows and doors are secure.”
Kylie’s head shot up. “Then how would someone get in?”
“Well, maybe what you heard wasn’t someone. There are all sorts of creaks and noises in this old house.”
“No, I heard footsteps, a man’s voice.”
“The
With the back of his hand, he swiped a dribble of blood from his chin and then lifted his phone off the sink basin. His heart tripped as he glared at the one-word text from Kylie.
HELP!
Snatching his keys, he wrestled on a pair of jogging pants and T-shirt as he made his way out of the small apartment. Taking two steps at a time, he bounded down a short flight of steps and crossed the driveway into the neighboring yard. He plunged his key into the lock of the side-porch door. A moment later, he was in the kitchen. Silence greeted him.
Stay calm. He held his tongue. Didn’t call out.
Senses on alert, Nick moved from one room to the next, his heart beating wildly despite his best efforts to stay rational. His combat-mission training had taught him to focus, carefully process the situation and then act.
No emotion involved. Something he’d perfected—until today.
A chill lingered in the air and the house was quiet. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, except the closed door to Kylie’s room.
He posed a hard-knuckled knock against the wood. “Kylie, are you okay?”
A sigh or a whimper. He couldn’t be sure.
Gripping the handle, he firmly leaned a shoulder against the door, ready to break it down if necessary. “Kylie,” he called out again.
“Nick!” Kylie’s panicked voice answered him.
The knob rattled a second before the door whipped open. He gripped the doorframe and righted his stance to keep from toppling onto her.
“There was someone in the house. He was in the hall, right outside my door,” she rasped out.
Questions and urgency flooded Nick’s thoughts.
Kylie eased toward him, trembling. Shock and fear tightened her features. She didn’t look capable of staying on her feet, much less supplying him with the answers he needed.
“Let’s get you to a chair and then you can tell me everything.” He draped an arm around her, steadying her.
Her slender frame compressed against him and wisps of her silky hair tickled his cheek. He tried to ignore the awareness it brought. Instinctively, he pulled her closer and guided her down the wood-floored hall until they emerged into the kitchen. He settled her into a chair and flipped on the light.
Kylie’s chest heaved with audible breaths. She expelled a raspy sigh, her trembling fingers clutching her cell phone.
He hunkered down in front of her and gave her a moment to recover.
“It’s okay.” He spoke softly, brushing errant locks from her face. And as he peered at her, the temptation to pull her close and comfort her burned deep inside him. Inhaling slowly, he bridled the emotion.
“It had to be him,” she muttered after a moment.
“Who are we talking about, Kylie?”
“The perpetrator. The killer. The stalker. Whoever he is.”
“Did you see someone?”
She shook her head. “No, but I heard him. He walked past my room. Then he went outside, I think through the front door.” She put a hand on Nick’s arm; her eyes widened. “And there was a crash. Something heavy fell on the floor.”
“Heavy? Like a pan or glass?”
She wagged her head. “Something solid. Maybe a gun or flashlight.”
That thought brought Nick to his feet. “Wait here.” He walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. He scanned the area and then went from there to each of the other rooms in the house, looking for any signs of an intruder. As before, nothing was out of place. The front and back doors remained locked, as were the windows.
Paranoia and fear, he hoped, were the culprits.
Breathing easier, Nick circled back to the kitchen. “Everything looks okay. The windows and doors are secure.”
Kylie’s head shot up. “Then how would someone get in?”
“Well, maybe what you heard wasn’t someone. There are all sorts of creaks and noises in this old house.”
“No, I heard footsteps, a man’s voice.”
“The
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