Read Online Til Death Do Us Part by Beverly Barton - Free Book Online Page B

fine.”
    â€œThen what’s wrong? Why are you calling?”
    â€œI—I don’t quite know how to tell you this, but—”
    â€œFor heaven’s sake, Mother, will you just tell me? You’re scaring me to death, acting this way.” Her mother never stuttered, never hesitated, never postponed till tomorrow what could be accomplished today.
    â€œThat policeman, Lieutenant George, came to my office earlier today.”
    At the mention of Lieutenant George, every nerve in Joanna’s body screamed, every muscle tightened. Milton George had been in charge of her rape case and all the other cases involving the serial rapist who had attacked a total of twelve women in the Richmond area before being arrested.
    â€œWhat did Lieutenant George want?”
    â€œI thought about flying out there to tell you, but—”
    â€œDammit, Mother, just tell me!”
    â€œLenny Plott has escaped from prison.” Helene let out a long sigh.
    â€œBut that’s not possible.” Joanna couldn’t believe the monster who had brutally attacked her was free and running around loose. “He’s in a maximum-security prison. It would have been impossible for him to escape.”
    â€œI know what a shock this must be for you, dear, but I’m afraid it’s true. Lenny Plott did escape. And—and I’m afraid there’s more.”
    â€œMore?”
    â€œHe escaped less than forty-eight hours ago and he’s already found Melody Horton.”
    â€œWhat do mean he’s ‘already found’ Melody?” Melody was the twenty-year-old college student who, along with Joanna and two other victims, had testified against their rapist and sent him away to prison for the rest of his natural life.
    â€œShe was kidnapped. A neighbor recognized the man she drove off with. She identified him from police photographs. It was Lenny Plott.”
    â€œHave the police found her?”
    â€œYes.” Helene’s voice was so low, Joanna could barely hear her.
    â€œIs she…?”
    â€œShe was strangled to death,” Helene said, her words spoken unquaveringly. “Lieutenant George wanted you and Claire and Libby to know that Plott is on the loose and has already killed…?. Please, come home, dear. Your life is in danger. Come home and I’ll hire a bodyguard for you.”
    â€œLenny Plott has no idea where I am now,” Joanna said. “He doesn’t know I moved to New Mexico and he doesn’t know where Claire and Libby are. I don’t even know where Libby is.”
    â€œLieutenant George is afraid Lenny will somehow find out where the three of you have moved. He thinks Lenny will hunt y’all down.”
    â€œHow could this have happened? When Lenny Plott went to prison, our nightmare was supposed to have ended. I won’t—I can’t live in fear. Not again. Not ever again!”
    Joanna would never forget those first few weeks after her rape when she lived in fear the man would return and rape her again. Even after Lenny Plott had been arrested, she hadn’t felt safe. To this day, she knew there was always a possibility that it could happen again, but she hadlearned to face the fear and put it in its proper place. She was careful, always cautious of strangers and new acquaintances. She’d bought a gun and learned how to use it properly. She’d taken self-defense classes and had undergone months of therapy. No, by God, she would not allow Lenny Plott’s escape to destroy the life she’d built here in Trinidad. She would not run scared.
    â€œJoanna, are you still there, dear? Please, say something.”
    â€œI’m all right. I’m staying where I am. I’m safe here. I’ll tell Elena about Lenny Plott. I should have told her a long time ago, but I wanted to pretend it had never happened. Out here, no one knows about the rape.”
    â€œBut what if Lenny finds you?”
    â€œHe