Page 114 of Day Break

I looked around and saw lights from the road. “Is it safe?” I asked.

“Guess we’ll find out. My phone is down there. Stay put. I’m going back to grab it.” Before I could say anything, he disappeared beneath the dark water.

I didn’t know how deep the car was. I could just make out the headlights under the surface, but everything looked warped. My eyes stung suddenly, and I realized I had a cut on my forehead that was bleeding. The blood was dripping into my eyes.

Leaning my head back, I tried to clear the blood from my forehead and eyes.

“Hello?” someone called out from the road. “Are you okay?” It was a woman’s voice. A bright light hit me in the face.

“Help,” I called back, coughing.

Just then Lane was back by my side. “Got it.”

“Someone’s here,” I said, “A woman.”

“Okay.” He held up his phone and punched 911. “Just in case,” he said as he relayed the information to the dispatcher while we made our way slowly to shore.

By the time we crawled out of the mud at the edge of the pond, there were three more cars on the side of the road.

Blankets were tossed over our shoulder while we waited for an ambulance and the police.

The woman who had called out to us worked at the gas station diner in the kitchen and was on her way home when she saw a large black truck ram our car. She had immediately called the police.

The paramedics bandaged the cut on my forehead and several on Lane’s arms.

Since we both felt fine, they let us go as long as we agreed to head to the hospital if we felt bad in the coming days. To be honest, we were both too tired to be hauled down to the hospital. Nothing was broken. All we had were a few cuts. We were more shaken than anything else.

It wasn’t until we were in a patrol car heading home that I started shaking. Lane wrapped his arms around me and softly assured me everything was okay.

The fact of what had just happened hit me. Someone had tried to kill us.

When we pulled up into the drive, Lane’s low curse had me jerking my gaze up to the house.

Every single light was on in the house, and the front door stood wide open.

“Stay put,” Officer Whitlock said, getting out of the vehicle.

“Alex, let me out,” Lane yelled as the other officer got out.

“Can’t do it, Lane,” Alex said. He locked us in and followed Officer Whitlock inside.

“Damn it.” Lane yanked on the door, without budging it. “Damn it.”

“Where’s Byron?” I asked, leaning closer to the window to get a better look.

“Safe. I’m sure of it,” Lane said, hitting the door a few times.

We waited, watching the house for what seemed like an hour. When both officers came back out, I finally relaxed, seeing Byron happily trailing behind them.

Officer Whitlock opened the door and let us out.

“Well, whoever was here is long gone. They left a little mess, as if they were searching for something.”

“The diary,” I said, getting their attention. I raced inside.

“Diary?” I heard Alex ask as I disappeared inside.

I’d been reading it earlier and had forgotten to put it away. Or had I? I couldn’t remember now.