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The screams still echoed in my ears.
Chapter14
Something touched my shoulder and I jumped, shrieking in fright. David’s anxious face was bent over mine when my eyes flew open.
“Ellie, are you all right?”
I sucked in deep breaths to control my panic. “We have to stop it.” I tried to get up, but he grabbed my arm and held me down.
“You’re okay. It was only a dream.”
The woman’s screams still haunted me, and I shook my head as a new fear was added to the long-standing ones. “No. No, it wasn’t. I need my phone.”
David released me as I jumped up and grabbed my cell phone from my purse on the kitchen counter. I fumbled for Claire’s number with shaky fingers.
David moved next to me. “Ellie, who are you calling? It’s two o’clock in the morning.”
I ignored him.
Claire answered on the fourth ring, sounding panicked. “Ellie?What’s wrong?”
I collapsed onto the bar stool. “Thank God. You’re okay.”
“What happened?”
“Donotgo outside. Promise me you won’t go outside for any reason at all tonight.Do you understand?” I knew I was coming across as angry, but I had to get through to her.
“Okay, I won’t. But what’s going on? You’re scaring me.”
“That thing that’s ripping out animals’ hearts is going to have a human victim tonight.” My voice shook. “I had to check on you.”
David gasped beside me, his eyes widening.
“Oh, God,” Claire whispered. “What can I do?”
“Just stay inside.Please. I have to go. I need to check on Myra. I called you first because I figured you were more likely to be out at this hour.”
“I’m okay, Ellie. I promise I won’t go outside until daybreak.”
“Not until you see the entire sun.”
“Okay, I promise.”
I hung up and pulled up Myra’s number next.
David leaned in toward me. “How do you know for sure that it’s going to kill someone tonight?”
“My neighbor’s dog told me.” I knew it sounded absurd but worrying about whether Dr. David Preston believed me had gone down a few notches on my priority list.
“Ellie, are you okay?” Myra’s anxious voice filled my ear.
“Oh, thank God you’re okay.”
“Ellie. What’s going on?”
“Promise me you won’t leave until the sun comes up…and you can’t let anyone else leave either.”
“What’s going on, Ellie?”
