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1
Today
Saturday, April 17
7:15 a.m.
Birmingham
The rear passenger door slammed, and she was alone in the back seat of the car. The driver glanced at her in his rearview mirror.
She looked away. Pretended she wasn’t afraid. But she was. She had never been more afraid in her life.
This neighborhood was one she’d been to before but only to this one house. The house where bad things were kept secret ... where empty eyes stared out from the walls and something evil lived.
Her body began to shake. She tried to stop it. Couldn’t.
No one else is going to die. No one. Not again.
She told herself these things over and over. Today it would end.
No more hiding the truth. No more secrets.
Her gaze shifted to the bag on the floor. She’d never seen this bag before. Plain. Black. Like something for carrying a laptop.
She glanced beyond the car window to the house. This might be her only opportunity to look inside. Snooping in other people’s bags wasn’t a very nice thing to do. She’d been taught better. But she had to be sure.
After leaning forward, she unzipped the bag with shaking hands, then pulled the sides open wider.
The shiny blade of a big knife reflected the sun streaming through the windows. Duct tape and a large crumpled garbage bag were stuffed beneath it.
A new blast of fear rushed through her veins.
No. No. No. She shook her head.No!
No one else could die.
I don’t want to die.
Turning fourteen hadn’t made her as brave as she’d thought. She had to run ... she should never have taken that call. She should have stayed home and not sneaked out of the house.
She had to find a way to contact her mom and ...
The car’s rear passenger door opened once more.
It was too late.
2
Five Days Earlier
Monday, April 12
10:30 a.m.
Leo’s Tobacconist
Oak Grove Road
