Page 148

I stood up carefully, testing my balance. The room swayed a little, but I managed to stay upright. With my ankles tied together, I had to take tiny shuffle steps, but I could move.

The laptop was still open on the kitchen table. I made my way over to it as quickly as I could manage and looked at the screen.

Fuck. It had the screensaver on.

I wondered if my purse and cell phone were around, but I wasn’t going to take the time to look for them. Right now, I needed to get my slow ass moving. I shuffled to the kitchen to find a knife.

I started opening drawers when I found the knives. The only one that my tied hands could handle was the paring knife.

It wasn't very big, but the blade was sharp enough. I picked it up carefully, trying not to cut myself with my hands still bound, and made my way back to the couch.

Cutting the ropes turned out to be harder than I'd expected. The drug was still making me clumsy, and twice I nearly dropped the knife.

Finally, I managed to position the blade against the rope around my left wrist and began sawing back and forth. It was slow going, and my wrists were getting scraped by the rope as I worked, but gradually I could feel it starting to give way.

When the rope finally snapped, the relief was incredible. I rubbed my raw wrists, trying to get the circulation flowing again. Then I quickly cut the ropes around my ankles.

I was free.

Now I just had to get out of here before Glenda came back.

I gave myself one minute to look around for my purse, my phone, anything that might help me figure out where I was or call for help. But I didn't see any of my belongings anywhere. Glenda must have left them in the trunk or hidden them somewhere I couldn't find.

I went to the front door and stepped outside. I could see the lake through the trees. I couldn’t see a path down to it, just a dirt road leading away from the cabin with tire tracks on it. I had no idea how much time had passed, but I didn’t want to be on that road when Glenda could be driving back to the cabin. My best shot was hiding in the woods. I knew damn good and well that Graham and the guys would have a lock on this place before the day was out. My job was to stay away from Betty Psycho Crocker until then.

I turned and headed to the back of the cabin and saw a clearing, then the tree line. Before I could get to the trees, I heard a car engine.

Fuck!

I needed to get a move on.

Had I closed the cabin door?

“Joy!” Glenda shrieked.

Guess that answered that question. I’d left the cabin door open.

“Where are you, Joy? Are you playing hide and seek?”

Oh, she didn’t sound so good. No, she sounded like every single horror movie I’d ever watched. The ones where the lady tried to use candy to lure you to the bad guy.

I didn't wait to hear any more. I took off running into the trees. Behind me, I could hear her shouting my name, her voice getting more and more frantic. Luckily, I didn’t hear her getting closer, which had to mean she hadn’t realized I’d headed for the woods.

I stopped and leaned against a tree. I was done for. That sprint had taken all I had. I really was sick from the fake vomiting and the headache and that fucking medicine.

“Joy!”

Shit!

Where had she come from? She sounded close.

I started to run again.

“Joy. You weren’t sick, were you? It was all an act.”

Shit!

“You made a fool out of me.”