Chapter 14

After dinner I get ready for bed. The snow is really coming down outside. My mom and I have called Taylor’s parents; Taylor was recovering and stable. They said I could visit her in the morning.

Christmas day was tomorrow and it barely mattered. In the morning I would go to the police station with dad, and then we would swing by the hospital to check on Taylor.

“Rachel, can we talk?” my sister says as she comes in my room and sits on my bed. “What a crazy day huh?”

“Crazy is an understatement! It feels like this day has gone on for a week with so many things going wrong.”

“Did you see how mad the Whitmore’s got at dinner?”

“They’re usually so calm. He got so mad when Steve was implying that he was the bad guy!”

“I don’t know Rachel, maybe Steve is onto something.”

I look at my sister in shock.

She continues “they are next door neighbors, and his name is Scott. What if it was him that snuck over there? It would explain how he was able to get away so quickly!”

I think about it for a minute. “It would make sense if the person lived nearby. Whoever hurt her was at the mall with us, and he tried to run me over at the church.” I reason out loud. “If it was an out of town relative, how would he be able to know where we would be?”

“He could have been stalking you.”

“Maybe. But I didn’t notice anyone new following me around lately.”

Jane goes to the window and looks through the blinds towards Mrs. Wheeler’s house. “I wonder what would cause Mr. Whitmore to attack Mrs. Wheeler? Maybe Steve is wrong. Scott is the choir director at the church. Maybe it really is just a coincidence.”

“Will you come with dad and me to the police station and hospital?”

“I wouldn’t miss it. I’m here for you sis.” Jane says with a wink as she heads out the door.

We may fight all the time, but I am glad I have my sister on my side through all of this. She’s a smart girl, even if nobody believes me, they will definitely believe Jane.

I turn off my lights and get in bed under my covers. I doze off, comforted by the thought that tomorrow the police will know the name of the guy that did it and hopefully track him down.

I am not asleep for long before I jolt awake. My room is pitch black, illuminated only by the light from the moon. There is a chill in the room, and I realize that my window is open.

Not only that, but I feel like someone is watching me! I try my best to look around the room in the darkness.

“You should have minded your own business” I hear someone snarl in anger. A figure emerges from the corner and I quickly realize it’s Mr. Whitmore.

“First the hag and now you. You’ll learn real quick not to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong!”

Before I can respond he lunges towards me, wrapping his hands around my neck, squeezing as hard as he can.

I thrash around in my bed, trying to get out from under him but he’s too strong. He’s trying to kill me! The realization that this is the end for me is the last thought I have before I black out.