pte

see Avery?" I asked. I leaned back in the seat. I could feel the exhaustion of the last few days sucking at me. After gassing up the car and refueling myself at the diner, I drove in the direction of Matheso

d the feeling paying cash for overnight accommodations might make me stand out. I knew there were motels that would take cash for the night, but I also knew Swift would remember I had cash on me and start looking in those places

ck in. Luckily, my pre-paid one counted. There I showered and slept fitfully, scenes from the Mayenfield cemetery rising up to disturb my rest. I didn't intend Matheson's death, but I knew I was responsible. Mixed in with the dreams was the constan

In the five days I had been running, I stopped twice more, each time only managing enough sleep so that I didn't fall asleep at the wheel. I was

dn't know the range of the dead in the Matheson family cemetery, but something told me they would make an attempt to track me down if I ra

d headed up to the house I caught a flash of silver in the woods and wondered if those in the cemetery

metery. "I suppose it's a welcoming gesture, " I said to myself. As I drove through the gates and followed the given directions to the garage, the gates swung closed behind me. I tried not to thin

led the keys from the ignition and slid out of the car as the silver haired man closed the garage doo

bag for you Miss?" The

bag. I opened the back door and picked it up

hould you not wish to provide your name. My family has worked for the

shone underfoot, rich wood gleamed and everything practically shouted the words 'priceless antiques' as we proceeded into the house. Marble floors were soon covered with thick Turkish carpets and I thought of the memo

h for a kid raised in the Riv

up a set of stairs. One flight and a short corridor later, he opened the door to a suite of rooms, leading me inside. As we entered, I spotted a matronly l

more than anything and I can see they had the right of it, " she said l

to stifle a yawn. Without the outside cold to slap me

night stand. I nodded numbly and Avery and the woman I guessed to be Mrs. Avery left me alone. I let my duffle bag slide to the floor and feeling somewhat paranoid I walked to the door and turned the lock. While I was certain the couple probably had the k

o my ears. I yawned and felt my jaw pop. "Of course if I tried that now, I'd slip beneath the surface an

newspaper wadding beneath the logs. I contemplated it, but like the bath, I figured it would be more enjoyable once I was rested. There was a set of double doors across

mber a number while I'm here, " I said pulling back the sheets. I dropped my hat, coat, jeans and bra into a heap next to my duffle bag and climbed into the monster four poster wearing just my t-shirt. Next to the bed there was a light switch and I

s. "And if he gained entry I'm sure I could either slip out the back or hide somewhere." Somehow this house seemed like the sort that would have hidden spaces in it, although the tho