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Chapter 8

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"Catherine!"

She sat straight up in her chair, momentarily unaware of her surroundings. Looking down, she saw her research spread before her on the break room table. Turning, she watched as Sara rushed over from the doorway and took the chair next to her.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Catherine sighed. "I guess this whole situation has just worn me out. I need to go home."

"Hey, I understand, trust me. Even I could use some sleep." Getting a smile from Catherine, Sara continued. "But right now, we need to hang out here. Never alone, remember?"

"Yeah. I just feel like it's been forever since I've been home, and Lindsey—"

"Lindsey will be fine! She's with your sister, right?"

Catherine nodded.

"No worries then. Look, give her a call. It's not that late, she'll be home from school by now, and she'd probably love to hear from you. It'll make you feel better, maybe even boost your energy and give you something to work with."

Smiling, Catherine stood. "Thanks, kiddo. Look, I know we haven't always gotten along, but—"

"Yeah, I know, I know! So, call your kid already!"

"Alright! But first, I gotta pee! You're not going to follow me in there, are you?"

"Ewwww! No!"

Laughing at Sara's funny face, Catherine clapped her on the shoulder and headed in the direction of the restrooms, leaving Sara in a giggle fit that could be heard down the hall.

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Catherine was in such a daze, she didn't even remember the drive home. All she could think of was Lindsey and making sure her daughter was safe. She drove with such purpose, she didn't realize she was 15 over the speed limit the entire drive to her sister's. She was so focused on getting to her daughter, she didn't notice the extra car in the driveway. But when she got inside, she sensed danger before anything else.

"Lindsey?" she called.

Silence answered her.

"Lindsey?" she screamed, pulling her weapon.

"Mommy!" came the muffled cry from another room.

Catherine made a mad dash for the family room to find her sister and nephew Jeremy huddled in a corner and Lindsey in the hands of the woman wreaking havoc on her world.

"Let her go or I'll shoot!"

Vivian merely smiled and placed her knife closer to Lindsey's throat.

"Drop it, Catherine. You don't really want to kill someone in front of your daughter, do you?"

"Mommy!" Lindsey sobbed.

"I said let her go, Vivian!"

"Really, Catherine, don't force my hand. You know, I usually find children a few years older than—Lindsey, isn't it?—to fulfill number four, but I could make an exception."

There was a loud thud as Catherine's weapon hit the carpet.

"Don't hurt her, please," she pleaded. "I'll do anything. Just don't hurt her."

Smiling wider, Vivian picked Lindsey up and walked to the door in one swift action, calling for Catherine to follow. Glancing at her sister with a look that said, "I'm sorry," Catherine hurried to her daughter.

When they got to the car, Vivian shoved Lindsey into the back seat and climbed in next to her, telling Catherine to climb into the driver's seat. But before she pulled away, Vivian stopped her.

"Wait," she said with a sinister smile. "You're going to leave the message. Get out your beeper and cell phone. Leave yourself this message: Jer 2 33-34a, 35b."

When Catherine had left the message, Vivian instructed her to toss the pager out onto the grass strip next to the driveway.

"Gently, now. We don't want it to break," the bitch crowed. "Now, get us out of here."

"Gladly," Catherine sneered, peeling out of the street, leaving good tread marks behind her.

'I hope this works,' she thought, taking a last look at what was left of her life shrink into the distance of her rear view mirror.

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