Chapter 5

Blood dripped from a cut above her brow, blurring her vision. With trembling fingers, Hudson wiped at the warm substance. The stickiness smeared along the soft fabric of her nightgown. She tried to focus, but could barely hear her own thoughts above the breaths rushing from her mouth.

« It’s God’s plan for you to submit to me. This is your job. The job appointed to you. »

She pressed her lips together, fighting back a scream. The man was obviously deranged and not above violence. Trying to reason with him might only get her in more trouble. But what else could she do ?

The gun.

It would be a huge risk getting to it, but it might be the only thing able to save her life. Blood pummeled through her head. If she didn’t act quick, she may not get the opportunity again. Hudson lunged toward the dresser and thrust her hand inside the top drawer. She fished around until she met the cool touch of steel. Closing her fingers around the barrel, she whipped back to face him, arms outstretched, holding the weapon in front of her. Her hands shook in the dark. She hoped he didn’t know.

« Stay away. » Her mouth formed the words but there was barely enough air in her lungs to push them out.

From somewhere in front of her, a feral noise escaped from the intruder’s throat. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

Another blow slammed into her temple. She crashed to the floor, the top of her head smashing into the nightstand with a clunk. A torrent of pain raced across her skull and down her neck, radiating to her ears. The gun exploded involuntarily, the noise ricocheting around the room with a deafening howl. Stunned, Hudson shook her head, fighting the urge to succumb to the pain.

Without warning, the man straddled her, his hands pinning her arms against the carpet. Her palm snapped opened and the gun slid from her grasp. Hudson thrashed beneath him, but he held her in place.

« What do you want ? » Her words came out a whisper.

The man loomed over her, the warmth of his breath flicking the tip of her nose. « Be alert and sober of mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. » His quiet words spiraled with venom and spite. « Resist him. Stand firm in the faith. Because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. »

Hudson swallowed a sob. « Please ! I don’t understand what you mean ! What do you want from me ? »

The weight of his body lifted.

Hudson sucked in a jagged breath and pushed herself to her elbows. Her eyes hurried around the room. Nothing but darkness surrounded her. Darkness and silence.

He was gone.

Rolling to her knees, she scrambled across the bedroom floor to the bathroom. Once inside, she locked the door and threw herself against the far wall, hugging her knees to her chest. She closed her eyes and invited a familiar melody from the past to emerge from her lips. She rocked back and forth, trying to escape the fear, just as she’d done so many years before.

« The itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the water spout … »

The stranger’s blacker than black shadow shrank from her mind, turning into distant dots.

« Down came the rain and washed the spider out … »

She forced his menacing words from her thoughts. They didn’t make sense anyway. She didn’t want them to make sense. The stench of blood stung her nostrils but she didn’t dare look in the mirror. She didn’t dare move.

« Out came the sun and dried up all the rain … »

Hudson’s stomach clenched. She felt herself slipping but was too afraid let go. Not until she knew she was safe.

« And the itsy-bitsy spider went up the spout again … »

Unable to ward off the sensation any longer, Hudson’s eyes rolled to the back of her head. In the pitch black, her body slumped against the cool laminate of the bathroom floor.

A familiar static exploded from the radio. « Any unit in the vicinity of the Lower West Side, please respond. »

« Dispatch, this is Adam 203. Go ahead. »

« Reports of gunfire in the area. Harrison Place Apartments, West 18th Street. »

« Copy that. Adam 203 en route. »

Officer Myles Young flipped on the light-bar as his partner made a U-turn in the center of the road. Harrison Place was three blocks away, just enough time for him to finish his sandwich.

« Hmmm. » Frank Williams rubbed the smattering of black stubble along his chin. « Don’t normally get called to Harrison Place. » He threw Myles a sideways glance. « Remember, follow my lead. Look confident. One of the worst things a newbie can do is hesitate. It could put you—correction, it could put us—in danger, » he emphasized. « But don’t be cocky, either. No one likes a prick. »Myles nodded and took a sip of his coffee, washing down the last bite of his turkey and swiss. After twenty years on the force, his partner had a been-there-done-that attitude. And since he was barely three months out of the academy, he paid close attention to Frank’s advice. Even though they’d been over this bit at least five hundred times.

« Hey, » Frank said, throwing his hands up in exasperation. « You need to write this shit down. I’m a fountain of valuable information here. »

Myles spit up the drink in his mouth, leaving a dribble of brown along the blue fabric of his uniform. Since when did Frank want him to take notes ? His eyes darted around the cab, searching for something to write on.

Frank laughed, the deep baritone of his voice booming around the car. « Geez-ow. I’m only messin’ with ya. If you take yourself too seriously you’ll have a heart attack before you’re forty. Believe me. I’ve seen it happen more than once. »

Myles dabbed the spot of coffee on his shirt as Frank parked the car in front of a building that had seen better days. After flipping off the lights, the men stepped onto the curb, their eyes moving over red bricks held together by crumbling gray mortar.

A middle-aged woman with pink foam rollers in her hair appeared at the door. « The gunshots came from in here, » she said, gesturing for them to come inside. « Fourth floor, turn left. Room 314 will be on your right. »

Frank and Myles began to climb the stairs, hands hovering above their holsters.

« The girl who rents the apartment lives there by herself. I’m next door to her in 312. My name’s Jenni Pelton, by the way, » she said, following after them. « That’s Jenni with an ‘i’ not a ‘y’. Just so you know, for your records, I mean, I never see anyone coming or going. She’s pretty quiet. Keeps to herself. I think she’s a painter or something. Do you think someone broke in ? Or, oh no, maybe she shot herself ? Do ya think that’s it ? You just never know about people these days … » Her voice trailed off in distrust.

Frank shot Myles a look. « Look, Mrs. Pelton—« 

« That’s Ms, not Mrs, » she interrupted.

« I’m sorry, Ms. Pelton. » Frank shot a look at Myles as they continued up the steps. « We’re going to need you to wait downstairs. I’m not sure what’s going on up there and I’d hate for you to get hurt. »

« You mean, like in a crossfire ? » Her dull, brown eyes lit up with long-overdue excitement. « I’m a big fan of NCIS. Huge, in fact ! Got the whole series on Blu Ray. Don’t trust those streaming services. You know ? No siree Bob. You want me to BOLO ? I can watch out to see if anyone tries to escape while you’re up there. »

Frank let out a sigh of frustration. « Sure, just stay downstairs. Okay ? »

« You got it, officer. You know, I thought about going into law enforcement when I was young, » she called after them. « I’d have made one helluva cop. » Ms. Pelton hobbled down the stairs, her fluffy pink robe clinging to ample hips.

« Everyone’s a cop, » Frank muttered under his breath.

When they came to room 314, Frank pulled his gun and Myles followed suit. With legs in a wide stance, Frank rapped his knuckles on the door. « Police, » he called out. « Anyone in there ? »

Silence met his question.

Frank tried again. « This is the police. Is there anyone in there ? Open the door or we’re coming in. » After a long pause, he twisted the doorknob. It jiggled in response but didn’t budge.

Frank gave him a nod. Myles stepped back, then lunged toward the wooden door, shoulder first. The frame cracked, giving way against the force. Blackness filled the apartment, except for the sliver of moonlight cutting through the open window. The curtains swayed back and forth in the humid night breeze.

Myles’ gaze swept across the floor-plan as his eyes adjusted to the dark. He held his breath, listening for movement. The only sound he heard came from the flared nostrils of his partner.

Frank motioned for Myles to take one side of the apartment while he took the opposite. With his weapon poised in a two-handed grip, Myles crept through the quiet, his heart stuck in his throat. So far in his short career, he’d drawn his gun every day, and every day the threat of nausea loomed in his gut.

Living room empty. Kitchen empty. It wasn’t long before Myles and Frank met at an open doorway that lead to what he imagined was the bedroom.

His partner stretched his arm inside, his hand feeling along the wall for a switch. The room illuminated with light. Myles squinted, the surge of brightness harsh after so much dark.

Empty. Only one possibility left.

Their eyes focused on the closed door to the right. Frank turned the handle, but the door didn’t budge. His eyebrows arched. « Have at it, rookie. My body’s getting too old for this shit. »

Myles smirked and tossed brown bangs from his forehead. He positioned himself in front of the door. On the silent count of three, he threw his bulk into the particle board. The frame splintered in several jagged pieces.

When they stepped inside, his gaze dropped to the blood-covered girl lying crumpled on the bathroom floor.