Free Bone Cold by Erica Spindler Page B

person is behind this, don’t you?”
    â€œI know it sounds crazy, but I…do you think it could be?”
    Dalton pulled her closer, shooting a narrow-eyed glance at the other man. “It’s highly improbable, I should think.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Bill agreed. “Why would Kurt come after you now? So much time has passed.”
    â€œUnfinished business,” she whispered. “To get even with me for screwing up his plans.”
    Again her friends fell silent. This time, Bill spoke first. “Let’s think this through, Anna. I understand your fears and why you would feel threatened by this man. But why would he want to force you out?”
    â€œThat’s right,” Dalton spoke up. “If Kurt wanted some sort of revenge, why not just have it? Kidnap you again? Kill you?”
    â€œThanks a lot, Dalton.” She forced a weak smile. “Remind me to have burglar bars installed.”
    Bill frowned. “Kurt coming after you simply doesn’t make sense, Anna. Look at the facts. Twenty-three yearshave passed. This Kurt has no doubt gone on to other crimes. He may be imprisoned. Or dead.”
    She rubbed her fingers over her deformed hand. “I want to believe it, but…I have this awful feeling he’s found me.”
    â€œYou have to go to the police.” Dalton looked at Bill for affirmation. He got it and returned his gaze to Anna’s. “The sooner the better.”
    â€œThe police,” she repeated. “And what do I tell them? That someone is sending cryptic notes and copies of my novels to my friends? Come on, I’d be laughed out of the place.”
    â€œNo, you go to them with your suspicions. With your past and the recent turn of events, I hardly think they’ll laugh.”
    â€œI agree,” Bill said. “If nothing else, it’ll serve as a kind of heads-up. What do you have to lose?”
    Truth was, she didn’t have a lot of confidence in the police—or in the FBI. If not for their bumbling, she believed Timmy would be alive today.
    But Anna didn’t tell them that. Instead, she murmured, “I’ll think about it. Okay?”
    â€œPromise me,” Dalton said, tone fierce. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
    â€œAll right, I’ll think about it. I promise.”
    They talked a while more, then after Anna assured them she would be fine alone, they stood to leave.
    On his way out the door, Bill stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. “How did Jaye take the news?” he asked. “She can be so sensitive.”
    Anna froze. Amazingly, until that moment, she hadn’t thought of Jaye. And from the calls she’d received, it seemed all the important people in her life had been contacted. Had Jaye?
    She swallowed hard, a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Jaye, whose trust had been so hard to win. Jaye, who had been lied to by everyone she had ever loved or trusted. Jaye, who would perceive Anna’s secret as a lie and yet another betrayal in a life filled with them.
    Anna said goodbye to her friends and ran for the phone. She checked the answering machine, found her young friend had not called and quickly dialed her number.
    Jaye refused to come to the phone.
    Devastated, Anna told Jaye’s foster mother that she was coming over. It was imperative that she speak with the girl as soon as possible.
    Anna flew to Jaye’s, making it to her mid-city neighborhood in record time. The entire way she gripped the steering wheel tightly and repeated a prayer in her head that it was going to be okay, that she could make Jaye understand why she had kept her past a secret from her.
    But she saw right away that she couldn’t make Jaye understand, that she couldn’t make it okay. “I can explain, Jaye.”
    â€œThere’s nothing to explain.” Jaye hiked up her chin. “I trusted you and you lied to me.”
    â€œI