Free Silence: The Faces of Evil Christmas Prequel by Debra Webb

posed even more risks. Her best chance of survival was if Jess drove her to town. She could call for help as soon as she had cell service but there was no time to wait.
    None of that mattered to Marie Duncan. Her only concern was for her sister. Jess scrubbed at her aching forehead. She needed Marie’s cooperation. “Okay, we’ll get Bonita out first.”
    Potter laughed.
    Jess glared at her.
    “You’re wasting precious time, Harris,” Potter taunted.
    Then Jess smelled it... smoke .
    She rushed to the stairs, taking them two at a time, Potter’s laughter following her. The stairs led into the kitchen. The room was full of smoke. Flames were eating away at the wall between the kitchen and whatever was on the other side. The living room, she thought.
    “Dammit!” Jess ran to the back door and wrenched it open.
    The sky was dark but the full moon illuminated the snow.
    “Shit!” She hurried back down the stairs. There was no time. She had to get Marie out of this basement.
    Potter laughed even louder. Jess ignored her. She shoved the Glock into the waistband of her slacks and reached into the cage for Marie.
    She drew away. “Help my sister first.”
    Jess searched the woman’s eyes, needed her to see the truth in her words as she spoke. “Marie, your sister is dead. You have to come with me now. The house is on fire and we have to get out of here.”
    Marie shook her head. “I won’t leave her.”
    “Listen to me, Marie,” Jess said more firmly, “I’m with the FBI. You have to do as I say now.”
    “If you had a sister you’d understand,” Marie said, her voice growing weaker. “I can’t leave her. I won’t leave her.”
    “Goodbye, Agent Harris!” Potter taunted. “We’re all going to die.”

 
    11
    Christmas Eve
    Birmingham, 9:00 p.m.
    Dan swept her into his arms. Jess curled hers around his neck, her fingers threaded into his hair. How many times had she dreamed of touching him this way? The way she had a thousand times before. Her mind had relived over and over, even when she didn’t want to, the memories permanently etched across her heart and soul.
    He carried her away from the door. She drew back from his kiss to get her bearings. They moved into his bedroom. Fear or maybe good sense shook her. What was she doing?
    He must have felt her tension because before she could protest, he settled her on the foot of his bed and dropped to his knees. “I’ve missed you so much, Jess.”
    His hands cupped her face and he tenderly kissed her cheeks, her chin, and down the column of her throat. His beard rasped against her skin, sending shivers cascading over her. Heat stirred, chasing away the cold that nothing else had been able to touch in the last twenty-four hours.
    His fingers trailed down her arms, his warm lips stilled at the base of her throat. He reached up, caressed her bruised skin softly. “Who hurt you?”
    She didn’t want to talk about that. In that pivotal moment she understood that what she wanted was to forget about those hours in that basement... to forget about all the years that stood between her and this man. She wanted to feel those wonderful sensations only Dan could ignite in her. She wanted him. Now. No talking.
    She grasped the hem of her sweater and pulled it up and off while he watched, worry still lining his beautiful face. She tossed the garment aside. “No more talking.”
    He tugged at the buttons of his shirt, kissing her even as his fingers fumbled with one closure after the other. She reached behind her, unfastened her bra and let it fall away. He made a sound in his throat that emboldened her further. She no longer cared what day it was or how much time had passed since they had been together like this.
    His fingers splayed across her torso, caressed her as his mouth tortured her breasts. She surrendered to the pleasure. Every tug of his lips had the ache between her thighs growing more and more unbearable.
    He dragged off her shoes, helped her to her feet,