Free Shiver by Cynthia Cooke Page A

turn…to run.
    Slowly, she approached, telling herself how silly she was, how ridiculous. Her heart started pounding, and as she stared down at the perfect yellow daisy lying in the middle of the path, she realized she couldn’t move, she couldn’t swallow. Images flashed through her mind— Tommy placing a yellow daisy behind her ear, ice-cold water tumbling over the rocks. She heard laughter—hers, his. Then she saw him, crumpling before her, his blood splattering her blouse. A guttural cry emitted from her chest and she dropped to her knees. The pain of the rocks pushing into her skin pushed back the long-buried memories and brought her reeling back to the present. She picked up the daisy, to prove to herself it couldn’t hurt her, that it was just a flower, then wiped its soft petals across a tear on her cheek. It was a coincidence, that was all. Yellow daisies are common, they’re found everywhere. She peered through the dense greenery. Just not here.
    The slight crackle of leaves broke into her thoughts. She listened intently. There it was again. A footstep? A fist of fear clutched her heart and squeezed. “Is anyone there?” she tried to call, but her voice came out no louder than a hoarse whisper.
    Silence answered her. Complete silence. There was no sound at all. Not even the raucous noise of insects or the chirping of birds. Something was wrong. “Hello,” she called again, a slight quiver to her voice drawing out the syllables.
    Bushes rattled behind her. She stood, turning, her breath catching in her throat, her mouth opening to scream. A bird burst through the leaves and flew into the sky. Shocked, she stared at it, then took a deep breath and tried to settle her nerves. Only a bird.
    “Hey, there you are,” Riley said as he turned a corner in the path. “You hungry?” He held up the bag of food LuAnn had packed.
    She nodded and tried to school her expression so he wouldn’t see her fear. There had been no one there, she told herself. She’d let her imagination run away with her. He was giving her an odd look, staring at her with speculation lighting his eyes. She tried to smile, but couldn’t shake the tingling at the back of her neck or the sensation that someone was watching her.
    “Is everything all right?” Riley asked.
    “Yes,” she said and stopped herself from taking another look over her shoulder.
    “What’s that you’ve got?” He gestured toward her hand. She held up the daisy, clutched too tightly in her grasp.
    “Just a flower I found on the path. A gardener must have dropped it.”
    Riley frowned, his look setting her teeth on edge.
    “What is it?”
    “I don’t recall seeing daisies on the estate.”
    His words brought fear surging back through her veins. The flower slipped through her fingers as a tremor rushed through her. He picked up the flower, then stared at it for a moment.
    “I bet it fell out of one of LuAnn’s arrangements.”
    “That must be it,” Devra said and viciously rubbed the chill out of her arms. Keep moving, she thought. Don’t let him see your fear.
    They continued down the river path, walking in silence. She used all her inner strength to try to pull herself together. Coincidences happen all the time, she thought. Of course LuAnn’s bouquets had daisies in them—perfect, beautiful, yellow daisies. With shaky fingers, she picked a star jasmine blossom as she passed a massive vine and inhaled its sweet scent.
    “Why’d you leave the house?” Riley asked. “Did LuAnn say something to upset you?”
    She looked up. “No, of course not. She seems like a very nice woman. I just needed air. I’m sure your family is lovely.”
    His eyes caught hers, sending a fluttery heat through her tense muscles. “They are nice. And very important to me. I’ll do anything for them.”
    Even railroad an innocent woman? Unbidden, the thought sliced through her. Even if she had managed to get away from a killer, what exactly had she gotten herself into