Page 35 of Jane Deyre

Did he follow me here?

Paranoia clings to me like cold sweat. I need to protect myself. How? I run to the bedroom door. Thank God, the knob has a lock. I push the button. But, will it be enough? In all the TV shows and movies I’ve seen, the bad guy can kick the door down.

Maybe I should move the bureau in front of the door. A barricade. I make my way over to it. With both hands and a grunt, I attempt to push it away from the wall; it only moves a smidgeon. The clunky piece of wood furniture weighs a ton. And moving it across the carpet will be impossible. I give up. Impulsively, I yank my vision board off the wall and lean it against the door. I hurry back to my bed and grab the lamp, pulling the cord out of the socket, and fling it onto my bed. Then, manage to carry the night table to the door and place it against my board. As if that’s really going to help.

I sit back down on the edge of the mattress, now armed with what is my only weapon. The lamp. That and my guitar, which is by my feet.

I count the seconds. Waiting for footsteps. A turn of the knob.

He’s coming for me.

Like all the other times.

CHAPTER 20

Jane

Ilift my head and blink my eyes open to the sound of a relentless pitter-patter.

I’m sitting upright against my headboard, and there’s a lamp dangling from my hand. My guitar is next to me.

My vision board and the night table are stacked against the door.

I massage the back of my achy neck. It takes me a few moments to get my bearings.

I’m at Thornhill. The famous estate of legendary actress Edwina Rochester.

The nanny of her godchild, Adele.

The events of last night come at me randomly.

Fainting after hammering my finger.

Sharing wine with Adele’s father, Ward Rochester.

Growing tipsy.

Discovering the locked room.

The storm.

The lightning, the thunder, the weird percussion sounds.

The fear.

They’re all gone now except for the pounding rain on the roof.

I survived the night.

There was no slasher.

No John Reed.

It must have all been my imagination.

Reality sets in.

I’m alive. I’m safe.