Kill Jill Read Online Free Page B

computer.
    Laptop computer?
    She plugs the power cable into the outlet, hits the on button, waits for it to power up. Spends the next thirty minutes typing everything she knows about Jack into three different search engines, but nothing comes up.
    That’s a good thing. If his plane crashed, it would have been reported by now. But the fact he’s not here could mean someone killed him and dumped his body in a swamp.
    She turns off the computer, walks to the ladder, climbs the first step…
    …And hears someone kick the back door open!
    She starts to flip the light off, then decides it’s safer to keep it on. At least she won’t trip over something and make a noise.
    She crosses the floor, sits on the cot, loads the gun. Listens to the heavy footsteps moving slowly down the hall above her. Hears a man’s voice calling to her in a mocking way.
    “Are you hiding, Emma? I know you’re in here. Come out, come out, wherever you are! Emma?”
    She knows exactly where he is by his footsteps and running commentary.
    “Are you in the laundry room? No? How about the coat closet? No? Maybe you’re in the powder room? No? Could you possibly be hiding behind…the couch ? No? Where are you, Emma?”
    Even though his voice is high and creepy, she can tell he’s a big man. He’s almost certainly drunk, as well.
    “Are you upstairs, Emma?”
    She hears him climb the steps.
    “What’s up here, Emma? A bedroom? Another bathroom? Maybe I’ll give you a bath. Would you like that, Emma?”
    He continues speaking in a weird, sing-song voice, but he’s too far away for her to make out the exact words.
    Until he comes back down the stairs.
    She hears him walking directly above her, hears him open the door to the closet above her, where the freezer is kept.
    “Don’t tell me you’re hiding in the freezer!”
    She doesn’t hear him turn the closet light on, or open the freezer, but she assumes he does. She lifts the gun, aims it at the top of the built-in ladder. She can literally see the bottom of the freezer. If he happens to pull it toward him and lean over it, he’ll see the open area that leads to the secret room. If Jack’s gun works, she’ll blow him away as he descends the ladder.
    He’ll have no chance of surviving if he descends the ladder.
    If Jack’s gun works.
    If she has the guts to pull the trigger.
    She doesn’t hear him close the freezer, or turn off the light, but she does hear him close the closet door.
    “I saved the master bedroom for last,” he says.
    Emma gives a sigh of relief when she hears him say, “Are you under the bed? No? How about the bedroom closets? No? The bathroom? Are you hiding in the shower, Emma? I hope you’re naked! I surely do hope you’re naked!”
    A moment goes by quietly, then she hears him say, “My, my! What do we have here?”
    Then he goes quiet.
    She knows he’s up there, in the master bedroom, but doing what?
    Hiding?
    Waiting for her to return?
    Time passes.
    No problem, she can wait him out. Thank God she was in the secret room when he showed up. She can sit tight for weeks, if need be.
    Emma waits patiently for another twenty minutes, then hears a pop. The type of pop that can only come from…
    Her balloons ! The bastard has her balloons !
    A moment passes, then…
    Pop!
    Emma makes a face, squeezes her eyes shut, tries to force her mind not to think about the scent of latex, the texture, the…
    Pop!
    Her face flushes hot. She swallows. Feels her nipples grow hard as she imagines the life force filling a balloon. But what shape? What size? What color? Not knowing which ones he selected is making her crazy.
    Pop!
    Oh!
    She’s…
    Pop!
    Oh, my God !
    She’s… Omigod ! Did she just have an accident?
    She did.
    But…did she scream?
    No. At least, she doesn’t think so.
    But if he pops another one she will. Because that will take her to Multiple Land, a place she’s never been.
    She listens carefully.
    Is he blowing up another one?
    If he is, she’s toast.
    She