Fatal Desire, Teen Edition
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Authors: Emma Grace
Tags: #romance, #love, #murder, #mystery, #mystery suspense
By Emma Grace
Copyright 2013 Emma Grace
Smashwords Edition
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Table of Contents
♥
Prologue
♥
He didn’t like to kill. It was simply a
gruesome necessity. Fortunately he did enjoy the planning and the
cover up. He liked the challenge of making the kill look like an
accident. No one would ever discover he was the one sending them
all to an early death.
He heaved a huge sigh as he finished pushing
the car to the edge of the cliff. If he had done his job properly,
the authorities would believe Jesse Chunn had lost control of his
vehicle and plunged to his death. No one would suspect Jesse had
been killed because he had gotten too close to his girl. No one was
allowed near his girl.
His girl. He thought about the one who
obsessed his every waking thought. He could see her now. He loved
the way her blond hair shined in the sun and seemed to glow around
her lovely face. But nothing compared to her beautiful, changeable
green eyes. They could be so bright when she was laughing and in a
good mood or dark when she was worried or upset. He was looking
forward to the day he would see them when she was aroused and in
love.
Suddenly, he heard a car coming. Throwing his
weight against the back of Jesse’s car, he gave a huge shove. Just
before head lights came around the corner, the car rolled off the
cliff and he dove behind a bush narrowly missing being discovered.
He berated himself for letting her invade his thoughts again while
he should be concentrating on the job at hand. As the car drove by,
he could hear Jesse’s car crashing against the rocks below. He
smiled to himself, rose from behind the bush, and dusted himself
off. One of these days she would learn not to cross him.
She was on the run again. She didn’t know
where she was going but she knew she had to get there fast. Afraid
to stop for fear he would find her again, she had been driving for
thirteen hours straight and she was getting tired. She kept
checking behind her and was sure no one was following but somehow
he always found her.
She decided to drive another hour then find a
place to sleep for the night before continuing on. She would look
at the map and decide where to go next. Somewhere she could
disappear again.
Twenty-eight year old Amber Curtis sighed as
she thought back to when her life had been less complicated. She
had grown up in a small town in Alma, Georgia, where her parents
had met and fell in love. She was an only child and had been
lovingly doted on until a gruesome car accident had taken both
parents from her at the tender age of eighteen.
Because of her parents careful planning and
strategic financial investments, Amber was able to go to college
and find a job she really enjoyed. She had wanted to be a nurse for
as long as she could remember and her parents had made sure she was
able to see that dream to fruition even though they would not be
there to see it happen.
Amber continued to think back to her hometown
as she drove. Her best friend throughout high school, Olivia
Carnes, had seen her through that first tough year after losing her
parents. They went to college together, started their first job
together, and were rarely seen apart from the day they met until
that fateful day Amber decided she had to leave Alma.
Amber smiled as she thought of Olivia. She
missed her so much, but never more than when she was on the run.
Amber knew she could not call her until she got settled somewhere.
Olivia was the only person she still kept in touch with and only
because she needed her best friend in her life. She would not have
been able to endure these lonely days without Olivia.
She missed the lunch dates, the short
vacations, the long phone calls, and the girl’s night in when they
watched their favorite television shows with a bowl of popcorn and
a glass of wine. Olivia and she had been friends for ten years
before Amber went on the run. Amber had only gone home one time in
the past four years and that had been for Olivia’s wedding.
And now Olivia was expecting. Would Amber be
able to see the child? Would she be able to hold her best friend’s
baby in her arms? Amber sighed again. These long lonely drives were
the hardest. She couldn’t stop to talk with anyone and wherever she
decided to live she would not be able to make friends. She had
learned that the hard way. He had made sure of that.
She didn’t know how he always found her. She
didn’t even know who he was. It began about five years ago when
Amber started receiving cards and flowers. The notes were signed by
a secret admirer. Olivia and she had thought it romantic and fun at
first and tried to find out who might be behind the gifts.
Then the sweet gestures tuned into threats
towards her friends and coworkers. Anyone she was close to seemed
to be having accidents that seriously injured them. Each time one
of her friends was hurt, Amber would receive another letter letting
her know her friend had been injured because of her. He didn’t want
her to have friends. He was trying to cut her off from everyone she
knew. And it had worked.
Amber started closing herself off from
friends and coworkers and even refused to hang around with Olivia
afraid of what would happen. Olivia talked her into going to the
police but Amber was told there was nothing that could be done
unless the guy physically harmed her. Then, Olivia was in a serious
car accident that almost took her life. The note that came next
sent Amber on the run.
I warned you and now look what you have done. If
you
go to the cops again I will kill her. I know what
she means
to you and I will make sure she suffers before I
take her life.
Do not cross me again, or else!!
It was never signed and Amber had no idea who
would be that obsessed with her. She didn’t consider herself very
pretty. She had dirty blond hair that never seemed to fix properly,
plain green eyes, and a square chin that made her look too stubborn
for her own good. At least that is what her mother would tell her.
She could not understand why any man would want to take her away
from her friends. But she would not allow any more people to get
hurt because of her.
Amber went to visit Olivia in the hospital
and was there by her bed when she was finally awake. She could not
leave before telling her goodbye.
“I just don’t understand why you think you
have to leave,” Olivia said.
“Because I received another letter, Olivia.
You were not in an accident. You were hit on purpose. You were
nearly killed because of me and this guy is not going to stop,”
Amber responded. She continued to hold Olivia’s hand as she told
her what the note said.
Amber watched the emotions that played across
her best friend's face. Olivia's long, chestnut hair was spread
across her pillow. Her dark brown eyes showed the concern she was
feeling for Amber.
“Have you taken the letter to the police,”
asked Olivia. “Surely they will believe you now. You have actual
proof this time.”
“No, Olivia, I will not take a chance that he
might really kill you next time. I'm going away."
"But how? What will you do," Olivia asked
looking scared.
"I’m a nurse. I can get a job almost anywhere
and I still have the money mom and dad left me. I'll be fine.”
Olivia sighed. “I know you’re right but I am
going to miss you so much. What if that crazy maniac finds
you?”
“I’ll be careful. I will leave in the middle
of the night and make sure no one is following me.” Amber gave a
weak smile. Leaving her best friend and the place she grew up would
be almost as hard as losing her parents.
Amber hugged Olivia one last time and went
home to try to get a little sleep. She had already packed, paid all
of her bills, rented her house and was ready for whatever lay
ahead. She had the alarm on her phone set to 2 a.m. and hoped
whoever was watching her would not realize she was gone until it
was too late.
Amber left her small hometown and drove
through Georgia and crossed the Alabama state line. She had
searched online and had seen some job postings at a hospital in
Birmingham. She thought she might be able to get lost in a big city
so she would start there.
She was able to find a job and an apartment
within a week and settled into her new life quickly. She waited a
month before calling Olivia to let her know where she was and what
was happening in her life.
“Oh honey, that is wonderful! Have you made
any friends yet,” Olivia asked.
“No, I am still just settling in and learning
my way around. I'm not used to living in such a large city. Tell me
how you are. I miss you,” Amber said.
“I’m doing well. I’ve been able to go back to
work and I am completely healed from the accident. Everyone is
still asking about you,” Olivia told her.
“Please don’t tell them where I am or why I
left,” Amber cried.
“No, I wouldn’t do that. I usually act just
as shocked as they are that you just up and quit and disappeared
the way you did. I won’t give that creep any reason to find you. I
just wish I knew who it was,” Olivia said.
“I know. Maybe this will all blow over and I
will be able to come back home soon,” Amber said.
“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. There is a
new guy working at the hospital. He went to school with us,” Olivia
asked.
“Who is he,” asked Amber.
“His name is Patrick Green. He was in some of
our classes in college but he was always so shy. I don't know if
you remember him or not. That was right after your parents died,”
Olivia said.
“I don’t remember much about that first year
of college after my parents died. What about him” asked Amber.
“Well, he just recently got a job here at the
hospital and we have been talking. He is taking me out tomorrow
night. I am so excited, Amber. Do you know how long it has been
since I have had a date?”
Amber laughed. “Five months, fourteen days,
three hours, and twenty-two minutes.”
Olivia laughed as well. “Oh, Amber. I miss
you so much. Please be careful and stay in touch. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Good luck on your date.”
Amber hung up the phone and sighed. She really did miss Olivia.
Amber had lived in Birmingham for four months
and was really beginning to love the city and the people she worked
with. Most of them were as friendly as those she had worked with in
her hometown. She started to make a few friends and would
occasionally go out with a few girls for drinks on Friday
night.
Michelle Hampton and Nicole Oliver were the
two ladies Amber worked with the most often. The three had formed a
nice bond that made them friends as well as coworkers. They would
eat lunch together, share stories about themselves, and help each
other through their rounds at the hospital.
Nicole and Michelle were close to her own age
and it made for an enjoyable work day. The girls shared many of the
same interests. They had even begun to plan a small vacation
together when the weather turned nicer.
She continued to stay in touch with Olivia at
least once a week and enjoyed getting updates on the new man in her
life. Olivia and Patrick were really hitting it off and Olivia
sounded happy. Amber was so glad she had someone to turn to now
that she could not be there for her. Olivia assured Amber she had
not told anyone they were keeping in touch and still had no idea
who was stalking her. There was no one person asking about her any
more than the others.