WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO ME?

I can’t breathe, Pam thought.

I’m too terrified to breathe.

Who is it? What is he going to do?

The tall hedge seemed to surround her, bend in on her, suffocate her.

Don’t panic. Don’t panic. Don’t panic.

Got to think.

Got to find a way to get free.

Her eyes darted to the house above the sloping lawn. Please—somebody be there. Somebody—help me.

But the house was dark. The curtains were pulled.

The gloved hand loosened a little over her mouth.

“Don’t scream. Don’t try to turn around.” The raspy voice was right in her ear.

Again she felt his breath, hot and wet against her cheek.

He shoved her then, into the prickly hemlock hedge, still holding on to her.

“I’m warning you. Don’t turn around. Don’t yell for help.”

I’m too scared to yell, Pam thought. I’m too scared to make a sound.

She was breathing hard now, breathing noisily through her nose.

The gloved hand slipped away from her mouth, and she gasped, sucking in big mouthfuls of air.

“Don’t turn around and you won’t get hurt,” the voice whispered, just behind her.

“What are you going to do to me?” Pam managed to cry.

There was a long silence.

Somewhere down the block a car door slammed. A dog barked.

“What are you going to do to me?” Pam repeated, her voice so filled with terror she didn’t recognize it.

On the other side of the thick hedge a car rolled slowly past.

Can’t you see me? Pam thought, watching the headlights through the shrub. Please, driver—please see me.

But the car moved silently by. The lights disappeared.

The grip tightened around her waist. “I saw what you did,” the voice whispered. “I was there Friday night.”

“But I don’t have any money,” Pam whispered back. “We—”

“Don’t turn around!” he rasped. “I’m warning you.”

They were both breathing hard now.

Pam became cold all over, numb, frozen with fear. “Please—” she said.

“This is just a warning,” he said, not loosening his grip. “I can get to you. Easy. I can hurt you. I can hurt you right now.”

“What do you want me to do?” Pam whispered, staring at the dark ground.

“I want ten thousand dollars. That’s all. And I want it tomorrow night.”

“But I’m trying to tell you,” Pam whispered, choking out the words, “we don’t have the money. We didn’t take any money. Ow!”

She screamed as both his hands dug into her waist, and he pushed her face into the hedge.

“Don’t lie to me! I was there! I saw you!”

“I’m not lying!” Pam insisted.

“I want ten thousand dollars tomorrow night, or I’m going to the police. Do you hear me?”

Instead of replying, Pam took a deep breath. Then, with a burst of strength, she ducked low and twisted out of his grasp. With a cry she lurched away from the hedge and stumbled down the drive to the street.

And spun around.

And saw who it was.

Pam recognized him immediately.

“You!” she cried. “I don’t believe it!”

His eyes flashed with fear for just a moment, then anger drove out all other expression.

As she gaped at him in shock, he caught up with her, grabbed her by the shoulders, and tossed her hard to the asphalt driveway.

He stood over her, then dropped down, pinning her to the drive.

“Too bad you turned around,” he whispered.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20