Page 118 of The Woman Who Couldn't Scream
The sword fell back into place. The phone flew out of her hands and tumbled across the floor.
Dawkins Cipre. He’d forced his way in.
Merida tried to get to her knees. She was kicked flat.
A bony body landed on her back. A bony hand gripped her hair and slammed the right side of her head to the floor.
The second impact on top of the already painful lump made Merida’s vision go black.
Dawkins twisted first one of Merida’s arms and then the other behind her and fastened them together. He said into Merida’s ear, “If you had attended my classes, you would have never made such a mistake. I always taught my girls that a chain on the door will only slow a determined intruder, not stop her. Diagonal pliers, my dear. One good strong snip and I was in.”
Not Dawkins Cipre’s voice.
Elsa Cipre.
Elsa Cipre rolled Merida over.
Elsa Cipre’s face swam before Merida’s unsteady vision.
Clutching Merida’s jaw with her long fingers, Elsa turned Merida’s head back and forth. “Tsk. Look what you’ve done,” she said. “Now the side of your face will be swollen, it’ll be harder for me to cut the skin around your ear and the results will not be nearly as appealing. If Nauplius Brassard still lived, he would be most unhappy.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Victim: male, approximately forty, of African descent, no ID, shot and stabbed.
With a sigh, Kateri finished the paperwork forthatnight’s murder, then headed in to meet with Bergen, Garik Jacobsen and Mike Sun. The consensus: some of the violence in Virtue Falls was related; some, like tonight, completely puzzling; some gruesome and disturbing; and they all needed a good night’s sleep. Mike and Garik headed back to the morgue. Bergen and Kateri played rock/paper/scissors to decide who would stay through the night… and as they did, Kateri got a call from the hospital, from Peggy. Rainbow was restless and wanted to see her.
With a good-humored, “Cheater,” Bergen shoved her toward the door.
Kateri hitched a ride with Officer Bill Chippen, took a nap on the way, got out and waved her thanks.
The hospital was steeped in that hushed, wee-hours-of-the-morning quiet. On her way to Rainbow’s room, Kateri stopped at the nurses’ station.
With her normal brisk efficiency, Peggy informed her, “Rainbow is on fluids and doing well. On the other hand, your sister visited, and ever since Rainbow has been agitated and insistent that she see you.”
“My sister visited? Again?” Kateri shook her finger at Peggy. “I suspect there’s going to be another murder in Virtue Falls, and I suspect I’m going to be the perp.”
“Family. Gotta love ’em.” A call button went off, and Peggy stood and whisked away.
Kateri entered Rainbow’s hospital room to find her friend awake, irritated and in pain. She asked the usual inane question, “How are you feeling?”
Rainbow glared. “Did you get the box from Margaret?”
“I did. I stashed it in the trunk of my car.”
“Did you open it?”
“Not yet, but—”
“I don’t care why not. Open it. Find out why that aggravating woman wants it so badly.”
“Lilith?”
“Your sister. After she visited, I dreamed about her. She was pointing a gun at you, demanding the box. Then I tried to take off my sweater and it choked me and the horse stomped on my foot…”
Kateri took Rainbow’s hand and petted it. “Have you had your pain medication recently?”
Rainbow looked at the IV going into her arm. “I think about a half hour ago.”
