TAKEN - BEFORE HER VERY EYES, Sample Chapters & Purchase Info

Taken - Before her very Eyes
5 stars  Amazing!

I literally read this books in 3 hours didn't put it Down once!!! Loved it. Recommend it to all :)

5 stars Compelling!

Well written enjoyed it all the way through, kept me interested and never placed the book down from beginning to end 

5 stars Maternal Instinct at it's peak. 

I absolutely love this book. The storyline for this book kept me on the edge of my seat every step of the way, wondering what happened to Summer Demure' s Daughter, Sabrina and whether her husband, Dean would be okay. This is a book well worth reading.

5 stars Excellent, well written a must!

What an excellent well written book. I couldn't put it down, reading late into the night or should I say early morning! Poor Summer Demure not only has she survived a vicious abduction, and is now on stress leave but her husband is stabbed and daughter snatched before her very eyes. However, when her abductor is captured there is hope, only for it to be snatched away before her very eyes. Will she get her daughter back? Will her husband survive? Who can she trust? Just when you think you have worked it out there is another twist to keep you guessing!

4 stars Good Read!

I really enjoyed this book, it was very well written and I enjoyed every page. Didn't want to put it down.

4 stars Great story!

I liked this book for the action, suspense and the thrills. A mother's worse nightmare comes true. Yet, Summer faces her fears from being brutally kidnapped, beaten, raped repeatedly and left for dead while on the job. This tragedy for any woman would be enough to send you over the edge. But being a cop, a mother and a wife ultimately gives Summer hope and regained strength that she had buried. This story was a great story. I truly enjoyed it.

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      Summer Demure — a police officer on stress leave because of a brutal abduction that nearly took her life — is elated when her abductor is finally captured and she's called upon to ID him. 
      Everything seems about to come to an end. However, before she's able to make the ID, her husband is viciously stabbed and her daughter taken away.
      The ransom note has no dollar figure - only one demand. Release the man she's supposed to ID and set him free.

Sample

Taken

Before her very Eyes

By Wade Faubert

Prologue

“What are we doing out here?” Summer sighed, shifting in the front seat and gazing across at Nate’s hardened face. “I know we need to patrol the entire County, but there’s never anything happening out here. Wouldn’t we be more valuable on the city streets?”

Nate’s blue eyes met her with a knowing look. “We’ll get to those parts of Chatham in due time. But there’s a route that’s been laid out and we’re supposed to follow it.”

“How can I forget?” Summer rolled her eyes. “You’re so anal. Just because the chief laid out a route doesn’t mean you can’t deviate from it once in a while. Wouldn’t it be nice to spice things up sometimes?”

“Spiced up, huh.” Nate sighed, raising his left eyebrow. “Somehow I don’t think an old man in the chief’s position would like spice. He strikes me as a heartburn, acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome type of guy.”

“I’m just saying,” Summer shook her head, “would it kill you to start somewhere different on the route and go backwards once in a while? I’ll bet Stephens and Malroy don’t follow the same route?”

“I can guarantee they don’t. Hell they spend half their time goofing off behind the old grocery store.”

“How do you know that?” Summer flipped her blond hair back from her face and leaned closer to Nate, hoping he’d spill the beans.

“Those stupid asses brag about it every night in the change room. I keep telling them that if they wanna screw around on the job, that’s fine, but not to go spreading it around the station, cause sooner or later the chief is gonna find out and then there’ll be hell to pay.” Nate tapped his finger on the dash. “But you’ll be able to vouch that we followed protocol the way the chief wanted.”

“And what makes you think he’ll believe a word we say.”

“Not we.” Nate grinned. “You. He’ll believe you because you’re a woman.”

Summer felt her cheeks heating up. Nate seldom got to her, but the thought of getting special treatment because of her gender pissed her off. She’d fought long and hard to be treated like an equal all during her training and would never accept anything different now. As far as she was concerned there was no difference between her, Nate, Stephens or Malroy. “That’s a sexist remark.”

“It sure is, but it’s the truth. He knows those other guys would lie to save their asses, but you’re the only woman on the force. It’s like you’re sacred or something.” Nate gave her a wink and a big grin. “The truth is, when you strut in that briefing room with your hair all done and those brilliant green eyes scouring the room, half the guys can’t stand up for five minutes.”

“You’re such an ass.” Summer turned and stared out the side window at the crumbling silo in the distance. The early morning sunlight was just beginning to brighten the horizon and the shadows of the farmland were coming into view. “I suppose you can’t control your hormones either?”

“Oh, I can control them. But if you weren’t already married to Dean, I’d be right there with Stephens and Malroy looking for some action.”

“I’m sure Dean would be happy to know that all the guys on the force would like to get with me.”

“Not all the guys. I’m not so sure that new recruit, Jones, would be interested. He seems a little on the skittish side when he’s near you. Could be he’s still a virgin—or gay?”

“He is not gay.” Summer blew out a deep breath, hoping it’d relieve some of the tension that was building behind her eyes. “He’s just a little shy around me.”

“So, you wanna bet?”

Summer turned away, refusing to answer. She watched as car lights sparkled to life in the distance to her right and tried to change the subject. “You hear anything new on that drug bust last week?”

“Only what they want us to know. It was headed to Dean’s courier company and was slated to be shipped across the country to fake addresses. I’m just glad we were able to intercept it at the transfer yard before it got to his company.”

Summer arched her left eyebrow. “He had nothing to do with it.”

“Exactly, and confiscating it offsite just makes it all that much easier to prove.”

“They don’t think he’s involved with it, do they?”

“Who the hell knows, but the fact that Gavin Stone is working for your husband doesn’t look good.” Nate followed Summer’s gaze to the speeding car racing down the cross road toward the intersection up ahead.

“Dean only hired Gavin because his parole officer begged Dean to.”

“I know, but I still think it was a mistake. You and Gavin have a rocky past. Besides, I don’t trust that guy.”

“Even though he’s served his debt to society?”

“Don’t give me that shit. You don’t believe it any more than I do.” Nate hesitated for a moment, then made eye contact with Summer. “Keep this to yourself and don’t breathe a word of it to Dean. The less he knows, the better it’ll be.”

“What the hell are you talking about? If something’s going down then I want to be part of it. I don’t care if Dean is my husband. I want in.”

“I heard they’ve got a plain clothed detective. Grimshaw’s his name. He’s tracing the truck and all the merchandise that the meth was crammed inside.”

“And what do they have?”

Nate shrugged his shoulders. “Your guess is as good as mine, but let’s hope for the sake of Sabrina and that baby you’re trying to have, Dean comes out clean.”

Summer remembered how adamant Dean had been about the whole thing. He swore he had nothing to do with the shipment and she had no reason to believe anything to the contrary, but his business has been booming lately and he was finally making a profit. Summer shook her head. It was only a coincidence. Nothing more.

Nate sighed. “You realize that if you get knocked up, we’re not skipping the route just so you can hit every drive-thru in the city.”

Summer scoffed. “Don’t tell me I have to get a doctor’s note so you’ll allow me food whenever the baby gets hungry?”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Nate said, his eyes following the approaching car. “I’m sure the chief will go for it.”

The car was racing to the intersection ahead, looking to beat them, but little did the driver know he was in for a big surprise if he decided to fly through the stop sign. Nate was waiting, his finger hovering above the switch, hoping the guy runs the stop sign.

Nate smiled. “I’m betting he’s gonna run it.”

“I’m betting he doesn’t know we’re cops.”

“You think?”

The second the car bounced through the intersection, Nate switched on the roof lights and the countryside was illuminated in a swirl of red and blue, sweeping over the land in a smooth rhythmic arc.

The blue sedan didn’t slow at all. It continued on, rounding the bend in the road and disappearing from sight behind the cluster of thick trees.

When Nate slid the cruiser around that same corner, they could only watch as the sedan disappeared around another. Nate pushed the cruiser to its limit, barely holding it on the loose gravel road, determined to catch this guy.

The cruiser slid around the corner then straightened, but the sedan wasn’t trying to outrun them anymore. It’d struck a second vehicle at the next intersection, sending them both off the road and into the thick brush beside the woods.

Steam spewed from the front of the sedan’s crumpled hood as the driver opened the door and jumped out, dashing toward the thick woods.

Nate slammed on the brakes and slid to a stop beside the two tangled vehicles, then flung open the door and gave chase into the dark unknown, cursing the fugitive like always.

Summer radioed for an ambulance as she raced to the tangled mess. The driver of the van was lying in the long grass beside the vehicle, motionless. His face covered with blood—a lot of blood!

Summer reached into her pocket and withdrew her gloves. After slipping them on, she knelt down beside and searched for the source of all the blood, but couldn’t find any cuts or gouges. He seemed to be fine. Covered with blood, but fine.

Pressing her fingers to his neck, she counted the rapid beats of his heart and was about to check his pupils when his eyes snapped open and an evil grin spread across his face. Summer pulled back, letting his head drop to the ground, taken by surprise at his strange reaction. She glanced around, searching for Nate, hoping he’d come back to assist her, when the man’s hands shot up, grabbing her arm.

There was a sharp pain in her bicep, followed by a burning sensation that raced up her arm toward her shoulder. Summer glanced down at his blood soaked hands and saw the needle sticking out of her shirt sleeve. She couldn’t believe it. He’d stabbed her—and with a dirty needle. And all she was trying to do was save his life.

Summer’s head was swimming. Her thoughts were melting into each other as her legs began to buckle beneath. Everything was fading away. The flashing red and blue lights were now sickening pulses behind her closed lids. She felt the cold damp ground beneath, and heard the side door of the van slide open. A second later she was flying, soaring through the air until her face came to rest on the hard steel floor of the cargo van.

She tried to call out for Nate, but no sound would exit her mouth. She could picture him chasing the guy for a mile or more, whatever it took to get his man. The van roared to life and a second later she could feel the vibrations from the tires up through the cold steel floor—then darkness.

Chapter 1

Summer Demure sat slouched behind the wheel of the white Volvo, gazing off into the distance down the one-way street. Her unblinking eyes were locked on a single point in the darkness, but her mind was completely blank and she relished the feel of it. The ability to shut down her mind and take a break from the constant barrage of memories was the bliss she’d been searching for.

She couldn’t believe how drastic her life had changed these last months and knew the feeling of dread, which coursed through every fibre of her body, was going to be the hardest thing to overcome. She thought of Dean and how he’d tried to comfort her, but a shiver—that same shiver she felt every time he touched her—raced through her body, racking her petite frame with uncontrollable muscle spasms.

It didn’t seem to matter how many sessions she spent with the department psychiatrist, the outcome was always the same. She couldn’t stand the touch of her own husband.

It devastated Dean when she asked him to move out of the house, and he argued for hours that him leaving wasn’t going to solve her problems. Summer knew this was likely true, but like he’d said, this was her problem and she had to find a way to deal with it.

The night Dean left, he said he understood what she needed right now, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that he didn’t. Maybe the time apart would do them some good? Maybe after being separated for awhile, she’d overcome her fears and they could once more live as a family, but until then she had to live alone, taking care of Sabrina.

Her fingers strummed nervously against the worn leather steering wheel. Worn smooth by Dean’s many miles on the road. He loved this car so much that Summer was floored when he insisted she take it. Sure her old car wasn’t reliable, but Dean simply grabbed the keys and drove off, leaving her little choice in the matter. He said he did it for her, but she knew he’d done it for Sabrina.

“Sabrina,” she muttered, breaking the trance she was in. If it wasn’t for the shared custody, Summer would’ve sold the house and taken off far from here. Far from Chatham. Far from Southern Ontario. Hell, she would’ve trekked halfway across the country just to place some distance between herself and the memories of that brutal night five months ago. But even if she had full custody she couldn’t. At least not for a few more days. Not until that bastard, John Scott—Summer shivered just thinking about what that madman had done—was locked away for a long time. The mere thought of him sent her body into convulsions. Her muscles twitched and trembled as anxiety and fear gripped her heart, squeezing until she surrendered.

She glanced in the lighted vanity mirror and sighed. Her normally glowing skin had turned pale and sickly. Her face nearly disappeared, hiding behind the veil of white-blond hair. Normally she spent an hour styling it, but lately she couldn’t be bothered. Wash and go was all she could muster. Her physical appearance had changed drastically over the last months, that was, except for her bright green eyes. They reminded her that she was still somewhat in control, no matter how lost she felt these days.

She flipped the mirror closed and stared out the window. Summer watched as the painted autumn leaves fluttered along the deserted downtown sidewalk, tumbling and twisting, dancing upon their invisible stage. It was Monday morning and the stores were all in darkness. Not a single sign of life could be seen. The only figures on the sidewalks were the bags of trash set out for the early morning pickup. She glanced at the clock and shook her head at the smothering darkness that not only stole away hours of outdoor activities, but also caused her chest to tighten slightly.

Summer closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.

“Everything’s all right. I’m all right.” She blew out her breath as she repeated the technique. “Relax. Deep breath. I’m free. Nobody’s gonna hurt me.”

Slowly Summer opened her eyes. She did feel better. The restriction in her chest was subsiding. After all, this was her home, where she’d grown up and raised her child. This was a safe city. It wasn’t Toronto with its murderous gangs and random drive-by shootings. This was sleepy old Chatham, Ontario. Nothing bad happened here, except…  The image of John Scott flashed in her mind and she quickly blocked it out.

She turned her attention to the large elephant-ear leaf tumbling, end over end down the sidewalk to her left. She watched as the wind quickened its journey toward her. A few drops of rain landed on the window, slowly striving to the bottom. Summer scanned the empty street for a matching tree, but nothing fit. It was all alone. Running—no, escaping the city at night.

“What is this, a sign?” Summer glanced to the heavens. “Run, while I can?”

These last few months had been trying. She felt oversensitive, like everything held a secret meaning, a hidden message for her. Maybe it was just paranoia, but as she watched the leaf make its great run, she could see herself chasing right behind.

The radio powered off, sending the car into deafening silence. Summer quickly jostled the keys, cranking them back and rejoining the song in play. The green glow of the clock illuminated the car once again. 6:05. He was late.

When she glanced back to the leaf, she gasped as a hand shot from a garbage pile near the corner of the building. It reached out, snatching the large leaf in mid bounce.

Summer wrapped her arms tightly around her body, holding the shutters to a minimum. After settling her nerves, she leaned to the window, watching as the dark hand gripped the leaf by the stem, rotating it slowly between its blackened fingers. Side over side it spun, suspended in midair, prevented from continuing on its journey. She swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump which was blocking her throat.

“That’s… my life.” Summer swallowed again. “Caught… spinning… controlled.”

She watched as the black fingers manipulated the leaf and wondered why a vagrant was living on this street. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t recall ever seeing a homeless person living on this side of Chatham. Sure there were a few rundown areas in the city where homeless people migrated, but never downtown. The police made sure of it.

As Summer concentrated on the dirt covered sleeve, she realized that nothing stays the same. Everything changes, and if you refuse to change with it, it’ll destroy you. She only had to look at her trembling hands to know this was true.

His blackened fingers slowly worked their way up the stem, delicately sliding onto the crisp dry membrane of the leaf, carefully feeling each vein as they thinned toward the tips.

Maybe he needed help, Summer thought, realizing she needed to change her direction in life. She reached for her purse. Maybe a few dollars for a hot meal?

After removing a twenty from her wallet, she reached for the door handle, but froze when his dark hand clamped down, crushing the brittle leaf within. Quickly she checked the door lock then returned her attention to the hand. It was kneading, crushing, disintegrating the leaf within. The hand shook. The arm shook. It was as if he was laughing, uncontrollably, as he crumbled the beautiful form.

The dirty fingernails rolled beneath his thumb as he continued to grind the leaf into obliteration. It wasn’t until the next gust of wind came erupting down the empty sidewalk that his fingers slowly opened, releasing the fine powder upon the breeze, sending it sailing into the darkness.

Summer felt a chill move through her body. She reached out, twisted the keys and the engine roared to life. The urge to escape flooded her body. Suddenly she didn’t know why she was sitting there on this street, what she was waiting for, only that she needed to get away—and fast.

As she stepped on the brake and placed the car in gear, a red Mercedes came screeching to a halt in front, nearly clipping the front corner of her slowly moving car.

“Shit!” Summer slammed the wheel. She didn’t know if she was angrier at the driver’s reckless behaviour, or at her own irrational thinking.

The man threw open the door and leapt quickly to his feet. Summer’s heart caught for a moment. Her mind flashed back to that night five months ago. She knew she was overreacting. After all, John Scott was sitting behind bars under heavy guard waiting for her to ID him.

“Summer,” Dean yelled, racing up the sidewalk. His dark curly hair, which was always a little too long, caught in the wind and obscured his chocolate brown eyes. Hastily he brushed it back, holding it against the wind with one hand. He smiled as he reached the window, his perfect white teeth gleaming against the dark growth of stubble on his face. “I know I’m late, but it wasn’t my fault.”

“Don’t give me that look!”

His smile faded.

“It’s never your fault, now is it?” Summer listened to him jingle his car keys, an old habit that drove her nuts on a good day. But today wasn’t even close.

“Dean, if you don’t stop shaking those damn keys, I’ll—”

“Sorry.” He clamped his other hand over top. “Hard habit to break.” He pointed to the red Mercedes where Sabrina had propped herself in the back window. Although she had Summer’s petite build, she would never be her spitting image. Dean’s chromosomes had fought the battle and won. Sabrina had emerged into this world with dirty blond hair and eyes the colour of weak tea. The only evidence that Sabrina was her daughter, were those commanding eyes, which had absorbed enough green to almost glow. They were the first thing people noticed and the last thing they remembered.

“Do you like it? Sabrina helped me pick it out.”

She smiled at Sabrina and felt the tension begin to fade. She noticed the trembling in her limbs had subsided.  “It’s nice. Expensive, but nice.”

“Since I gave up the house and my Volvo,” Dean stepped closer to the window, “I needed something to drive.”

“What about my old car? What’s wrong with it?”

“No offence, but it was a piece of shit. They actually wanted me to pay them to take it in for a trade.”

“You traded my car for that?”

“Your old car wouldn’t even pay for the licence plates, let alone a fraction of the cost.”

“But it was my car. You had no right selling it.”

“I gave you this car. You should be happy.” Dean’s mouth tightened into a fine line as he started jingling the keys again. “It’s a hundred times better than that piece of shit you’ve been driving around in.”

“This,” Summer pointed her twitching finger at the jingling keys, “is exactly why we’re separated.”

The rain began falling harder, driven by a gusting north wind. Dean abandoned his hair and flipped up his coat collar. “We’re not separated. We’re just taking a break,” he turned to check on Sabrina and muttered, “because of you.”

Summer glanced in the rearview mirror and saw her face growing red with anger. Her crimson cheeks stood out like stop lights against her shoulder length blond hair. She took a deep breath and decided to change the subject.

“Why do you do this?” Summer forced a smile for her daughter then turned to Dean. “I was perfectly clear. You could have Sabrina for forty-eight hours, then bring her back.”

Dean scuffed his white running shoe along the sidewalk. She knew he was taking a minute to calm himself down and when he looked up again, he ran his hand up his forehead, slicking his hair back, then motioned to Sabrina. “I know you’re gonna say no,” he tipped his head slightly, “but Sabrina really wants to stay for another night. I can drop her off tomorrow morning instead.”

Summer caught the little signal. She turned and Sabrina popped up higher in the back window, clasping her hands together in a mock plea. Although it was a staged act, she felt her heart ache over her daughter being torn between them. She wanted what was best for her, but if she gave in today, he’d ask every time he had custody.

“No, and how dare you put her up to this!” she said through a gritted smile. “You’re lower than low using Sabrina against me.”

“I’m not using her. She really wants to stay.” Dean reached through the window and touched her arm.

Summer jerked away and sat staring at her arm as if Dean had somehow harmed her. As hard as she tried, she just couldn’t stop her body from reacting like that. It was an involuntary reaction and one that had fuelled many fights. John Scott was the real reason they were here squabbling over custody times. He was the reason they were separated. He was the reason she couldn’t tolerate her husband’s touch anymore. Sure they promised to stay together until death, but after what John Scott had done, she felt like part of her had truly died.

“Sabrina’s devastated that we’re not a family anymore.” Dean scrubbed the stubble on his face. “She doesn’t understand why we can’t live together at home. I tried to explain it, but—”

“What, that her mother doesn’t want her father around anymore?” Tears filled her eyes. “That I don’t want you around!”

“No.” Dean shook his head. He reached toward her arm again, but left his hand hovering inches above, unwilling to chance rejection once again. “I’d never poison her mind. That’s not fair—”

Summer’s cell phone rang. Glad for a distraction, she rummaged through the centre console until she found it. She quickly flipped it open and glanced at the display. “You’re a piece of shit! This,” she shoved the phone before his eyes, “isn’t playing fair.”

Dean glanced from the caller ID on the cell phone, to the back window of his car. “I swear I never told her to call you. She’s been playing with that thing all day. She actually called my contact in Detroit. Luckily he wasn’t there—”

“Hi Sweetie.” Summer waved. “Yes, I can see you, too. Why don’t you climb out and see how fast you can get inside this car?”

The image of the vagrant destroying the leaf flashed like a warning shot. Maybe she was overreacting? Maybe she needed to up her dosage of medication? Hell, maybe she didn’t really know what the hell she needed.

“Actually, maybe you should wait…” She leaned forward, looking past Dean, eyes darting to the pile of trash where she’d last seen him, but his hand wasn’t protruding anymore. He probably covered up because of the rain.

“Daddy took me to try on cars yesterday.” Summer turned to see Sabrina bouncing on the seat. She had the biggest smile on her face and Summer couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her daughter so exited. “Do you like the one I picked out?”

“Did you pick the colour, or did Daddy?”

“It’s red,” she waved the back of her hand across the window, “like my nails. You done a good job, Mommy. The man at the car store, he liked them. He said they were pretty like me.”

“Well, he was wrong.” Summer felt the warmth of tears building in her eyes. She relished the feeling Sabrina brought to her world. The feeling that only her own flesh and blood could bring. Summer dropped a hand to her stomach, feeling the slight bulge below her jacket and sighed.  “They’re not pretty. They’re beautiful.”

She giggled and flopped out of sight. “Daddy told the man that, too.”

Summer glanced at her husband, realizing how much he truly loved Sabrina. He’d always been able to make her laugh and smile. He always knew exactly how to brighten her saddest days. Even after the incident with John Scott, when Summer had confined herself to the bedroom, unwilling to face Dean and the entire world, he’d brought happiness to Sabrina. Maybe she’d been too hasty with the separation? Maybe she needed to face her demons head on? She thought of the small fetus growing in her belly and realized that in four months she’d have to do exactly that.

“Yes, I know you had a lot of fun with Daddy this weekend, but you have school today.” Summer glanced back to the trash pile. A white sneaker protruded from the rubbish. The movement brought relief. At least she knew exactly where the vagrant was.

“I can be sick of school.” She peeked over the back seat. “Daddy said he’d take me to the zoo instead.”

“The zoo?” Summer caught the brief sight of Sabrina before she disappeared again, then turned her attention back to the trash pile. “I think school is more important than looking at animals.”

Dean turned his head, following Summer’s gaze. He took five steps onto the sidewalk and stooped over, gazing at the white sneaker sticking out of the trash.

“Please, Mommy.”

“Um, no. You have school. Besides, it’s too cold. The animals will all be hibernating.”

Dean took two more steps, blocking Summer’s line of vision. What was he doing? Why is he even getting near that man? Sure he always gave to charity and would never refuse a request for loose change, but this vagrant was dangerous, she could feel it in her bones.

Summer leaned out the window, narrowing her eyes at Dean’s back. A low hushed voice caught on the wind, drifting to her ears. The vagrant was talking to Dean. Probably asking for a handout.

“Dean… Dean! What are you doing?” The fear that the vagrant had instilled moments ago was replaced with a fear for Dean’s safety. Why was he ignoring her call? Was he doing this just to punish her for refusing to let Sabrina stay for another night?

“What? Yes Sabrina, Mommy’s still here.” The phone beeped, sounding the low battery warning. “Darling, Mommy has to go now. Hang up and wait in the car for Daddy to get you.” The phone beeped again and Summer flipped the cover closed, disconnecting her tie to Sabrina, then dropped it into the console.

“Dean! Get back here right—” She paused, seeing the streetlight reflect off the gold chain around the vagrant’s neck. It was the only thing visible as his face remained hidden in the shadows. The image was wrong. A bum would’ve hawked the chain for a bottle of booze. So why did this bum still have it?

The vagrant shifted and disappeared back into the dark shadows. Dean leaned closer, bending over the vagrant, listening to his conversation. He listened for a few seconds before turning his head in Summer’s direction. His face looked different. Pale, shiny, scared. She’d never seen him afraid before.

It happened so fast, but at the same time like in slow motion. The shiny blade slid from the dirty shirt sleeve. Streetlight reflected off as it arched up, straight toward Dean’s mid section. Summer watched the polished blade and swore she could see her frightened reflection screaming out a warning to Dean, but in reality she sat, dumbstruck, unable to voice a single word, let alone one syllable.

The blade plunged through the fabric of Dean’s light jacket, vanishing within his abdomen. The muscles on the vagrant’s forearm bulged as he maintained the death grip on the handle.

Summer’s eyes darted from the knife handle to Dean’s face. The vagrant seemed to be holding the knife deep inside, adding insult to the attack. Dean’s eyes bulged wide as a look of pure terror swept over his face, realizing the blade was still inside—still capable of doing more damage.

Summer winced, sympathy pain shooting through her body. She knew exactly what he was going through, knew the pain of a blade slicing through her skin, flesh and even coming to a jarring halt as it slammed into bone. In a flash, her mind retreated to that bright summer day when she looked from the frightened face of a teenager, to the handle protruding from her body. It didn’t matter if it was close to a vital organ or not, because when the blade disappeared inside your body, you thought about death—your own death.

Dean’s wide eyes locked onto Summer as the vagrant ripped the blade from his stomach with the speed of a professional hit man. Dean took an awkward step backwards, instinctively pulling his hands to his stomach as the car keys fell from his outstretched fingers, tumbling in the streetlight to the wet sidewalk.

As the vagrant sat fully upright, he held the knife before his face, twisting it—almost admiring the way the blood trickled down the razor sharp edge.

Summer heard muffled screams fill the night. They were unmistakably those of her child. She broke the trance with Dean, and fighting a new level of nervous spasms, she dared to glance to the car ahead where Sabrina had been watching the whole time. Summer’s stomach fell. She wished for Sabrina’s sake that she wouldn’t have seen this act of violence. God knows she’s been through a lifetime’s worth in the last five months.

Sabrina’s face was red, her mouth wide open airing a high-pitched scream into the night. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she bounced wildly in the back seat. Even at six years old she seemed to know exactly what had happened to her father.

“Sabrina needs me. She needs her mother,” Summer muttered, shaking helplessly behind the steering wheel, unable to gather her usual strength and deal with the situation. Normally she would’ve jumped out and subdued the perpetrator. After all, she is a cop—a cop who’s on stress leave for the last five months because she can’t control her stupid emotions in situations… situations like this.

In slow motion, with every muscle jerking uncontrollably, Summer turned back to watch Dean. Her body was rebelling. It seemed to be fighting her every move. Frustration was building as she had to battle her own mind for control of her muscles. Dean had fallen to his knees, one hand clamped to the hole in his flesh, squeezing with everything he had, trying to keep his soul from escaping. His other hand was inches from his face, fingers rubbing the thick blood as he no doubt tried to comprehend what had just happened.

The vagrant drew the blade across his shirt sleeve, wiping the blood off before sliding it back into his pocket. He dug in the bag beside, pulled out a black object and slipped it on his head.

A ski mask.

He yanked it down, adjusted the holes, then slowly climbed to his feet as if nothing had happened. Summer watched as he stood, realizing that he wasn’t actually a homeless person, but a killer waiting to strike.

He glanced over. Holding Summer’s gaze, he bent to the ground before Dean and carefully plucked the keys from a shallow puddle. Straightening, he flipped the keys up, catching them in midair and gave her a wide smile. A grin of arrogance. A grin of superiority.

Her head flipped from the keys, to the red Mercedes. The red Mercedes, which held her only daughter.

“No,” Summer gasped as the attacker walked slowly toward the Mercedes. He acted as if nothing had happened. Nobody was bleeding to death behind. Nobody was watching as he prepared to steal the car. He even seemed to have a slight bounce in his step as he headed straight for the door of the Mercedes.

Hands shaking uncontrollably, Summer cursed while stabbing for the door handle. How she wished she had her control back. After a few tries, she finally managed to grasp it and pull the handle. She pushed against the door with all her might and it swung wide open, causing the attacker to stop with his fingers on the door handle of the Mercedes. He glanced back and Summer saw the smirk through the mouth hole in the mask.

“No!” she screamed, convulsions taking over. “Leave… her… alone!” Reaching out a shaking hand, she gripped the window sash then pulled her trembling body from the car. She watched helplessly as he jumped behind the wheel and started the Mercedes.

Sabrina screamed so loud that nothing came out as she cowered into the farthest corner of the back seat, clutching her hands protectively before her. Summer lurched toward the car, fighting her nerves every inch. She could see the terror in Sabrina’s face.

He was waiting. Daring Summer to come closer.

She lunged forward, reaching out to the car.

Sabrina found her voice and started screaming hysterically.

Something snagged Summer’s pant leg.

She jerked her leg free.

The engine revved.

Another high-pitched scream erupted.

It was back, gripping her leg, preventing her from getting closer.

She lunged as the tires spun on the wet pavement. Her outstretched fingers brushed the wet cold metal as the Mercedes tore out of the parking spot and down the road.

Summer glanced down, spotted the bloody hand clenched to her leg and realized that Dean was dying.

“He…” Summer croaked, pointing a trembling finger in the direction of the Mercedes, “took Sabrina.”

Tears cascaded down Summer’s pale cheeks, falling to the damp concrete below.

“Go!” Dean released her leg. He stared down at the bloodstain spreading from under his hand. “Go, after her.”

“I… can’t?” She glanced at her shaking hands. “I just… can’t!”

“Summer, you have to.” Dean’s voice was strained. He was going into shock. She’d seen this many times before. She knew how to deal with victims, but she couldn’t figure out how to deal with her own fears.

“We’ll call the police.” Summer glanced up and down the street, searching for anybody to help. “They can stop him. They’re good at that.”

“I’ll call.” He snagged her trembling hand and pulled, managing to get to his knees. “But you have to go after him!”

Summer clenched her eyes closed, hoping to make everything disappear. She couldn’t imagine giving pursuit in her condition. She could barely manage to fight rush hour traffic. Her head was spinning. She knew Dean was right. Someone had to go after them. But not her. She couldn’t do it.

“You’re bleeding.” She touched a finger to the dark patch on Dean’s jacket. “You… need help.”

“Sabrina needs your help. Go! I’ll be fine.”

“But—”

“Go!” Dean’s voice broke. His chocolate-brown eyes were pleading. “He’s getting away.”

“But, I can’t. Not after what happened. I just can’t!” Her stomach twisted into knots just thinking about the time with John Scott. How she’d emerged from his care with fears she never imagined possible before. Her chest heaved and a shuttered cry escaped her trembling lips.

Pulling himself to his feet, Dean placed his weight on Summer and, stumbling like a drunk, forced her back to the car door. “Don’t tell me you can’t. You have to. If you don’t, then nobody will save our little girl.”

Summer staggered at the door, fighting against Dean’s weight until he shoved her roughly inside.

“The police—”

“Please, Summer, let the past go. You can’t change what happened, but you can change what will happen.” Dean reached through the window and touched her shoulder. She realized this was the first time in a long time that his touch hadn’t caused her to jerk away. Summer chalked it up to shock and drew a deep breath. The smell of blood filled her nostrils. His blood. The same blood that coursed through Sabrina’s body.

Down at the far end of the street, the tail lights of the Mercedes were fading. Either her sense of time was failing her or the attacker was waiting for her to follow.

“Summer… please…” She glanced at Dean and saw tears in his eyes—real tears. He’d never shed a tear as long as she’d know him. “Go… save our baby.”