The line went dead with a sharp click.

I stared at the black screen of the phone, the wipers tracing steady semi-circles across the windshield as the rain began to fall once more.

I stared at the dark screen for another minute, my breathing slowly returning to normal.

The voice had been distorted, but the malice behind it was unmistakable.

I put the phone back in the cup holder and shifted the truck into drive.

The tires gripped the wet asphalt as I pulled back onto the highway, my mind racing faster than the engine.

Instead of going straight to the cabin, I turned the truck toward downtown Asheville.

I needed to see David at his office before the day ended.

The city streets were slick with rain, reflecting the neon signs of the shops and restaurants.

I parked in the small gravel lot behind David’s building and ran toward the back entrance, shielding my head with my purse.

The bell above the door jingled as I stepped into the warm hallway.

David’s secretary, a kind woman named Martha, looked up from her desk with a sympathetic smile.