Sarah’S Revenge

By Gail Loreth

After Henry Jacobs literally runs into Jillian Brooks when he backs into her front bumper in a shopping center parking lot, she exchanges insurance information with the stranger without any idea that a small crinkle in a fender is about to escalate into months of terror.

After she is stalked and tormented for six months by Jacobs, Jillian finally puts an end to her torture by firing a fatal bullet into Jacobss brain. Now after months of therapy and a move into a new house built by her husbands construction company, it seems life is returning to normalor so she thinks. When she starts receiving phone calls with nothing but silence on the other end and psychotic notes with her name written in red, Jillian wonders if it is someones idea of a bad joke or if something more sinister is in the works. Fearing she is the object of another killers desire, Jillian has no choice but to summon help from her detective friend, Carol Hobbs.

In this gripping thriller, a woman in fear for her life must battle to protect herselfand her husband and daughterfrom a killer driven by cold-blooded revenge.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Mar 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781480805224

Gail Loreth

Gail Loreth grew up in Northeast Ohio. She now resides in Whittier, California, where she loves spending time at the beach or golfing with her husband, Tim. Sarah’s Revenge is her debut novel.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

H ow could this happen? It was supposed to be over. The bad guy was dead, right? We watched him. I saw the blood and the body fluids drain out of his skull. I watched as the bullet that I fired at him struck him in the left eye and took the back of his skull away, pieces flying onto the wall behind him like water flicked from your fingertips. The coroner took him away in a black body bag, his body limp and lifeless. The crime scene unit was there until 3 a.m. asking questions and writing reports. There wasn’t any need for fingerprint taking, everyone knew everyone and there was no dispute about the events that took place. That led us to this place in time. It was my home that he invaded. It should be over…I should be able to move on with my life. WE should be able to move on without being terrified at every move we make. He’s dead for God’s sake, it should be OVER!

CHAPTER 2

T he phone was ringing as Jillian walked into the kitchen. Her hands were full of bags of groceries so she let the answering machine pick it up. Another hang up. Probably some company trying to sell windows or wanting me to change long distance carriers. Since tey moved into the new house they’ve crawled out of the woodwork like ants after a bowl of sugar. She didn’t really mind anymore. It was just good to be alive and able to tell them no. If it were up to ‘him’ they would be bothering someone else and I’d never know the difference. No time to dwell on the morbid, she had groceries to put away and kids to pick up. Tonight is pizza night at their house. It didn’t used to be this way. They were on the fast track just like any other family. Everyone going their own way and never connecting but since that attack everyone has learned to enjoy the simple things in life. One of her favorite ways is to let someone else do the co oking.

The house has finally started to get a settled feel to it, instead of the new-afraid to touch anything feel. She’s been spending a lot of her recuperation time landscaping. The feel of warm earth between the fingertips can be very therapeutic as the birds sing their songs above your head.

The sound of a car door in the attached garage starts the familiar whine/bark from their newest addition, Shelby. They had always talked about getting a dog but never had the time for one. She has become Jillian’s constant companion and dear friend in a very short time. It has been like having a baby in the house again after sixteen years, a very large one though. The door opens and Shelby starts what we call her see me first dance dance. As the door opens she felt herself tensing slightly until she saw Matt come through and realized that the hang ups must be bothering her more than she was willing to admit.

Hi babe, he says in that slow, sexy drawl of his.

Hi yourself, she replied and moved close enough for a kiss. Matt pulled her close to him and deepens the kiss just enough to give me a preview of what can be expected later that night.

Wow, What brought that on, not that I’m complaining, mind you. she asked after she could catch her breath.

I’m just very glad to see you, he replied with that grin on his face that she never could resist. She could tell by the lines around his eyes that he had more on his mind than what he was letting on but for now she let him get away with it.

Do you want to ride with me to pick up the kids?, Jillian asked.

Sure, but what kids are we picking up, unless something has changed since I left this morning we only have one. He looked at me with that I know what you did look and smiled.

Jillian sheepishly admitted that their neighbor, Jessica, who was also daughter Katie’s best friend was staying the night and had been dropped them off at the mall a couple of hours ago with the condition that they meet her out front at 5pm. They still weren’t comfortable with Katie driving on her own and she didn’t push the issue so playing taxi for her and her friends was still the norm. Jillian didn’t mind the company and you heard a lot of gossip coming out of the back seat along the way.

I figured we could pick them up on our way to pick up the pizza. she told him.

Just let me drop this stuff in the office and I’ll be ready to go, he said as he walked toward the door with Shelby close at his heels.

CHAPTER 3

T hat bitch! How could SHE still be walking around like nothing happened, still alive. It won’t be much longer and it will be over, she thinks as she paces the small room she rented after his death. She couldn’t stay in the house they had lived in together. Too many memories. The moment I’ve planned so meticulously for will soon be here. Planned for ever since that moment when I felt his presence drain from my soul. How could anyone understand the pain she caused me. No one could. No one could know the agony of having half of their heart ripped out while it’s still beating. He didn’t love her. Not really. He loved me, was part of me. He was just confused. He should have lived, should have had time to have babies with me. I should have had time to show him what a wonderful life he would have had with me, NOT her, but she took him away. Now I have to show her what she did was wrong. Now I have to make her family pay the way I’m paying every day. If only I could sleep maybe I could think a little clearer and - no- I have to stop this, she thought as she banged her fist against the wall. The few pictures she had hanging shook as she continued to hit the wall, tears streaming down her cheeks. Taking a deep breath she stood straight and angrily brushed the liquid from her eyes. I won’t let them beat me she whispered to herself. I will take from her what she took from me and then she’ll see what real pain is. Then she’ll know what it is like to have to watch your soul be ripped from you and know you can’t do anything about it. Then I can sleep. The plan is already in motion, I just have to be patient. I have all the time in the world because in the end I will win and she will lose.

CHAPTER 4

T he next morning the sound of Shelby turning over in her kennel woke Jillian up. Stretching, she rolled over and turned on the radio to listen to the weather. The news was on and they were telling about the newest rash of violence in the schools. Thank God they only had a couple more years until Katie is out of school, although the horror of violence can find you anywhere. Katie has been such an easy child to raise that it has almost been like she isn’t here sometimes. Jillian and Matt knew that all parents aren’t as fortunate but on the other side of the coin all children didn’t have the opportunities they have tried to provide to her. Settling back against the pillows she lay there listening to the birds sing and thought back to last night and the way Matt had seemed distant. He claimed to have a new job site on his mind, trying to figure out how to move a window to another wall and still maintain the flow the customer wants. It made sense but she wasn’t totally convinced last night and the more she thought about it the less she was convinced today. Sighing, she rolled over onto his side of the bed so she could breathe in his scent. A mixture of soap, Old Spice and something that is uniquely his. She heard Shelby starting to get up and around. She’ll need to go out so no more laying around. Time to start th e day.

49882.png

Later that day an unexpected visitor stopped by to see her.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen you Carol, how are things down at the office? I asked her after we sat down to coffee and cake.

I’m fine, she replied, "I’m more concerned about how you are doing than I am about me. I wasn’t the one who was kicked, beaten and shot at.

"Detective Carol Ann Hobbs has been one of my closest friends since grade school and was the first one on the scene as I fired the fatal bullet into Henry Jacobs, my stalker and tormentor for six months. Henry Jacobs and I ran into each other literally one day downtown when he backed into my front bumper in a shopping center parking lot. We exchanged insurance information and telephone numbers and I went on my way. I never realized that what was a small crinkle in a fender would escalate to months of terror and death.

I’m doing great, I said, smiling at her intense stare, my therapist said that the limp may not be permanent after all, but I may be able to predict the weather better than the bozos on t.v.! My attempt at levity to lighten her mood didn’t do much good so I tried the direct approach. Hey! What’s up the tension? New partner try a little hanky panky or something? That caught her attention.

Right! I think he’s as afraid of his wife as I am, she said, laughing, but I am concerned about the hang ups you’ve been getting. Have you received any more lately?

I told her about the one I had yesterday trying not to let on how much they have unnerved me. I don’t understand how someone could have gotten the unlisted number. Even Katie knows not to give it out to anyone. I said.

Sighing, Carol just shrugged. I know this has been a tough year, but maybe they are just what they seem to be, hang ups, annoying but nonthreatening.

I knew that logically she was right but emotionally I couldn’t get past the feeling that something else was going on. The rest of the conversation was devoted to the basic essentials of longtime friends. Whining about our relationships or in Carol’s case the lack of one, and laughing about our aging. When she left I felt better about things than I had in days.

49885.png

The sound of hammers striking nails and the good natured ribbing of the workers always soothed Matt’s soul. That’s why he started his own business to begin with. His love of physical labor and the feeling of satisfaction when a job was finished on time, within budget and the customer being completely satisfied is what keeps him going through the frustrating moments. He doesn’t spend as much time at the job sites as he’d like to. The price of success is having to take care of the paperwork. He could hire someone to do most of the mundane stuff but he wouldn’t be comfortable with a stranger having that much control over his business. This morning he is here to make sure the new hire is fitting in. He wasn’t real sure about hiring this one for the job but she seemed to be qualified. The fact that she’s a woman didn’t really bother him, hell, some of the best damn contractors he knows are women. Call it intuition if you like but something keeps dragging him back here. Walking up to Joe, his foreman at this site, Matt slaps him on the back and smiles hello.

How’s it shaping up Joe? Matt asked.

So far everything looks like it’s going to stay on schedule, that new one you brought in sure can work, keeps some of the other guys on their toes that’s for sure. Joe replied. Some of them sure don’t take kindly to being out worked by a woman!

Matt laughed and told Joe to keep up the good work. If they kept up the pace they had been and the weather holds they just might finish this one ahead of schedule. He trusted his crew wholeheartedly. Most of the guys had been with him from the beginning. He treated them well and has been repaid threefold in loyalty and respect. If a problem comes up with anything whether it be structural or personnel he was sure Joe would take care of it or bring it to his attention. Time to go back to the drudgery of bookkeeping. Maybe I will hire someone for this paperwork, he thought to himself as he started the truck and pulled out of the lot. It might be nice to swing a hammer again.

CHAPTER 5

S itting in the waiting area of Dr. Kara Waltham, I couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that something was not quite right. Thumbing through a magazine that had yet to really catch my attention, I tried to pinpoint one small piece of anything that could give credence to my worry. Nothing. Not one iota of bad to show me that I’m not imagining this thing. Maybe Dr. Waltham can help me work through this paranoia the way she has helped me with the nightmares. I started seeing Dr. Waltham after the attack when I couldn’t sleep. The nightmares were a regular part of the darkness for me and my physician suggested I see a therapist. I was so sleep deprived that I couldn’t even make it through a complete physical therapy session and my progress was slowed to the point of being almost nonexistent. What a difference a few months has made. With the support of my family and the help of Dr. Waltham I have returned to almost my normal routine. The anxiety that was a constant companion has abated to very workable levels. I refuse to let that monster win even in his death.

How are you feeling today Jillian? Dr. Waltham stood in the doorway.

I had been so deep in thought I didn’t hear her open the door. I stood and we went into her office. It was pleasantly furnished in subdued tones meant to give comfort and relaxation. I sat in the overstuffed chair opposite the couch. She chose the rocker next to me. You’re looking great, how are things at home with you and Matt?

Boy, you sure do go straight to the point, I said laughingly, In answer to your questions, I am feeling great and I think things are O.K. with Matt and I.

Just o.k.? What’s going on Jill? she asked.

I sat there for a minute trying to find the words to describe what I was feeling and still came up empty. I have been trying to figure that out myself, I replied, I can’t seem to come up with a reasonable explanation for it. It’s more like a feeling or an intuition that something is going on with him but he’s not talking. The longer I talked to her the more angry I became. He claims everything is just fine but damn it, it’s not! Something is going on with him and he’s not talking to me about it and I feel so left out!

By this time I was shouting. I didn’t realize until now just how angry and frustrated I was. Matt and I had always had such an open and loving relationship that I guess I took it for granted. Now, the thought of it changing in any way scared me more than I had wanted to admit.

Dr. Waltham just sat quietly through the outburst and waited for me to calm down. Have you talked to him about this? she asked quietly. You can’t expect him to read your mind, we’ve talked about this before you know. You have to tell him when you are angry or frustrated so you can work on it together.

I sat back in my chair and sighed. I know what you are saying is true but I just have such a hard time telling him what I’m feeling. It never comes out the way I want it to and we end up either angry or hurt with each other. It wasn’t this hard before the attack. Sometimes lately I wonder how we’ve made it through so far without killing each other.

Dr. Waltham chuckled. "I know it seems like you two are on some kind of strange ride but believe me, it doesn’t mean that there is anything fundamentally