Scream While I Whisper: Scream For Me Series, #1

By Sherry Hutchison

A young woman, a kidnapping, the rescue, a stalking, and a relentless serial killer who refuses to give up his victim.

At age seventeen, Angie's life had come to a screeching halt when she fell prey to the whisperer. Six years later and Angie is still struggling with the nightmares of that dreadful day. When all seems safe, they make a startling discovery; he's back and has found her once again.

 A raging storm and a trail of dead bodies pile up as "The Whisperer" returns to claim his loss girl. Tonight, a victim digs deep within as with the help of a team of professionals she decides to take back her life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sherry Hutchison
• Release date: Apr 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393673040

Sherry Hutchison

I am a multi-genre author. I was that book geek hanging out at the local library every Saturday. I stepped through those doors into a magical world in which anything was possible.  I spend my time between Missouri & Texas with my hubby Chris and two fur-babies, Max & Maisie.

Book preview

Also by Sherry Hutchison

Angels Among Us

Ascension: A Story of Grace (Coming Soon)

Chasing The Lights Series

Chasing The Lights: A CT Journey, Book 1

Mr. Sumpton's Ghost, Book 2

Vernon The Witch, Book 3 CT Fights for Her Life

The Metamorphosis of CT, Book 4

Chasing The Lights Omnibus, Books 1-4

Embracing The Lights

Veiled Fae

Scream For Me Series

Scream While I Whisper

Scream While I Run

Fade To Black

Sequel to Greybeard: The Ghost of 489

Greybeards Love Everlasting

Ytherynia: Gifted Blood Academy Freshman Year, Book 1

Zazz

Standalone

Greybeard, The Ghost of 489

Watch for more at Sherry Hutchison’s site.

 Scream While I Whisper

Book 1 (Scream for Me Series)

Sherry Hutchison

 Copyright Date of Registration,

 10/17/2017, Number 1- 5869870211  

United States Copyright Office

 Dedication:

For Chris

Much thanks babe, for your valuable input, and brainstorming. You’ve encouraged me all along to put this story to paper. I couldn’t have completed this without your support.

Special Thanks:

Holly Taylor- Best Moral Support

Prologue

It was late when John entered the Blue Note in Manheim, Germany to meet with Velda. Sweat gathered on his face as he was dreading the conversation that was about to take place. He had received new orders from his commander; orders that would take him to Ft. Drum, New York. Velda would not be going with him. Velda had already questioned him as to why he didn’t just come to her apartment as it was conveniently located across the street from the Blue Note. He had taken a seat as he awaited her arrival, wiping sweaty palms on his dress blue pants. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that they were both aware that wherever the Army sent him, is where he must go.

A jingling sound tinkled, signifying the door opening. John glanced at it, seeing the beautiful woman he has come to care for during his stay in Germany. He politely stood as she made her way to him, with a smile on her face. Even as a surgeon for the Army, his hands have never been less steady as they were then, as Velda sat across from him.

The smile died on Velda’s face as she gazed into John’s eyes. He had always been open and honest with her, telling her he was married with a young daughter. His wife was beautiful with blond hair and long-legs compared to Velda’s petite frame and dark complexion. She also knew his wife had been very sickly since their baby had been born, but she asked no questions. She enjoyed their time together, but Velda had made a mistake. She had fallen in love with a married man.

A man who made no doubt as to his loyalty to his family, and now he was leaving Germany, and she may never see him again.

They held hands across the table as Velda allowed the tears to stream down her face. She had been a fool living in a fantasy world. To think that the doctor would even consider leaving his wife and child for her was almost laughable.

John reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope, Please take this, Velda.

She knew it contained money. He had always been very generous with her, but now she turned on him in disgust! I don’t want your money, John. I’m not your whore. I lay with you because I love you. Don’t you realize that?

I’m sorry, baby; I love you, too. You must know how much I’ll miss you.

Don’t, she cried out. Don’t lie to yourself or to me. You don’t love me, and we both know this. You just feel guilty. You’ll forget me as soon as your plane takes off. She slides her hand out and quickly takes the envelope. But I will take your offer of help because I’m going to need it.

Now, as he looked at her for the last time, he realized that she seemed different to him somehow, however, he had too much on his mind that night to pay attention. He had to pack up his things and get back to his wife.

She never got up when he stood to leave. She didn’t offer to return his hug.

If you ever need anything, Velda, please, contact me. You know where I’ll be stationed.

Velda watched John as he walked out the door before getting up, slowly rubbing the beginning of her swollen belly as she did so. She was four months pregnant, and he had noticed nothing different about her. She kept the secret to herself.

In time, she gave birth to a boy, a big baby with a severe clef pallet. She never told John, although she couldn’t help but wonder about how happy he would be to have a son, or would he?

She would leave the baby sleeping in the apartment at night while she worked the night shift at the bar down the street. There was a fire one night and it quickly engulfed the apartment building. No one knew how it started, but it caught Velda in the stairwell when it collapsed. She fell through to the bottom. The Fire Department rescued her. The fall saved her life since there were few survivors and it trapped almost everyone in the upstairs apartments inside. She was unconscious in the hospital for several weeks. When she woke up and asked about her baby, the nurses looked at her in surprise.

What baby? They asked.

She had kept her baby such a secret that no one knew to look for him. She was informed that there were very few survivors. Since her child was just a baby, she figured he must be one of the deceased. She threw her hands to her face in a silent scream never mentioning her baby again to anyone.

Velda never talked to the authorities about the child. There was nothing they could have done for her, at that point and she blamed them for the loss of her baby. If she was honest with herself, she was a little relieved that he wouldn’t have to grow up deformed. This was her way of absolving herself of any guilt.

She hadn’t been working the night that the apartment caught fire. She’d finally met a man, maybe someone who would help her forget her doctor.

When she arrived at the building, seeing the flames engulfing it, she had tried to run up the stairs to get to her son. The baby would have been two years old.

Velda had no family to speak of in Germany. She had been on her own for a long time, but now she needed help. She placed a call to the doctor.

Velda looked around her in awe as the plane landed at the airport in New York City in the United States. She marveled at all the beautiful lights and pulled her coat closer to guard against the cold night air. She had finally taken John up on his offer for help and called him after losing all her possessions in the fire. His wife was very ill with cancer, and he needed help with his daughter, Angie. He was a Plastic Surgeon, as well as a Psychologist, and he stayed very busy. He welcomed her with open arms, and she thanked God for bringing her back to her doctor, even if it was only to be a housekeeper/babysitter.

She would care for his wife and child, and she was always there for him when he needed her. Velda was content in her new life. She soon forgot all about the baby she’d lost, and she never told the doctor they’d had a son. When his wife succumbed to her illness, Velda was there to comfort the Doctor and his daughter, Angie. That was many years ago.

Present Day

Angie awoke with a start, a scream frozen on her lips rendering her mute, unable to make a sound, even if she’d wanted to. Paralyzed with fear, rivulets of sweat beaded on her forehead, now mixing with the tears threatening to fall from her golden eyelashes. Her eyes, a dark gold, widened in fright, searching the darkness, the debilitating feeling of helplessness she once felt, returning.

God, how she felt the fear, so sharp it cut through her chest as if someone were plunging a knife into her all over again. Her hand subconsciously went to the long scar on her ribcage just under her left breast. Something was very wrong, where was the nightlight and why wasn’t it on? They always left it on, even during the day.

She couldn’t stand being in the dark. Even during the daylight hours, she always had a nightlight on. Ever since that horrible night six years ago, or was it only yesterday? The pain still so sharp, always fresh in her mind. It permeated her very soul, night and day. Then she heard it, and as the voice spoke Angie covered her ears with her hands as if to block out that horrible memory. No, no, she was thinking; this can’t be happening again, but it was. She’d never forget that voice, that whisper.

It came softly at first, in a quiet whisper.

Angie, Then again, it whispered Angie, Then came the loud hysterical laughing. Just as abruptly as it began, it stopped. The whisper came again, Angie, it repeated, Angie, my Angie, I’m back. I’ve found you at last.

Finally, her paralysis broken, she let loose with a blood-curdling scream, one that would bring the whole household to her bedside.

Sam, Angie’s bodyguard, came rushing in grasping his nine-millimeter in one hand while looking for the cause of the commotion. As he reached out to turn on the overhead light to her room, they both see it. A small tape recorder sitting on her bedside table, sitting upright, dead center of the stand making it hard to miss. As he reached over to shut it off, Angie fell apart completely, screaming.

God, no! Not again, I’m so sick of this! Why don’t you just leave me alone?

Crying profusely now, she’s loses control, raging, screaming and crying at the unfairness of what had happened to her. At the young age of twenty-three, Angie Winston felt older than time. The nightmare began six years ago when she was just seventeen, and the whispered voice with its slight slur brings everything rushing forward.

Sam searched the closet, the bathroom, under the bed, and the double doors leading out to the balcony. The doors were locked securely and bolted from the inside. He confirmed that the security system was still working and intact. No one could have entered the house, so where did the tape recorder come from? He needed to check out some things downstairs; however, he didn’t want to leave Angie alone in her current condition. Where was Velda, the housekeeper?

Standing at the entrance to Angie’s room, he called out multiple times, Velda, where are you? Get in here quick! Everything was secure as far as all the doors and locks in Angie’s room; but he was responsible for Angie’s safety, especially when her father was out of town.

He dreaded the call he was going to have to make to the Doctor. Dr. John Winston was a busy professional. He was away often at Medical Conventions.

Just then, Velda came running in. As she spied Angie shaking and curled up with a blanket wrapped over her shoulders, she ran straight to her. Velda had joined their family many years ago when she’d come to the United States from Germany. No one, including the Doctor, was sure about her age.

Sam had guessed her to be in her early forties but could find no records of any kind on her. She’d taken care of Mrs. Winston, who had succumbed to lung cancer many years ago. What had started as a part-time maid and nanny had ended up with her being a full-time housekeeper and nanny? She was already there when Sam joined them several years later. They would have been lost without Velda.

The doctor swore to Sam that he could trust her to take care of his daughter, but she could not protect her from this madman, whoever he was. That’s where Sam came into the picture.

knife

The doctor would expect a call from Sam first, even though he knew he should contact the police first. That would be the proper protocol, but Doctor Winston didn’t care about protocol with his daughter. He was used to having his orders followed, and he was used to getting what he wanted. But this is a call that Sam was dreading. If someone had breached his line of security, this could cost him his job and the respect he’d earned from the Doctor all these years.

He’d been with the Winston’s for several years now and Dr. Winston had hired him to do what had started out as a routine security job on a new office back in New York, but then the nightmare had started, and they pulled Sam into it all. He’d then been promoted as a private bodyguard, for a seventeen-year-old girl who should have never known the terror that had entered her life.

First, Sam had questions that needed answering. He pointed to the tape recorder as he pulled out a pair of black rubber gloves from his jacket pocket. Velda looked very nervous now and started gently crying because she now realized she’d made a big mistake.

Velda, he asked, Do you know where the hell this came from? While asking her he picked the tape recorder up with his gloved hand slowly turning it around to look at it. It was small and appeared to be electronically controlled.

Yes, she answered quickly, But I can explain. Oh, my goodness child, she cried as she put her arms around Angie’s shoulder in a comforting manner.

Sam was losing his patience. He had things to do and calls to make.

Velda, talk quickly. I need answers now! What do you know about this tape recorder, and what do you need to explain?

By now, he could tell by her actions and responses that she was guilty of something. He’d never bonded with her like Dr. Winston and Angie. He’d always felt like there was something hidden just underneath all that nice smiling exterior. He didn’t know why he felt this way about her, but he did. He’d learned to trust his instincts years ago.

Velda regained her composure, cleared her throat and stood up. She spoke quickly, now, explaining how she’d received the tape-recorder from special delivery this afternoon. Dr. John Winston addressed and signed it, or so she had thought.

Wait, a minute; I’ll get the note, she whispered as she ran downstairs to the other room and came back with the packaging it had come in. And here’s the note that was in it, She handed it to Sam, You’ll see for yourself. It looks just like Dr. Winston’s hand-writing and signature.

Angie calmed down enough thanks to Velda’s comforting arms that she glanced over at the package covering and nodded, Yea; it looks like Dad’s writing, she whispered, But he would never ever send such a horrible tape. I mean this is all crazy, She grabbed her head as hysteria tried to pull her back into its grasp.

Sam still had the gloves on and was reading the note. He didn’t expect the police to find anyone’s fingerprints but Velda’s, but he hoped maybe someone had slipped up and left maybe just one print for them to go on.

The note only had a few lines of instructions. Sam noticed they addressed the note to Velda by name. It directed her to place the tape-recorder by Angie’s bed at precisely one a.m. and continued to explain that this was a new experimental relaxation tape. ‘He’ wanted to know how Angie responded the next morning, and if it helped her sleep better. The note even told Velda how grateful he was to have her there to help watch over his precious Angie, and that there was no need to bother Sam with this, that he had enough to keep him busy. Dr. John Winston’s signature was on it.

Sam read and re-read the note several times. Several things deeply disturbed him about this note. This did not come from the doctor; of that he was sure. Whoever wrote this, referred to Velda by name, and referred to his name, and Dr. Winston would never use the phrase, his precious Angie because that’s what that sick fuck used to say to Angie when he had her.

This could only mean one thing. That bastard had somehow crawled out from under whatever rock he’d been hiding under and had found them after all these years, or someone had a very sick sense of humor. And if it was the Whisperer, then he knew where they lived and was sending a bold statement. Angie was not safe here anymore.

Sam looked up from the note still deep in thought, Both of you sit tight, got it?

It’s him, isn’t it? Angie cried, He’s found me. I’ll never be safe, never have a normal life, not until he’s dead. That’s the only way he’ll stop, Sam, Angie whispered shakily to Sam. He was her protector and safety net. He was the one who had found her and rescued her back from that dark, wet, smelly dungeon-cage the Whisperer had locked her in.

Angie, I won’t sugarcoat it, but yes, it could very well be that psycho. For now, let’s just try to remain calm, Turning to Velda, Sam continues with his line of questioning, So Velda, I can see where you might be fooled by this note, but come on. You of all people should know that the doctor would never tell you not to let me in on what’s going on. I mean, really? A tape-recorder? Can I assume you never listened to it?

Velda was crying profusely now, I’m so sorry. I got complacent and careless after all these years, She looked at Angie again. I’m so sorry, child.

Angie whispered, It’s all right Velda, I know it was an accident, but please stop calling me, child. I know my emotions are all over the place, but I’m twenty-three, not three.

We’ve got to work together, Velda, Sam stated firmly, Do you understand how serious this could have been? I know you’ve never liked me, but you must let me do my job here. I’ve got to call the Doctor, and this is a call I dread, believe me, he whispered the last part to himself while shaking his head.

Okay, Sam stated, You two stay put for a bit, okay? Velda, get anything Angie may need until I get back. Oh, and one more question, Velda? Why did it take you so long to respond?

Respond? She questioned, What do you mean?

Now, his patience was running thin! Either Velda was being vague about her answers, or he was just too worked up right now to be objective. So, he took a deep breath and explained like he would to a child, You said you placed the tape-recorder in here about midnight, which puts it after the time I checked Angie’s room, before she headed to bed. You understood it’d be coming on somehow, supposedly by itself, yet I called out for you more than once, and it still took a while to get here, looking half asleep.

Oh, and now, Velda understood what he was getting at, Well, I never stay up past ten p.m., and I take a pill to help me sleep. So, when the note told me to place the recorder in Angie’s room by 1:00 am, and stated it would come on automatically, I thought no more about it since I thought this was John’s instructions. So, I took my pill as soon as I reached my room. That’s why I barely heard you and was slow to respond. Is that a good enough reason for my delay? You could tell she did not like being questioned, but she understood that the Doctor would ask these same questions, and she didn’t want to lose her position here after all these years.

Okay, Sam nodded slowly. He started downstairs again.

Wait, where are you going? Angie asked him. The thought of him leaving her, even with Velda there, terrified her. She glanced over at her bedroom windows. Are you sure they’re locked, Sam?

Yes, but I’ll check again for you, all right?

knife

He also made sure the outside balcony light was on before he ran downstairs. He had already checked the nightlight, but the bulb appeared to have burned out, so there didn’t seem to be sign of foul play.

Sam hurried quietly down the hall. He had a small bedroom off to the right next to Angie’s. He confirmed his door was still locked just as he’d left it. He had a security camera system set up in here, as well as the Doctors’ office, downstairs. In fact, he’d just set his watch alarm for his normal four-hour sleep, when all the commotion had started.

He did regular checks every four hours like clockwork. He always kept both rooms locked. Sam had instructed Velda not to bother cleaning either of these rooms.

Across the hall was Velda’s bedroom and bathroom. He quickly looked in the closet, under the bed, and the bathroom. He checked her windows. They were locked and secured. He noticed a small bottle of pills on the bathroom counter and read the prescription label. They were to treat mild arthritis and cause drowsiness. He felt a little bad for being so tough on her, but his job was to keep both her and Angie safe.

At the far opposite end of the hall past the stairs was the master suite that the doctor used when he was home. Sam quickly checked all the windows, as well as the closet, bathroom, and under the bed. This room also had a balcony, and he checked the doors to make sure they were locked.

He made his way quietly downstairs. Sam could move fast and was very quiet most of the time. He was always thinking and planning. He had to convince the doctor that this house had too many exterior