Trapped

By Desiree Scott

Nina Williams' world shattered in an instant when she and her daughter witnessed her father's brutal murder. Everything in her life became trivial save one - protecting her only child. With the help of a friend, Nina leaves the city in a cloud of terror and heads for Vail Mountain and the safety she prays she will find. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kingston Publishing Company
• Release date: May 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781645334378

Book preview

Copyright

Trapped is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

TRAPPED: A NOVEL

Copyright © 2021 by Desiree Scott

All rights reserved.

Editing by Kathy Moczerniak

Cover Design by KP Designs

- www.kpdesignshop.com

Published by Kingston Publishing Company

- www.kingstonpublishing.com

The uploading, scanning, and distribution of this book in any form or by any means—including but not limited to electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of the copyright holder is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions of this work, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

Table of Contents

Copyright

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Epilogue

Extras

Acknowledgements

About the Author

About the Publisher

Chapter 1

Nina Williams heard the worry in her father’s voice and sighed as she restocked the shelves of his small general store as he handed her each item from her right.

Dad, please don’t worry. Emily and I will be fine, she said quietly, trying to reassure him. She could tell it didn’t work. It never did when he was worried about his child and granddaughter. Even at twenty-four, Nina knew she would always be his baby.

Her mother had died in a car accident when she was two, leaving her father, Tommy Williams, suddenly raising a small child by himself with no clue on what to do. It had been complete chaos from the beginning, from what Nina could remember, but in a good way. They were close, and she was thankful for that. Then when her boyfriend had left her when she was seventeen and pregnant, her father had been there, the one man in her life who was constant.

Joan’s getting married next month, and I haven’t seen her in years. I promise everything will be fine. We'll only be gone for two weeks. She said the snow is melting, and I can just imagine the blooms on the trees!

The excitement in her voice brought a smile to Tommy’s lips, and some of the worry left the tight lines of his tanned face.

And what about Jacob? he asked suggestively, wiggling his gray eyebrows up and down.

Nina rolled her eyes and reached for another item in his hands. We’re just friends, Dad.

Jacob Tanner was a detective she had met five years ago when he had moved to the city and just happened to move into her apartment building. They had hit it off, but for the past three years, he had hinted at more with her. Nina just didn’t feel that way about him.

Hmmm, he hummed, chuckling. Jacob wants to be more, he said, hinting at her own thoughts just then.

She shook her head and sighed as she put another can on the shelf. For a small store, her dad sure had a large inventory. I’m not interested in him like that. He’s an awesome friend and sweet, but nothing’s there, okay? Now please stop pushing.

He was silent with no rebuttal or sarcastic remark. Nina turned to reach for another item in his hands, but the look on his face stopped her cold.

Dad, what is it?

Grab Emily, and get to the back, now, he ordered, his voice low as he stared out the large window in the front.

Her heart hammering against her ribs, she climbed down from the ladder, her eyes glued to his pale face.

What is it? What’s wrong? she demanded.

Do what I say, Nina. Now. Get to the back with Emily, and don’t come out. I mean it.

Nina hesitated for a split second, but something in her father’s voice had her moving to where her daughter sat at a table in the corner of the store coloring, her dark head bent to the side.

She quickly walked over to her, keeping her eyes on her father standing perfectly still by the shelves. He hadn’t moved yet and just stood there, staring out the window. Come on, baby. Let’s go to the back.

What’s wrong, Mommy? Emily asked, frowning as she lifted her head and looked up. Her daughter had always been smart and could tell when something was wrong.

And something was seriously wrong. Nina just didn’t know what.

Don’t talk. Come on. Let’s get to the back. Without stopping to consider anything but her daughter’s safety and her father’s worrisome expression, Nina made her way to the back office and closed the door. Without thinking, she opened it a crack so she could see the front of the store.

Barely able to make out her father’s tall form, she watched as he glanced over to where she was and then walked over to the counter. Standing with his back to her, she saw his left hand inch toward the small emergency button beneath the counter, and her heart sank. If he was reaching for help, it was worse than she had feared. Before he could push it, his body jerked, sliding down the side of the glass case as he left a trail of blood behind him.

A shot. Her father had been shot, she realized in horror, her hand flying to her mouth.

A scream built in her throat, threatening to choke her, and Nina quickly took her other hand and covered her daughter’s mouth before the little girl could make the anguished cry that fought to escape her.

Tears streamed down their cheeks as they watched, struggling for silence against their sobs. Two men pushed the shattered door open and walked inside, shards of glass crunching beneath their boots.

They had a silencer.

It was after nine p.m., and the store wasn’t in a good part of town. There were a few boarded-up buildings across the street that were hidden in the darkness of the poorly lit street, the lamplights busted. Headlights of loud, sputtering, run-down cars often drove past, the glare of the occupants often giving her the creeps. In fact, the whole south side gave her the creeps, and Nina had begged her father to relocate the store, but he had refused, liking the low rent and his ability to help those in need.

But this… Why…?

One of the guys, a young kid who couldn’t have been more than nineteen, stood back next to the door, looking over his shoulder nervously. Even in the dim light, Nina could see the sweat glisten on his forehead.

Come on. Let’s go, damn it.

Just give me a fucking second, the other man growled, walking over to her father's still body on the ground. Using his foot, he pushed Tommy onto his back, and Nina heard a soft groan.

Her heart in her throat, she hugged her trembling daughter close to her chest as she watched her father slowly bleed to death, the little girl's face buried against her neck.

"I warned ya, Tommy. I warned ya what would happen if ya didn't do it. But noooooo. Ya had to be a fucking moral idiot and reject my boss's proposition. And that fucking brat of yours? The same thing will happen to her if she doesn't agree, so let's hope she can be reasoned with."

With that, the man shook his head and turned, heading back toward the door and the kid.

Let's go. That was a fucking clean shot. He's dead soon.

The kid turned, but just then, his eyes met hers, and Nina froze, bile rising as she saw his eyes widen. He looked from the retreating back of the other man to her, and Nina never prayed so hard in her life.

Please, God no…

Seconds flew, but it felt like years as their gazes locked, a silent battle of pleading coming from her.

Come on, kid. Let's go! The other man's harsh orders snapped the kid out of it, and he took one more long look at her before giving her a small nod. Her breath held, she watched as the two men disappeared out the door.

She didn't dare breathe as she waited to see if they would return, if the kid would say anything to the other man.

Minutes passed as the two sat on the floor by the door,