Beyond the Naked Eye Book One;

No Home For the Wicked

Excerpt

“Don’t rush me, had you been watching like you were supposed to, this would be over.”

It was all hardwood flooring. I realized my socked feet would make less noise than my shoes and began removing this quietly. Taking one slow step out into the open, I was relieved when my foot barely made a noise. The bedroom door was a few feet in front of me, it was literally just right there.

“STOP,” Brian yelled, making me freeze.

The son stepped from a doorway with a phone glued to his ear. I stayed as still as possible as he stood in the corridor having a full conversation with God knows who. Just when I thought he was about to turn and see me, he paused and moved in another direction disappearing through another doorway. I let out a sigh of relief and started moving again.

“Wait, wait. Don’t step on the--,” too late.

My foot hit the floor and it let out a loud creak underneath my feet. Conversation came to a halt immediately.

“Hold on, Barbara. I need to call you back.”

“The bathroom,” Brian pointed. “Hurry, he’s coming.”

I moved to the side, slipping through the open door and place my back against the wall. He was back in the corridor, now. I could hear him walking around and I had a feeling he was waiting for another sound. Looking at the shower, I moved quietly towards it and stepped inside.

“Hello?”

“He’s at the bottom of the stairs. Do not move.”

I narrowed my eyes at him but bit my tongue to keep from saying what was on my mind. He was moving up the stairs. I could hear him take each step slowly. Fuck, he knows someone is here. A ghost isn’t exactly making the floor boards creak.

“If someone is in my house, I am within my right to shoot and kill you,” he said loud enough for me to hear.

Great, there’s a chance I could die today. Then neither of us could give these stupid papers to Isabelle.

“Don’t move.” He was staring at something. “He’s right outside the door.”

I heard the floor board again. I instantly sucked in a quiet breath.

“No, no, no, no. Go away, go look somewhere else.”

He’s in the bathroom. I placed my hand over my mouth. I could see his shadow on the other side of the shower curtain. His fingers curled around it and I braced myself to be caught standing in his bathtub.

The doorbell rang.

His grip on the shower curtain loosened and he quickly turned to walk away. I let out the longest, shaky breath ever when I heard him rushing down the stairs.

“You have to move, hurry up. You don’t want him to come back and find you here. He may have his gun this time.”

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I quickly stepped out of the shower and walked to the open doorway. Downstairs, I could hear him talking to someone at the door. When I had the courage to peek over the banister, he had the door open just a little.

“Rosa, how are you?”

“I’m fine, Mr. Wilson. I came to clean.”

“No, no. That won’t be necessary today.”

I made sure to avoid the same spot on the floorboard along with any others that would alert to my presence for a second time.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive. You go ahead and take the day off. Tomorrow, the house will be all yours.”

I made it to the door just before they wrapped up the conversation and slipped into the bedroom. Sliding my shoes back onto my feet, I was just about to move to the window. “No, not yet. Get in the closet. He’s going to come back up and look around.”

“Don’t you think the closet will be the first place he’ll look?”

Brian seemed to give it some thought. “You’re right, get under the bed.”

“That would be the second place,” I said quietly, looking around.

“Well, you better find somewhere to hide fast because he’s getting his gun.”

Into the closet I go. Besides, I had a better chance of blending in with the clothes than anything. I opened the door and squeezed between the rows of business suits until I was completely shielded and in a corner. Brian had been correct about his son. I heard the click of his gun as he came back upstairs. He’d move back to the bathroom and pulled the shower curtain back. Thank God I was already gone.