No Way Out, Fern Michaels [korean ebook reader TXT] 📗

found what she was looking for among reports on a series of muggings. As she combed the report, a chill went up her spine.

12:45 A.M.

Location: 349 West 11th Street

Victim: White female/age 30+/-

Name: Missing identification

Description: Mugging—Subject was found at base of the front steps of a brownstone, unconscious. Head wound either by blunt object or due to fall. Purse and contents not on scene.

EMS arrived and took subject to Lenox Health. No witnesses.

It was right around the corner from the Pasteria, a place where she and Rick used to hang out.

She read and reread what little information there was. A strange buzz went through her head again. She started to get dizzy. She had to fight the sensation. She knew she was getting closer to the truth. Why hadn’t anyone told her? She looked at the clock. It was almost 4:00 A.M. She reached for the phone designated for her mother and Kara. Ellie could not possibly wait until dawn. Two years had been long enough.

“Mother. Don’t panic. I’m OK. But I had to speak with you now.”

Ellie’s mother was groggy. “Oh dear, what is it? What is going on at this time in the morning? Or whatever time it is where you are?”

“I had another nightmare. About the incident. Rick was in it. He was standing over me while I was falling into an abyss. I reached out to him, and he let me fall.”

There was silence on the other end.

“Mother?”

“I’m here, honey. It’s just that no one has heard from him since he skipped town.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Ellie answered.

“What do you mean?”

“Rick called Christian and asked him for $5,000.”

“After all this time? What on earth for?”

“He claims it’s for some sort of start-up company. He wanted Chris to put the money in a PayPal account.”

“Isn’t that a bit odd?”

“Of course it’s odd.”

“What did Christian say?”

“He said he would discuss it with Kara. That’s how I found out. Kara called me the other day. She told Christian that she would kick his butt if he did what Rick asked.”

“Sounds like Kara.” Her mother chuckled. “I don’t suppose he asked about you?”

“Of course not. Why should he? He didn’t seem to care when I was in the hospital.” Ellie felt her stress growing.

“Do they know where he is?”

“He said he was traveling.”

“Yes, like he traveled right out of here the morning you were admitted to the hospital.”

“Mother, I think I have an idea of what happened that night.” Ellie was resolute.

“I don’t understand.” Her mother had waited for over two years. Why now?

“Let me explain.” Ellie took a deep breath. “My nightmare. This was the second time I was being swallowed into a dark hole, but this time Rick was in it. When I woke up, I had a strange buzzing in my head.”

“Honey, you know you have to be careful of those recurring migraines.”

“Luckily, I’ve had very few over the past several months. I’m OK now.”

“That’s good news, dear,” her mother cooed.

“Here’s the thing. I went online and searched the newspapers for the date of the incident. I found a small article in the Daily News about a woman who was found unconscious at the bottom of the front steps of a brownstone.”

More silence from the other end.

“Mother?”

“Yes, yes. I heard you.”

“Then I went to the police blotter to try to get more information. Mother? Was that me?” Ellie cringed, waiting for a response.

Her mother took a deep gulp before answering. “Yes.”

“And no one told me?” Ellie was getting agitated.

“You couldn’t remember what happened. The doctors said you would in time and that we should not push you.”

“Instead, you made me wonder for two years?” Ellie was pacing now.

“It was a severe trauma, honey. No one wanted to do anything that would upset you.” Her mother sounded tearful.

“Mom? Rick was there when I fell.”

“What?” Her mother was stunned by her remark.

“That’s why he disappeared,” Ellie said blankly.

“But your purse. It was missing.”

“We were having an argument on the street.” Ellie felt like she was in a trance. “He was really angry and grabbed me by the shoulders. When I tried to push him away, I lost my footing and fell backward. He grabbed the strap of my purse, to keep me from falling, and it broke.” Ellie was in a sweat. “He must have taken off with it to make what happened look like a mugging.”

“But why didn’t he stay to help you?” Ellie’s mother was irate.

“Because he never takes responsibility for anything. He probably thought no one would believe that it was an accident.”

“Do you think it was an accident?” her mother asked suspiciously. “Your memory isn’t that good. Perhaps this is what you want to remember—an accident.”

“Mother, I can’t think of any reason why Rick would purposely push me down a flight of stairs.”

“Because he’s an obnoxious, selfish, nasty piece of work, that’s why.”

“But to what end? What would be in it for him? Rick never did anything that was not in his own interest.” Ellie was perplexed.

“Maybe he didn’t feel like waiting around for the police and having to answer questions. Why do you think he fled town?” Her mother was resolute.

“That is the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question.” Then it occurred to Ellie that her mother might be right and that Rick would be looking for her to finish the job that had begun that night. “Gosh, do you think that’s why he called Christian? To try to find me?” Ellie tried to control her panic. “But he didn’t ask about me.”

“No, but he asked for money. Maybe he’s going to pay someone to find you.” Her mom took a deep breath. “It’s a good thing you’re working on a government contract out of the country, so it will be difficult to locate you.”

Ellie resisted the urge to tell her mother the truth. She wasn’t out of the country. Then a horrible thought came to mind. If Rick was trying to find her, she needed to do something about it. About him.