into their rear end. Their car skidded, spun in a circle.
The Chevy hit them again. A scream tore from Elyssa’s throat as they hurtled down an embankment. They seemed to tumble endlessly—rolling, pitching from side to side—then suddenly, with a grinding thud, they stopped.
Elyssa opened her eyes. She was still buckled into her seat, but her right arm hung at an angle, and her head felt as if she’d been kicked by a mule. “Randy,” she whispered. A thin stream dribbled out of her mouth. She licked her lip and tasted blood.
“Here.” His voice was so faint, she could barely hear it over the sound of the storm. Fighting against pain, she turned her head. Randy lay against the door, crushed by the caved-in side of the car.
Though her hands shook, Elyssa managed to unbuckle her seat belt. Forgetting her own pain, she crawled to Randy and touched his face. Her hand came away covered with blood. “You’re hurt,” she choked. “I’ll…I’ll get help.”
“Too late,” he muttered. “Get…the book. It’s…”
“Don’t worry,” she told him. “I’m calling 911.” She spotted the cell phone on the floor and leaned down. It was broken. She’d have to get out of the car. “I’ll find someone,” she said. “Just hold on.”
“No use,” Randy whispered. “Tell Jenny…tell her…I… love her.” He said nothing more.
“Randy,” Elyssa begged, “don’t die. Please.” Frantically she scrambled across the seat, shoved at the passenger door. It didn’t budge. Her right arm was useless but she turned, leaned her left shoulder against the door and pushed with all her strength. Suddenly it gave and she toppled out.
She cried out with pain, then lay for a moment in a sodden heap, trying to see where she was. Halfway down the brush-covered slope. A small tree had stopped the car from plunging all the way to the bottom. She could crawl up, find help.
She pulled herself to her knees, stared down at the ground. Mud. Glass. And a black boot.
“Thank God,” she breathed and looked up.
A man stood over her. He was tall and broad-shouldered. In the rainy darkness she could just make out his features—fleshy lips, a slightly crooked nose and beetle brows. But no matter what he looked like, he was the most welcome sight she’d ever beheld. “Help,” she whispered.
“No dice, lady.”
Shocked, Elyssa stared at him. Behind him, up the embankment, she saw a black Chevy.
“You…you’re the one who followed us—”
“Right. And now—” He smiled slowly, chillingly. “Lights out, love.”
His booted foot shot out, connected with her cheek. She fell, tumbling over and over, down and down.
The last thing she heard was an earsplitting boom. The last thing she saw was a bright ball of fire as Randy’s car exploded.
“Elyssa, open your eyes.”
She wanted to, but her lids were so heavy. And they hurt. Her whole face hurt.
“Try, please.” Her cousin Cassie’s voice, thick with tears.
I’m trying, she thought and lifted her lids. “Cassie,” she murmured. Her voice sounded shaky, weak.
“You’re awake. Thank God.”
Elyssa blinked, focused. She was in a bed. A hospital bed. Cassie stood beside it, crying. “Your parents just left. I’ll call them.” She sniffled, then tried to smile. “It’s been so long. I was afraid—”
“H-how…long?” Elyssa whispered.
Cassie wiped her eyes. “You’ve been in a coma for fourteen days.”
Two weeks. Coma. Hospital. “Did I have an accident?”
Cassie nodded. “With Randy.”
“Randy.” Saying his name brought unbearable pain. “He gave me a ride.” That was all she could remember. She saw herself getting into Randy’s car, then…nothing. “Wh-what happened?”
“It was raining. Your car must have skidded. It went off the road in Eagle Creek Park.”
“I…we both got hurt?”
Cassie took Elyssa’s hand. “Your collarbone was broken. You had a concussion and…and some cuts and bruises.”
Three days passed before her family gently broke the news of Randy’s death.
They waited another week before they told her about her face.
Chapter 1
Sixteen Months Later
Elyssa Jarmon was doing what she did best—making kids laugh. Decked out in her Lulu the Clown outfit, she entertained a group of youngsters in the cancer unit of St. Michael’s Hospital.
“Watch closely now.” She held out a slender china vase. “Empty. Anyway, it looks empty. Someone want to check?”
Hands shot up. Elyssa zeroed in on one youngster. Arms stick thin, head bald, he had the look of a concentration camp inmate. He’d clearly been absorbed in her performance but he hadn’t clapped or smiled, just stared with huge brown eyes in a pale, drawn face. She thought she’d seen his fingers twitch when she asked for a volunteer. “You,” she said skipping over to him. “What’s your name?”
“Trace.” The word barely reached her.
“Help me, would you, Trace?” She held out the vase.
The youngster peered inside. “Empty,” he whispered.
“Let’s fill it.” She waved her hand, and instantly a flower emerged, then another. Children squealed, applauded. Trace’s eyes widened, and a ghost of a smile appeared.
“Did you put those flowers there?” Elyssa asked with exaggerated suspicion.
Trace shook his head solemnly.
“Aw, I bet you did. Do it again. Come on, wave your hand.”
Slowly the youngster’s hand moved back and forth.
“Nope,” Elyssa said, feigning disappointment, “nothing hap— No, wait. Here…it…comes.”
An even bigger flower sprang into view, and to her surprise Trace grinned. Then he chuckled. The sound was creaky, as if he’d forgotten how, but he managed a laugh nevertheless. Elyssa patted his shoulder, danced back to the center of the room and brought the show to a close.
She waved to the kids as nurses began pushing wheelchairs out of the room, then as she turned to gather her equipment, she swiped a hand over one white cheek. This place was hot. She would stop at the rest room, shed her heavy costume and scrub off her makeup. And when she got home, the first thing she’d do was
