Scared to Death
Debby Giusti
To Tony
My husband, my hero
To Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary
I am so proud of each of you
To Darlene Buchholz, Annie Oortman,
Dianna Love Snell and Sharon Yanish Good friends and great critique partners
To Krista Stroever
For your suggestions and guidance
To Jessica Alvarez
For your help throughout the editing process
Contents
Chapter ONE
Chapter TWO
Chapter THREE
Chapter FOUR
Chapter FIVE
Chapter SIX
Chapter SEVEN
Chapter EIGHT
Chapter NINE
Chapter TEN
Chapter ELEVEN
Chapter TWELVE
Chapter THIRTEEN
Chapter FOURTEEN
Chapter FIFTEEN
Chapter SIXTEEN
Chapter SEVENTEEN
Chapter EIGHTEEN
Chapter NINETEEN
Chapter TWENTY
Chapter TWENTY-ONE
EPILOGUE
ONE
“Kate. I need your help.”
The urgency in the caller’s voice made Kate Murphy’s heart race. “Who…Who is this?”
“It’s Tina.”
Kate flinched at the name she hadn’t heard in three years. Images of death and betrayal flashed through her mind. Images Kate wanted to forget.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have called.” Tina’s words were clipped, her tone wary. “It’s been so long, but—”
Cupping a free hand over her ear, Kate tried to drown out the whirr of the centrifuges that filled the medical research lab where she worked.
“Wait, let me step into the hallway. I’ll be able to hear better.” Static crackled across the line as Kate changed locations. “Still there?”
“I know this sounds crazy, but I stumbled across something in the woods and need your medical expertise. Remember when you used to joke about what would happen if the bad guys ever unlocked the secrets of science?”
“Yeah?”
“I think they have.”
The tone of Tina’s voice made Kate’s skin crawl.
Her former friend was right. The whole thing did sound crazy. “How’d you find me, Tina?”
“Your name was in the paper. The article said you worked at Bannister Scientific in Atlanta.”
Kate raked a hand through her hair. She had only given one interview and suddenly she was front-page news. “I can’t leave. I’m in the middle of a project.”
No reason to mention her research had been put on hold. Tomorrow started her two-week probation while Bannister Scientific decided whether she’d keep her job.
“It’s Friday,” Tina pleaded. “Surely you get the weekend off? I’m only living two hours away.”
“I…I may be on call.”
“Growing up you said you’d always be there for me, Kate. I don’t have anyone else. We’re kind of kindred spirits in that regard.”
“What about your mom?”
“She died last Christmas.”
A lump formed in Kate’s throat. “I’m sorry, Tina.”
“So am I. You deserve an apology. What came out after Eddie’s death…I should have believed you.”
The last thing Kate wanted was to open old wounds concerning Tina’s brother. “Where are you?”
“Mercy, Georgia. About two hours north of Atlanta. I’m a housekeeper for a man named Nolan Price and his teenage daughter. I needed a job. Nolan was kind enough to take me in.”
“Listen, Tina, I don’t think—”
“Remember your grandfather’s cross?”
How could Kate forget? Of all things to give Eddie as a token of her love, handing him her most cherished possession three years ago had been the most foolish.
“I found the cross in Eddie’s safety-deposit box,” Tina said. “Just like my brother to tuck it away.”
Kate’s shoulders slumped with relief. The cross hadn’t been destroyed in the fire.
Her grandfather’s face floated through her mind—the man who’d loved her, raised her, taught her about a God she had eventually shut out of her life.
“I’ll give you the cross tonight. You can stay the weekend and see for yourself what I’m talking about.”
Kate shook her head ever so slightly. “Sounds like you’re trying to blackmail me into visiting you.”
Tina laughed, a self-deprecating sound that for an instant touched Kate’s heart. “Call it a bribe, okay?”
Kate sighed. Bribery or not, she needed the cross back around her neck. Sure, Tina could mail it to her, but Kate wouldn’t risk losing the cross again.
“Give me directions,” she finally said.
“Take the connector to 400 North.”
Jamming the phone between her ear and shoulder, Kate reached into the pocket of her lab coat. She pulled out a small tablet and ballpoint pen and jotted down the instructions.
“Tell me what you think you discovered, Tina.”
“Not
