Chapter 48

FORTY-EIGHT

KNOTTY PINE HILL

Claire was so exhausted she closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep on the cold basement floor where he'd brought her, to forget what her life had become. But sorrow overcame her and she pressed her hand over her heart. She was never going to see her precious daughters again. Never get to see them run and play, go to high school prom, get married.

She was their mother. She was supposed to love and protect them.

She'd failed.

The memory of holding them in her arms for the first time returned, and she wrapped her arms around herself and was thrust back to that day.

She and her husband Joel had tried so hard to have a child. Had dreamed about it from the moment they'd said I do. He'd been so charming back then. Had won her over with nice romantic dinners and flowers and gifts and surprises. The fact that he wanted a family had sealed the deal.

They would have everything together. A nice cozy house. The pitter patter of little feet and laughter and holidays together.

She'd lost her parents in a home invasion a long time ago when she was little and had been raised by an aunt who died when she was eighteen. Joel had been her soft shoulder to cry on.

Even during their struggles to get pregnant, he'd been a rock.

The labor had started a week early. She'd panicked, but he'd held her hand and assured her everything would be fine. He'd raced her to the hospital, all the time praising her for giving him not one, but two babies to love and carry on his name.

Labor had been long and intense and Heidi had been breech, forcing her to have a C-section. She touched the scar on her abdomen with a smile. It had been worth it.

The twins were born and she and Joel dove into parenthood with as much excitement as kids in a candy shop.

Footsteps above jarred her eyes open, and panic tightened her chest. The door to the basement creaked open and a sliver of light shimmied down the steps into the darkness. Bathed in shadows, he strode down the steps, his wide jaw clenched, his dark eyes piercing her with condemnation.

An evil smile curved his mouth, his teeth bared. She had a feeling he was going to kill her.

"I saw Delilah," he said.

Claire swallowed hard. Oh, God…

They all owed her so much. But judging from his menacing expression and the blood on his hands, Delilah was gone now, too. Dead because of them.

Regret, sorrow and fear overcame her. Had Delilah spilled the truth before he killed her?