Midnight Caller - By Diane Burke Page 0,71

shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me.”

The prayer grounded her. A wave of calmness swept over her and her trembling ceased. She knew no matter what was going to happen, she would not be alone. Staying calm gave her time to think. Her mind raced with possible scenarios that might get her out of this alive. “Mr. Peters…please…put down the knife.” She kept her voice low and nonthreatening. “Sit down. Let’s talk. Tell me what I’ve done to upset you.”

“Do you think I’m stupid?” he roared, his arms flailing, his bag sliding across the kitchen island. “I’m not stupid.”

She startled when he yelled. “No, of course not.” Her voice softened to a whisper. “You need help, Mr. Peters. You’re sick. Let me help—”

“Sick?” The singsong of his voice silenced her. “I’m not sick, Ms. O’Malley. I’m gifted. I can see inside people’s hearts and it’s my duty to punish the sinners.” His voice lowered and the evil in his tone caused goose bumps to skitter along her flesh. “Your heart is the blackest of them all.”

She coughed and hoped her upper body movements would distract him from her slow, side-step movements. “I don’t understand,” she said, bending at the waist, coughing, leaning heavily on the counter, then facing him again. Eight steps. She’d made it eight steps closer to the back door.

“I don’t know what you think I’ve done.” She moved another inch, then another. “I’m sorry if I offended you. Really, I am.” She slid her foot three more inches to the left. “If you leave right now, I promise I won’t say anything to anyone.”

His sneer revealed uneven, yellow teeth, and for a moment, Erin pictured a vicious animal in front of her instead of a person. “Liar!” He pounded his fist on the counter.

The phone rang, startling them. Peters wailed and grabbed his head, rocking back and forth as though he were in unbearable pain.

Erin took advantage of the moment and raced to the back door. Her hand closed around the door knob.

“No, no, Miss Erin.” He taunted her like she was a misbehaving child. “You don’t want me to shoot you, do you?”

Her mind raced. She’d only seen a knife. Did he grab a gun from his case? She twisted the knob even though she knew it was useless. He’d kill her before she could open the dead bolt.

The phone fell silent.

She reached for the dead bolt.

“Oh, goody. You’re going to make me shoot.” His voice sounded closer. “But I won’t kill you. I’ll do just enough damage to make you wish you were dead.”

Erin had no doubt he meant every word.

“Killing comes later,” he said. “Much later. First, you’ll beg me to stop. Then, you’ll beg me for mercy. Finally, you’ll beg me to die.”

Erin swung around, her body quivering with rage. “Is that what you did to Carol? Did you torture her? Make her beg for death?” Tears burned her eyes as she confronted the man standing only inches from her.

“You’re quick. Figured that out all by yourself. Sit down,” he commanded, pushing her into a nearby chair. He rubbed his forehead.

Erin tried desperately to stall for time as she searched her mind for anything that might help her find a way out of the situation. Maybe if she distracted him, it would buy her the precious moments she would need to get away.

“I’ve got some pain pills in the medicine cabinet,” Erin said. “I’ll get them for you. Maybe they’ll help.”

A flash of light, followed by intense pain, shot through the left side of her face. Blood pooled in her mouth. He had backhanded her with the gun. “You don’t know anything about pain. Not yet.”

Erin stared into the darkest eyes she had ever seen and knew she was looking into the gates of hell.

The phone rang again.

“I need to answer it,” Erin pleaded, stalling for time. “People will worry if I don’t answer.”

“Shut up.” His fingers dug painfully into her throat.

Erin clawed at his hand as she struggled to breathe.

The phone continued to ring.

“Stop that ringing!” With one angry yelp, Peters released Erin’s throat long enough to pull the phone off the wall and fling it across the room.

The second he released her, she sprinted toward the hallway. He tackled her. Flesh ripped from her elbows and knees as she slid against the hardwood floor.

He yanked her around, straddling her legs. He punched her in the face with such force, she had to fight to remain