Betrayal of the Dove - By Capri Montgomery Page 0,54
would have walked off with the sterling silver broach encrusted with several small gems.
She locked the back door as she briskly walked to the dumpster. It wasn’t exactly close by, but it was a shared dumpster for the three shops to the right of her, plus her shop. The bistro had their own dumpster—thank goodness that wasn’t near her shop because the pungent smell of the food rotting would take over her store and her home until the trash collector came. Even though she had to walk to get to the dumpster the planning committee had assigned her to use she didn’t mind the walk because that meant when the truck came to collect the trash she didn’t have to hear much of the clanking that went along with collection.
On her way back inside, just as she had unlocked the back door, she felt a firm hand close over her mouth, and a strong arm wrap around her neck and shoulder area. She sent her elbow back and jabbed her attacker in the ribcage before swiftly turning and going for a palm up jab to the nose. She knew not to go for the groin because that’s where men always expected a woman to strike first, so she went for the move that would break the guys nose and give her time to get away; except he had anticipated that as well, either that or he was just expertly skilled at evading. She got a couple hits in before he punched her in the face, grabbed her by her hair before swiftly turning her and slamming her head into the door. After that it was lights out Alyssa until she came to and found herself bound to the chair she used at her work table. Only instead of being at her work table, it was in the center of the room, and it had a not so nice looking rattle snake curled up not too far in front of it.
She couldn’t move. Her ankles were bound with rope, but her wrists were bound with flex cuffs, those very sturdy, very secure plastic things cops seemed to carry around. There was no way Craig would have done this to her. He was being a jerk, but he wasn’t crazy—at least she didn’t think he was. The reality was it didn’t matter who had done it, it had been done and she was stuck. She didn’t know how long she had been sitting there because she wasn’t facing any of her clocks, but it was light out now, not that barely-light setting that had been there when she took the garbage out. She always took it out early and she never once thought anything of it, but maybe she should have. “Oh good Lord,” she whispered breathlessly as the snake coiled in front of her decided to start waking up. “I hope you’re not as mean as you look,” she said low. “I am so soon to be dead,” her eyes widened as the snake started to uncoil. The only thought in her head now was that she hoped her brothers found the bastard who did this and ripped him apart piece by piece. Gavin would do it too; she knew that because while Eve had Thomas, she had Gavin. They didn’t have the same relationship, but she knew he had taken it upon himself the day she was born to be her protector. He wouldn’t let her death go unpunished. Unfortunately, not even that thought was bringing her comfort because she so didn’t want to die.
Shane pulled into his park and got out of the truck. He was deep in conversation with Leo when he noticed the back door slightly ajar. “I told her she shouldn’t leave it open when she takes the trash out,” he shook his head.
“Does she usually do that?”
“No. She did it once and that’s because she had to run back upstairs for the last bit of trash.” When he reached the door and saw her keys on the ground he felt an acute awareness that something was wrong. He didn’t wait; he rushed inside, noticing that the upstairs door was wide open too. “Alyssa!” He ran up the stairs like a man on a mission and he didn’t stop until he saw her sitting there, bound to the chair with a rattler shaking its tail. Leo was right behind him.
“A little help; please?” She said softly.
“Who did this to you?”
“I don’t know.”
“How long have you been