Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Raine’s blue eyes filled with compassion. “Honey, you do realize there is no possible way for you to lead what you think is a normal life. Not after the things that happened to you. You suffered severe trauma. And no, none of us can understand what you went through. We do love you, and we’d do anything to help you, but we don’t know what to do. We say and do things that must sound ludicrous to you because we have no way of knowing what to say that would help.”
Shabina tried to force air through her lungs. “I’m so terrified Scorpion has found a way to watch me and he’s tormenting me. He has money. So much, Raine. You know he does. He seems to travel the world at will. Even if he isn’t a pilot, and I don’t think he is, he’s most likely got a private jet. For all I know he has his own satellite and that helps him plan his kills. He’s probably known where I am for the last couple of years. As far as I know, I’m the only survivor of those he’s targeted. Do you really think he’s going to let that go? He knows I can identify him if I ever see or hear him again.”
“It’s more than probable that if he’s keeping an eye out for you, he knows where you are,” Raine admitted. “I’m not going to lie to you about that.”
“I never feel safe. Never. Not unless Rainier is with me.” Shabina sighed. “I detest that I put that on him. He doesn’t need me to cling to him like a little child, but honestly, that’s what I want to do. I want him with me all the time. Never out of my sight. Please don’t ever tell anyone I admitted that. It makes me feel so weak when I swear to you, I’ve worked hard to be strong.”
“I know you are strong, Shabina. You’re in crisis right now. We’ll sort out what’s happening.”
“I know I’m already asking so much of you to look at the security and see who might have tampered with Zahra’s package by spraying oud on it. But if there is a way to find someone spying on me through my own security or any other way, without putting yourself in jeopardy, I’d really appreciate your doing that too.”
“You know that’s the kind of thing I do. It isn’t a problem.” Raine had her laptop out and was already typing away.
Shabina found it fascinating how fast Raine’s fingers could fly across a keyboard. Not wanting to disturb her, Shabina wandered over to the bank of windows to watch the dogs as they zoomed madly around the huge gardens. Daisy was in her element. Much smaller than the Dobermans, she could cut through areas they had been taught to maneuver around. She noted that her guard dogs took turns playing, with one always on patrol. She found the fact that the animals had their own hierarchy, in terms of leadership after her, captivating. The dogs were very intelligent, and it showed in every aspect of their interaction.
“Come look at this, Shabina,” Raine urged. “There is someone coming up to the gate. They were there when Zahra drove up. They watched her jump out of her car and leave the package on the bench. You can barely make them out. See, right there.” Raine indicated a darker shade of gray in the gray shadows of a giant hydrangea bush to the right of the gate.
The figure was stooped down or he would have been taller than the bush, and that bush was tall and widespread. The hydrangea was very healthy.
“Definitely a man,” Raine murmured. “Look at his shoes.”
Shabina tried to make him out. The figure looked ghostly, his clothing blending into the shadows and the plants. His shoes, when she stared, appeared to be loafers with pointed toes. A man’s shoe. Zahra’s car came into sight. She drove up to the gate, opened the driver’s side door and leapt out, placed the package on the bench and jumped back into her car to drive away in her usual whirlwind of speed. That was Zahra, either all blazing energy or pure laziness.
The man in the shadows waited a few moments before emerging.
“He’s aware of the camera,” Raine murmured. “He’s made no attempt to stop it recording, but he’s making certain he can’t be identified. Notice the way he’s angled his body and head.” She studied the screen. “He’s put his body between the package and the camera so we can’t see what he’s doing, but there isn’t a doubt that this is the man who put the scent on the outside of the parcel, not Bale.”
Fear had a taste to it. Shabina knew it all too well. She’d spent months with that taste in her mouth. Now her mouth was so dry she couldn’t speak at first when she tried to form words. Her gaze was glued to the screen, desperately trying to identify who had been sent to torment her.