A Dark Mind Read Free Page B

panic through her veins. Only this time it had no name, just an evil, shapeless face covered in blackness and despair. It was influencing her daily activities: her dreams, her thoughts, her relationship with Jared.
    “I scared you. I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be,” she said, surprised by the normalcy of her voice. “I’m fine.”
    He came up next to her and drew her into his arms. “You’re shaking.”
    “I’m fine. Really,” she said again as she stepped out of his arms and headed out of the room.
    He followed her down the stairs and to the kitchen. He stood close as he watched her open a cupboard and pull out a wineglass. “Wine?” she asked.
    “Sure.”
    She found another glass and then found herself fixated on Jared’s profile as he opened a bottle of Selene Cabernet. He had a strong jaw and a straight nose. His hair was dark and thick, curling a tiny bit around his ears. He looked handsome, as always, and tired.
    Forgetting about the wine, Lizzy raked her fingers through her damp hair. She’d hardly said hello before running upstairs to the bedroom to take a shower. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d asked him about his day. “How are you doing?”
    He didn’t look up, not a twitch of his eyes to serve as a clue that he’d even heard her. He remained focused on what he was doing. But she knew his mind was churning away as he carefully chose his words, probably afraid of saying the wrong thing.
What do you say to a crazy woman?
    She’d been living with him for two months, and nothing was working. The terror, the nightmares, and the constant feeling of alarm were all there, worse than ever, thick and tangible, beckoning her with their familiarity. It was no use. She’d been fooling herself into believing the anxiety and panic would magically vanish.
    A sigh escaped his lips as he turned toward her, his dark eyes searching, probably hoping to find something worth fighting for—a pinch of optimism, a dash of hope, anything that might stop them from tumbling down another muddy hill. Rolling about in the mud for a while wasn’t so bad. It was the climb back up that could be a real bitch.
    “Are you sorry you asked me to move in with you?” she asked.
    “Never,” he said, forcing a smile. “I like having you around.”
    “I work late most nights,” she said. “I come home and hardly say two words to you before hopping into the shower. I find it difficult to focus, and I jump when you enter a room. I’m not getting any better. It’s getting worse.”
    “You just need time to adjust to your new surroundings.”
    “It’s been two months.”
    He shrugged. “Two months, two years, there’s no time limit, Lizzy.”
    “Linda Gates said the same thing.”
    “She’s a smart woman.”
    Her therapist was right. Jared was right. She needed time to adjust.
    He poured the wine. She took the glass he handed her and followed him to the couch. The news was on and a reporter announced that the Lovebird Killer had struck again. In a distressed tone, the reporter delivered fear through the screen and across the airwaves, no doubt sending more than one million people in Sacramento County into a panic as she talked about two more bodies found.
    Lizzy sat on the couch next to Jared and tucked her feet under her. “Another double homicide?”
    “Two bodies found miles apart, one strangled, one stabbed. Too soon for the media to assume it’s the work of the Lovebird Killer. These two were not married, but they were childhood sweethearts who recently reunited. They were also living together. The man reported the woman missing a week before their bodies were found. If these killings are the acts of LK, then we have our work cut out for us. Every couple found has been killed in a different manner. No pattern, no particular style of murder. The only consistent factor is that the victims were in relationships.”
    “So you don’t think this is the work of the Lovebird Killer?”
    “It’s too soon to