Heiress to a Curse. Zandria Munson

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СКАЧАТЬ cleared her throat. “It was Friday, around 4:30 p.m. Mady’d just finished her homework and she asked me if she could play with her friends in the park and I let her go alone.” She paused to dab at her eyes with a handkerchief.

      “Which park? And what route did she take?”

      “Brook Park. It’s only a few blocks from here, and we always take the main road. I usually walk with her, but her brother had a fever that day and I let her go alone.”

      Alexandra knew what it was like to lose someone dear. “It’s not your fault,” she said empathetically. “Sometimes we don’t know when bad things are going to happen.”

      “I’m her mother. I should’ve been protecting her.” She dabbed at her eyes again.

      Alexandra fought the tears that burned her eyes. She saw herself in this woman, this mother. The pain she’d experienced when she’d lost her parents had been unbearable. She’d tormented herself, wondering what if. Yet no amount of wondering could have changed what had already taken place. This was different. Mady was still alive. She could feel it. And she knew that she could possibly prevent her murder.

      “Ms. Halman, may I borrow an item that belongs to Mady, something dear to her?”

      Curiosity registered in the woman’s eyes. “Something like what?”

      “Anything that she loved.”

      The other woman thought for a moment then nodded. She reached into the pocket of her housecoat, pulling out a gold charm bracelet. “I bought this for her on her twelfth birthday. She loves animals.” She passed it to Alexandra.

      Accepting it, Alexandra noted that each little charm was shaped like an animal. “Thank you.”

      Ms. Halman forced a smile, her eyes brimming with tears now. “The puppy is her favorite. I couldn’t afford a real one, so I was sure to get that charm attached.” She hung her head then, her body shaking as she sobbed silently.

      Alexandra couldn’t help herself. She placed her notepad aside, slid toward the other woman and wrapped her arms around her. There were just no words to ease such a pain. All she could do was hope that she could keep her promise.

      When Ms. Halman regained her composure, she sat up to wipe her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “It’s just been so hard. I’ve always promised myself that I would do whatever it took to protect my children. That they’d never have to suffer through what I did.”

      She met Alexandra’s questioning look. “Thirteen years ago I was working the night shift at a local diner. While walking home one morning, I was attacked and raped.” She looked away. “I became pregnant, and nine months later Mady was born. They never caught the guy. Somehow I managed to survive through it all. I even got married and had my son, though his father and I are separated now.”

      Alexandra’s heart sank in her chest. She couldn’t imagine suffering through something like that. “I promise you, Ms. Halman, I’ll do whatever it takes to bring your daughter back,” she assured.

      “Thank you.” She gave Alexandra’s hand a squeeze. “Please, excuse me for a moment.”

      She stood and headed off toward what Alexandra assumed was the bathroom. She sat there, looking at the bracelet in her hands. Her eyes drifted closed as she tried to channel her mysterious ability. She didn’t really expect anything to happen, as she’d never been able to summon her visions, but it didn’t hurt to try. She didn’t notice the toddler moving toward her.

      “Hi,” came his small voice.

      Alexandra opened her eyes and a smile crept to her lips. “Hello. What’s your name?”

      “Peter, and this is Muffy.” He held up a straggly, one-eyed stuffed rabbit.

      “Well, hello to both of you.”

      He smiled. “Are you the police?”

      His question caught her by surprise. “Oh, no, I’m just … a helper.”

      “Are you gonna bring Mady back?” He waited, his eyes wide with innocence and anticipation.

      A great sadness tugged at Alexandra’s heart. With the police having no solid leads, she was the best hope for saving Mady. Her eyes fell once again to the charm bracelet in her grasp. “Yes, I’m going to bring Mady back.”

       Chapter 5

      Impatiently, Alexandra looked down the busy street, spotting the bright yellow hood of a cab making its way toward her. “Taxi!” she cried out, waving a hand.

      The vehicle zipped by without even pausing. Two subsequent attempts rendered the same result. With a sigh she began walking up the street in search of a better location to catch a cab. She noticed a sign for Brook Park and decided that she’d stop there for a few minutes. Mady’s charm bracelet, which she’d fastened onto her wrist, hadn’t evoked any visions, but being in the location of the abduction just might stimulate her psychic ability.

      And so she shrugged off her navy, pinstriped blazer that matched her knee-length pencil skirt, draped it over her arm and headed in that direction.

      She’d only walked a short distance when an image a few feet in front of her forced her to slow her pace. It was the silhouette of a preteen girl, wreathed in an apparition-like glow. Instantly, Alexandra knew that she was having a vision, although she’d never had one quite this vivid before. Her guess was confirmed when the girl turned to look at her. Alexandra froze as vacant pools locked onto her. It was Mady Halman. Her face was impassive, yet Alexandra sensed a deep sadness that called out to her.

      Mady turned then and began walking in the direction of the park. Regaining her composure, Alexandra fol lowed. After about a block, the image raced across the street, passing through the ongoing traffic, and Alexandra was forced to stop at the curb. From where she stood she could see Mady moving along the sidewalk. A van appeared then, and a man stepped out. The man from her vision.

      Alexandra took a chance and wove her way through the traffic, but by the time she crossed the images were gone. She looked up and down the street and caught the tail end of the van turning a corner. Quickly, she raced in that direction, turning the corner and running halfway down the alley before she came to an abrupt halt. It was a dead end and there was no sign of Mady or the blue van.

      “Hey, lady, can you spare some change?”

      The voice startled Alexandra and she turned to face the man who’d spoken. He wasn’t alone. The three men who barred the entrance of the alley were tall and disreputable in appearance. They wore layers of dirty clothing, and she could smell their stench even from a few feet away.

      “Sorry, I have no money,” she said, offering them a nervous smile. “I think I’ve made a wrong turn. If you gentlemen would excuse me, I’ll just be on my way.”

      “Oh, no, you don’t,” said the shorter of the trio as he sidestepped to block her path. His tanned skin was covered with smudges of dirt and his straggly blond hair fell forward to shield half of his narrow face.

      “Careful, Weasel,” another man spoke. “We don’t want to scare the little lady, now do we?” He was completely bald and his skin was as dark as midnight. СКАЧАТЬ