You Can't Hide by Theresa Sneed (uplifting novels TXT) 📕

how she would react from the news. Merrick had dealt her a blow worse than Elle’s—he’d murdered her husband, and as his twin, had assumed his identity.

She shuddered, anguish burning in the pit of her stomach. “Gah.” She was glad of that wicked man’s impending doom, and only wished she could see it happen. Morbid, she thought, berating herself. She had no intention of going to the execution, Years had passed since the fire, and life was as calm as a clear, blue lake, on a summer day.

The FBI had given Sam all the teaching credentials he had earned in Maine, under his new alias, Professor Hadlock, and Sam had been teaching at university since then. Elle and Nancy took a few creative writing classes at university together, while Sally attended the neighborhood schools.

At thirteen, Sally had grown into a brilliantly smart, young teenager. Just like her two mothers, she had an aptitude for writing, which she intended to pursue in her later years. Her resemblance to her birthmother was astounding. Except for the color of her hair, she matched her mother in every aspect. The odd thing was how much she actually resembled Elle, too.

The rhythmic beating of the rain and stillness of the quiet house brought a rush of emotions to Elle’s heart. She opened the writing desk and took out the manuscript. Over the past few years, she had written and rewritten the experiences deeply etched in the recesses of her mind. Revisiting the torment and fear was an arduous task, but getting it written down on paper, and out of her head, had brought her great relief.

The door opened and Nancy came in, wet umbrella in hand. She shook it out and placed it in the umbrella stand. “Hi, Elle.” She looked around the dark room. “Are you okay?” She glanced at the manuscript in Elle’s hands. “Oh.” With a deep sigh, she wrapped her arms around Elle’s shoulders.

Elle returned the warm embrace. “Yes, I’m okay.” She looked up into her eyes. “It’s finished, Nancy.”

Nancy’s eyes widened. “Your book?”

Elle pursed her lips and nodded.

“That’s great!” She tilted her head. “When can I read it?”

Elle bit her lower lip. She wasn’t sure she’d ever intended for someone to read her book. But that was silly, wasn’t it?

Nancy’s voice was soft. “I’m in it, right?”

“Yes, but I changed all of our names.”

“I figured as much,” Nancy said, “but, maybe you shouldn’t. I mean, it is our story.” She frowned. “You do what you want, but, I, for one, am okay with you telling my story with my real name.”

Elle shuddered. “Can we wait until he’s actually gone?”

Nancy’s face turned somber. “Yes, of course we can, but Elle, he is no harm to us now.”

She wished that she could believe that, but the fire at the cabin and Sally’s abduction had happened while Merrick was behind prison walls, and they never did find his accomplice. “Oh, wait.” She hurried to the table and picked up the letter addressed to Nancy. “This came today.”

Nancy took the letter. “Oh, my.” She sat by the window, as long streaks of thin lightning tore through the sky. She sobbed, as her eyes followed the words. Forcing a smile, she waved the letter at Elle. “You see? It’s just as I said. He is of no harm to us now.”

His lethal injection was set for next spring, six months away. Until then, they would stay as sequestered as ever, living the lie that his acts of terror had forced them to live.

Elle glanced down at the manuscript. “Perhaps, after he’s gone, I’ll change the names back,” she whispered, “once, he’s gone.” How could he have such a hold on her from inside prison walls? He was still tormenting her from thousands of miles away. “No,” she said with newfound courage. “I will change them back now.”

Nancy placed her small hand on Elle’s arm. “Good for you, Elle. Good for you.” She gave a faraway gaze, as if deep in thought.

She had grown stronger and healthier with each passing month. Elle guessed that being with Sally had been the best medicine for her. But though her body appeared healed and healthy, Elle worried about her mind. Years of imprisonment in an underground cave had seemed to bring about the nighttime anguish and horrid dreams that Nancy had said still haunted her.

Elle had been somewhat more fortunate than Nancy in her abduction. She nearly gagged on that statement. Merrick had at least kept her above ground, after a period of time. And she had had the lifesaving company of little Sally to keep her mind clear and uncluttered. Merrick had tormented Nancy in unfathomable ways. She had believed that her infant baby was buried in the cave. A grave, she had to see every day for five horrific years.

Nancy waved to her to sit. “I need your advice.”

Elle took a seat next to her. “Okay.” Nancy seemed so serious, like she was about to reveal some awful secret. Cut it out, Elle. She really was becoming quite the author with all kinds of scenarios surfacing in her mind. “What’s up?”

“Well,” she said, taking Elle’s hand, “I’d like to go to the states for a few weeks.”

Elle’s eyes popped open. “What?” They had explicit instructions to stay away from the states.

Nancy sighed. “I’m not well, Elle.”

Elle jumped up. “What?” She grabbed her hands. “Are you sick?”

Nancy gently pulled her back down. “No, it’s not like that—it’s not anything that you can, um, see.”

Elle thought she knew what Nancy was talking about, but waited for her to continue.

“It’s my mind, Elle.” Nancy looked away. “I’m afraid of everything and jump at every sound. I just need to get away for a bit.” She stared out the window as lighting filled the sky. “My therapist told me about this place just for women—everything about it is done by women, even the security, it seems.”

Elle patted her arm. “Okay, but surely, there must be something like that here. Why the