BooksBarbecue
Back Don't Look for Me
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. Chapter One
  5. Chapter Two
  6. Chapter Three
  7. Chapter Four
  8. Chapter Five
  9. Chapter Six
  10. Chapter Seven
  11. Chapter Eight
  12. Chapter Nine
  13. Chapter Ten
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Chapter Fourteen
  18. Chapter Fifteen
  19. Chapter Sixteen
  20. Chapter Seventeen
  21. Chapter Eighteen
  22. Chapter Nineteen
  23. Chapter Twenty
  24. Chapter Twenty-one
  25. Chapter Twenty-two
  26. Chapter Twenty-three
  27. Chapter Twenty-four
  28. Chapter Twenty-five
  29. Chapter Twenty-six
  30. Chapter Twenty-seven
  31. Chapter Twenty-eight
  32. Chapter Twenty-nine
  33. Chapter Thirty
  34. Chapter Thirty-one
  35. Chapter Thirty-two
  36. Chapter Thirty-three
  37. Chapter Thirty-four
  38. Chapter Thirty-five
  39. Chapter Thirty-six
  40. Chapter Thirty-seven
  41. Chapter Thirty-eight
  42. Chapter Thirty-nine
  43. Chapter Forty
  44. Chapter Forty-one
  45. Chapter Forty-two
  46. Chapter Forty-three
  47. Chapter Forty-four
  48. Chapter Forty-five
  49. Chapter Forty-six
  50. Chapter Forty-seven
  51. Chapter Forty-eight
  52. Chapter Forty-nine
  53. Chapter Fifty
  54. Chapter Fifty-one
  55. Chapter Fifty-two
  56. Chapter Fifty-three
  57. Chapter Fifty-four
  58. Chapter Fifty-five
  59. Chapter Fifty-six
  60. Chapter Fifty-seven
  61. Acknowledgments [TK]
  62. Also by Wendy Walker

I get up and walk to the window. I look out the hole to see what it is Mick wants me to see. There is no point in avoiding it.

I have been looking out all morning and I have already turned his plan to my advantage. Beyond the driveway, I see my new weapon.

A row of apple trees flank the side of the driveway. They are mature trees and I imagine they were planted before Mick took over this house. He does not seem to have an interest in property maintenance.

The apples have ripened and fallen days, maybe weeks ago.

Apple seeds contain amygdalin.

Amygdalin can convert to cyanide.

Cyanide can make you sick. It can even kill you.

I have been back and forth to the hole in the window, studying the trees, counting the apples that have fallen to the ground.

Plotting how I can get to them.

I watch now as the car pulls around the driveway just enough for me to see.

It takes a moment for the image to settle in my brain. And then it explodes. A police car.

A police car!

I hear footsteps. Alice is coming. She is at the bars of my cell. She pushes the wood door open so she can see me. I look back at her, and I know I cannot change the look on my face.

Desperation.

She shakes her head sternly and raises her finger to her lips.

Shhhhhh! She makes this sound. I look back out through the hole.

I have to be careful. I will have one chance to call out before Dolly’s eyes see that I am being a bad mommy.

I don’t know how far away Mick is. He could still be in the house, though I thought I heard him leave. He may have returned.

Think, Molly! Think!

I wait for the officer to open the door and step outside. He walks around the back of the car and I lose sight of him. But then I see his back as he walks to the passenger side. A window rolls down. A head leans out. It’s a woman, I can see her blond hair. He kisses her and I think how strange this is.

Is he not here to save me? To look for me?

He stands up straight and steps away. I think that I will press my lips to the hole now and scream out for help.

Alice taps nervously on the metals bars.

“Stop!” she screams in a whisper.

I look back at her, then once more through the hole, ready to call out for help.

Alice leaves. I hear her feet running now toward the front of the house.