Elusive Memories (The Hunted #1)

Sam’s eyes flew open. Her mother, standing on the sidewalk leading up to the porch. She was icy, pristine. No hair out of place. No wrinkle dared to make an appearance on her linen suit.

  “What are you doing?” The question burst out of Sam, her mouth moving ahead of her brain.

  Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “Coming to retrieve you, of course. Now stand up and give me a hug.”

  Sam’s heart stuttered with panic. Give her a hug? Her mother had never demanded a hug, not once. She spent more time trying to avoid Sam. Something wasn’t right. Sam stood, but backed up the stairs, not trusting her mother’s presence.

  “Why are you here?” Sam couldn’t fathom why. Her mother had never bothered before.

  “I told you, to retrieve you. Since you weren’t at the house, I tried here.”

  She hadn’t realized her mother knew about the retreat. Her mother had always been too self-absorbed to pay attention to anything that didn’t involve herself. Including her daughter, which was why her grandma had been more of a mother to her. That thought brought her back up straight.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you until you explain what you’ve been doing with Coop. I talked with Uncle Dan.”

  Her mother scoffed. “Dan has no idea what’s going on. He’s never had any idea what’s going on.”

  Never had any idea—“What do you mean?”

  “Come now, Samara. Haven’t you figured it out yet?”

  Sam shook her head.

  Her mother’s brows angled down and her lips thinned. “This will be much easier if you come with me nicely.” She held out her hand.

  But that didn’t answer the question. Sam took another step back, reaching behind her for the door handle. “I’m not going anywhere with you until you explain what’s going on.”

  “If that’s how you want to play it.” Her mother motioned with her hand. Fear seized Sam’s stomach as she followed the direction.

  Jennings was standing a few paces away from her on the porch. Holding a needle. He couldn’t be here. Not him. Not that.

  Sam opened her mouth to scream. “Co—”

  Jennings tackled her to the ground, straddling her wriggling body as she struggled to get away. He clapped a hand over her mouth and plunged the needle in.