SURFACED Chapter 5

Edward reaches the end of the hall and what he assumes is the master bedroom. The other rooms appear to be empty as he passes them and peeks inside. He hopes to hell Jane’s body isn't rotting in the shed or in a closet. He creeps into the burnt master bedroom, visions of a ruthless, blood soaked killer in his mind’s eye.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Edward nearly pisses himself when he hears the sound again, just on the other side of the closet wall. He inches forward, his gun raised and at the ready. He reaches the doorway and stops with his back pressed to the wall. He swallows the lump in his throat, wiping his sweaty brow on his shoulder. He counts down in his head, then swings around the doorframe, his gun aimed in the direction of the sound of banging metal.

SURFACED Chapter 4

Edward stands on the street with his coffee, staring at the house and wavering between staying put and starting his investigation. The dead cop is a major turnoff. What the hell happened in this damn house yesterday that’s worth a cop’s life?

And then he catches movement in an upstairs window. It’s dark, but the street lights give enough of a glow to see by. Still, he decides it's only his imagination and takes another sip of coffee. The world is quiet at this time of morning, and the ground is wet from the overnight rain. Streaky clouds hover over the moon, further restricting his vision. Thinking he’ll call Jasper again, he turns to his truck.

Thump. Thump.

SURFACED Chapter 3

Edward wanders into the bedroom, sweeping his light along the walls and floors. The bed is disturbed, and not in a ‘I just rolled out of bed and didn’t bother to make it’ kind of way. The pillows are thrown on the floor, the bedspread half off. He doesn't want to jump to conclusions, but it looks like a struggle occurred. The closet door is open, so he walks over and looks in. There’s not much there, confirming his theory that he’s standing in the guest bedroom.

SURFACED Chapter 2

“It appears that someone was covered in dirt, barefoot, came in through the front door, was brought into the kitchen, and then came up for a shower. I’ve got a bra, underwear, a skirt, and a shirt that’s ripped to shit.”

He listens to Lieutenant Jasper Hale speaking on the other end of the line.

“I know that’s nothing substantial yet, but combine it with a missing wife on her husband’s birthday and the house burning down… Yes, my spidey senses are tingling.”

SURFACED Chapter 1

A protracted gasp. Acrid soil, damp and caked within a gaping mouth. Airways painfully constricted, eager for oxygen. A thrashing head creating a miniscule air pocket. Heart beating painfully slow. Clawing, digging at the surrounding dirt. Limbs nearly pinned by heavy earth, desperate for escape. Vision obscured by pervading darkness. White-hot pain behind rapidly blinking eyes. The smell of rot as air wheezes down a mangled windpipe.

Not dead, not dead!