Haven

15. Fight

WARNING - Language Alert

Daniel stepped inside and Norah bolted for the back door.

She heard fast footsteps behind her and shrieked as fingers grasped her hair, yanking her away from the door and into the wall. Daniel pinned her, one hand wrapped around her throat and he stood close, leaving no room for her to fight back. His eyes were bloodshot and the light sheen of sweat on his skin suggested he wasn't as fit as he made out to be.

"Oh, Norah," he smiled, breathing heavily. "How could you leave without saying goodbye? I thought you had better manners than that. Then again, your brother is a murderer so it is to be expected."

"He is no murderer," she snapped. "It was all your fault that it happened."

His fingers tightened on her throat and she closed her eyes as it got difficult to breathe. "Now you know that's not true," he laughed. "I never touched that man, the only one who laid a finger on him was poor Adam. He must be feeling quite lonely in jail, you haven't been in to visit him once. Not very sisterly, don't you think?"

"I've had other things on my mind," she wheezed. 

"Ah yes," he stepped back, brushing her hair from her shoulder. "I never knew you liked to play hide and seek. You gave me a good run around, I'll give you that. Now, let's get down to business, shall we? Where are my diamonds?"

"I don't know."

Her legs buckled as Daniel punched her in the stomach. She coughed, the air rushing from her lungs and she bent over but Daniel's hand, still wrapped around her throat, shoved her back against the wall.

"Wrong answer, gorgeous. I suggest you have another think before I have to rattle your brain and make you remember."

"I honestly don't know!" she cried. "Adam never had diamonds on him when he came to my house that night!"

"Don't lie!" He threw her down the corridor and she landed near the entryway to the kitchen, banging her hip on the door. She winced, tears stinging her eyes as she tried to crawl away. She heard footsteps and then a foot was digging into her lower back, pressing her into the floor.

"I know Adam had those diamonds that night," he said softly. "I went back after he left and the diamonds were gone." He rolled her over and dragged her in front of the kitchen sink. The  cupboard door knob pressed into her back and she fought back as he grabbed her hands. "Calm yourself, Norah, you're being silly."

When she didn't stop resisting, he slapped her across the face. Her head snapped sideways under the blow and the world blurred. Something wrapped around her wrists and she groaned as it tightened painfully. Glancing down, she saw her hands bound with rope.

He grabbed her chin, making her face him and she breathed through her nose, glaring at him defiantly. "Now that you're comfortable, we'll start our next game of hide and seek. You hid the diamonds, and I get to find them. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"Fuck you," she murmured, twisting her head out of his grasp.

He chuckled, patting her cheek gently. "If you play your cards right, you just might."

Her body ran cold at the thought. She felt her mobile pressing against the hip that had connected with the door and welcomed the pain, hoping it hadn't been broken in the fall. Standing up, Daniel dusted off his pants. "You just sit there and rest those injuries while I have a poke through your house. This one isn't as big as the other thank god, shouldn't take too long."

He disappeared into her bedroom and she closed her eyes, head tilting skyward.

He'd been in her home.