Read What Burns Within for Free Online Page A

stomped across the room from the corner Ashlyn had sent her to and sat down on a chair. “She was grabbed at the fair.”
“Mrs. Brennen, we have to consider every possibility,” Ashlyn said, glancing at Nicky. She wished she didn’t need to say this in front of him. “Someone may have been watching Taylor. They could have been waiting for an opportunity to take her. And it’s still possible that Taylor wasn’t taken by anyone, but that she’s wandering in the park and we just haven’t found her yet. It’s too soon to say anything for certain.”
“Come off it,” Nick Brennen said. “We all know what’s happened. This selfish bitch sent her ten-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son to the fair by themselves, and my little girl has been snatched by that sicko who’s been taking other girls. Remember that one, they found her body a few weeks back? And the other one, Isabel, I think her name is? She’s still missing, right?” Nick stared at Tain, who didn’t meet his gaze.
“Oh my God. You have…Is she…?”
“I can’t comment on an ongoing investigation.”
“Like hell you can’t! The same sick freak has my daughter. He has my little girl.” Nick Brennen’s body convulsed as he sank down on the couch and choked back a sob.
“It’s not going to make you sleep better,” Tain said quietly.
Nick lifted his head, his eyes bulging, red-rimmed. “What the hell makes you think I’ll be able to sleep at all?”
     
Ashlyn had asked Nicky to show her his room, in part to get him away from his parents. She’d been listening to Nicky identify every model car he owned. He had antiques and current cars, trucks and sedans of all shapes and sizes, and he knew his vehicles better than she did.
“You know the name of every single one. I’m very impressed,” Ashlyn said as Nicky finished labeling the cars that lined the bookshelves in his room.
He jumped into his bed and pulled the covers up over his head.
“Oops, you forgot somebody,” Ashlyn said, holding out the teddy bear, which was incredibly soft. The covers inched down slightly, revealing big puppy-dog eyes blinking up at her.
She sat down on the edge of the bed.
“I need to ask you something really important,” she told him.
His eyes got a little smaller. She suspected his smile had disappeared beneath the blanket.
“Was anybody talking to your sister, or maybe you saw someone following you around at the fair?”
Nicky scrunched his whole face up like a raisin and shook his head. “No.”
“How did you get separated?”
“I wanted to play at the park.”
“So you went by yourself?”
“Taylor wanted to get a charm and play games. I didn’t want to. I pulled on her hand, and she pulled on mine, and then people came and got between us.”
His eyes had gotten big again, but this time they were sagging down at the corners.
Ashlyn smiled. “I think I would have rather played at the park, too.”
Nicky looked down at the teddy bear in his hands. “But it’s my fault. I should have listened. Now Taylor’s gone.”
“Oh, no, it isn’t your fault. It was an accident that you two got separated. Accidents are nobody’s fault.”
“But Mommy said so. She said—”
Ashlyn shushed him softly. She tucked the covers in around him as he lay back against the pillow. “Your mom is just upset right now because she’s scared. Did you know grown-ups get scared sometimes?”
He seemed to think about it, his lips twisting with uncertainty at first and then forming a solid line. “Do you get scared?”
She nodded. “Yes, I do.”
“If you have a night-light it keeps the monsters away,” he told her, eyes wide again as he shared his secret.
She smiled. “I’ll remember that. Do you want me to leave this light on too?”
He blinked and nodded.
“Good night, Nicky.”
Ashlyn got up and crossed the room, glancing at the bed where Nicky lay, his big dark eyes staring at her as she pulled the door shut.
     
“Is he okay?” Nick asked as