Suddenly Psychic (Glimmer Lake #1)(6)

Robin stared into the black depths of Glimmer Lake. “I don’t think anyone would even notice if I died.”

“What?”

“Robin, don’t be ridiculous.”

“I hate my life,” she whispered. “I’m a zombie. I do the same thing every day. And I hate all of it. I’m nothing. Mark doesn’t look at me anymore. The kids don’t care. No one looks at me other than you two.” The press of water against her chest forced the words out. “I hate my life, but I’m too scared to do anything to change it. That’s the saddest part of all.”

They were pressed against the top of the car, and if they were going to make it out, the door needed to open now.

“I’m going to try it now,” she said. “As soon as I get it open, the water is going to rush in. We ready?”

Val and Monica were both crying, but they nodded.

“I love you guys.” Robin nodded. “Really. I love you both so much.”

She ducked under the water and reached for the handle. She tugged at it and pushed three times before she realized it was still locked. She grabbed the tip of the lock and yanked, but nothing happened. She yanked again.

Nothing. The smooth plastic only slid between her fingers.

No. She pounded on the window. NO!

She pushed up and grabbed more air before she went under again.

There. She managed to get the lock up, but when she went to open the door, it still wouldn’t budge.

A quiet tapping on the window.

Robin looked up and her eyes went wide.

There was a man by the car, a dark-haired man with pale skin. He lifted a rock and pointed it at the window.

Robin didn’t even think, she nodded and pushed away from the glass.

With a muffled crack, the car window broke into pieces. She and the man cleared the glass and he reached for her hand.

Robin shook her head, her lungs burning as she grabbed Val and tugged.

The man pulled hard and they were rising.

She could see the full moon rippling above the surface of the water.

Her lungs were burning.

No.

No!

She choked and the water rushed in. The taste of the lake weeds was the last thing she remembered before bright lights flashed behind her eyes.





Her throat burned, but she was breathing.

Robin opened her eyes and coughed water from her lungs. She rolled onto her side, and hands held her back, dragged the hair from her mouth and eyes.

“She’s breathing! This one is breathing!”

She heard Val crying somewhere. She was crying and yelling.

“Monica?” she rasped. Where was Monica?

“Don’t try to sit up.” Someone shoved her back down. “Stay on your side. Keep coughing. They’re bringing oxygen for your friend.”

“My friend?”

In the glaring white lights, she saw the silhouette of someone doing CPR over a body lying on the lake bank.

“Monica?”

“Just keep still.”

“Where is he?” Robin looked around, but she didn’t recognize anyone. No, wait, she did. The woman talking to her was Jackie Parker, who worked at the hospital. No, not the hospital. EMT.

Someone started coughing, and Robin heard someone throw up. A cheer went up from the person doing CPR.

“She’s breathing! She’s breathing! Where’s that oxygen?”

Someone shoved a mask in her face, and Robin tried to push it away but she couldn’t. Someone else was wrapping what looked like tin foil around her. No, not tin foil. An emergency blanket.

“Where’s Val?” She lifted the mask. “Where’s Val and Monica?”

“You’re all safe now.” Jackie was grinning. “Holy shit, Robin, I cannot believe you guys survived that. Your car must be fifty feet underwater.”

Fifty feet? Who’d managed to swim down fifty feet? Had they seen the lights? Did they see the crash?

She pushed the mask away again. “There was a man. He broke the window.”

Jackie frowned. “What?”

“There was a man who was by the car. He broke the window.”

“Sweetie, you’re imagining things. A tourist from the lodge saw your car go in. Thank God. He waded out and helped you guys to shore.”

Blinking, Robin looked around and saw a blond man standing near an ambulance, wrapped in another emergency blanket. He didn’t look wet. He wasn’t the man who’d rescued them.

“No,” she said. “There was someone else. Is he all right?”

“Just keep calm.” Jackie pulled the blanket around Robin more tightly and unfolded a thicker woolen blanket beside her. “Here. Roll over on this if you want. Good thinking taking your clothes off for swimming, but we gotta get you warm.”

Robin rolled onto the woolen blanket and felt the immediate relief of her skin against something soft instead of the cutting stones on the shore. “No, there was a man with us. He got the window open.”

“He was in the car with you?”

“No, he was swimming…” Robin blinked. Had she imagined it? Would anyone have been able to swim down that far? She couldn’t have imagined it. He’d broken the window. He’d rescued them. Without that man, they’d all be dead.

“It’s a flat-out miracle you’re all alive, I’ll tell you that much.” Jackie helped Robin sit up. “I’m gonna get you another blanket, okay?”