King's Pawn
LOVE'S PAWN

Isobel Hunter felt secure with George beside her as the truck braked to a stop beside the Anders house. There were too many unpleasant memories crowding recent days; now that she was back on the island, she was certain that everything would turn out all right.

George took the envelope before she could protest, and ran up to the door. It was answered by a fiftyish woman, a stranger; Isobel wondered what had happened to Dr. Anders' housekeeper, a friendly woman who had been there since Isobel's childhood. This stranger listened to George's explanation without speaking, and took the envelope, closing the door without so much as a thank you. The feeling that something was wrong came back again...and it would have been far stronger if Isobel had seen the note that George passed to the woman! For no one on this island was what she thought...or hoped! And someone knew that she was in deadly danger...

It was dark at the end of the parking lot; the wind that hit her was icy and dashed the rain into her face. Isobel rounded the front of the car and reached for the door to open it, when hands suddenly gripped her from behind. A hand went roughly over her mouth, so that her teeth cut into the inside of her upper lip; she was jerked backward, losing her footing. She would have fallen if the captor did not support her.
“Don't let her yell!” someone hissed.
“She won't -- or I'll break her jaw! Come one, let's get out of here!”
There was a car, far back in the shadows; they were going to force her into it. Then Isobel was aware of the sound of feet on gravel…someone was coming across the parking lot.
“Hey, what's going on back there?”
It was George! Isobel opened her mouth the shout, but the sound was cut off by a stunning blow across her face…
