Fate of an Angel

By Ramsey Austin-Spencer

From the beginning Katie Thompson knows escaped convict Carl Malcom is going to kill her. He made that clear from the beginnng. Breaking into her apartment and taking her hostage he plays with her emotions while threatening to kill everyone they come in contact with if she leaves him. Forced to follow him to the final showdown where Carl plans on dying, Katie knows he wants her to die with him believing that she'll go to heaven and take him with her.

U.S. Marshall Marcus Warren knows this manhunt is the one that counts more than any of the others. There's no doubt Carl will kill Katie if he's not stopped, so he begins the chase always a step behind. Carl's plan has always been for Marcus to kill him, he just doesn't want it to end the way Carl has in mind, with Katie going first.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ramsey Austin-Spencer
• Release date: Dec 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301600922

Ramsey Austin-Spencer

Ramsey was born in Salt Lake City, UT, raised in Salt Lake City, UT, married and had a family in Salt Lake City, UT and will more than likely die there as well. Don't feel too bad; Ramsey also enjoys traveling to places other than Salt Lake City, UT. In a motor home with a Jeep towing behind it she tours the United States just for fun. An accounting technician by profession (odd, I know), she does payroll for one of the municipal entities in (you guessed it), the Salt Lake City, UT area. Writing is the passion that has driven her since she could pick up a pencil. Receiving her Associate's Degree from Salt Lake Community College, and her Bachelor's Degree from WGU, she continues to work on perfecting her trade by continuing to take classes. Always looking for new educational experiences, she is a certified diver, studied sign language and French, has been in local plays and even went through a Citizen's Police Academy. Two sons and a wonderful husband are the reason you have a chance to read the work Ramsey has written. They encourage, irritate and force her to do better. Hope you enjoy.

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FATE OF AN ANGEL

by: Ramsey Austin-Spencer

2012 Copyright by Ramsey Austin-Spencer

Smashwords Edition

CHAPTER ONE

It had been an exasperating day. Nothing in particularly horrible had gone wrong, but nothing had gone right either and there was that lingering sense of a day wasted. Katie left the office a few hours early to go home and unwind. It felt a little bit self-indulgent, but some quiet time alone and a good hot bath was all she needed to forget she had lost Mr. Phillip's meeting notes, hadn't gotten the month end billings out in time and had jammed up the copy machine when it seemed everyone needed to use it. She was irritable and couldn't concentrate, so she had left with Mr. Phillip's blessing and come home. It was something she would normally never do, but she felt some justification because she hadn't taken even one hour off over the last eight months and she deserved these few precious moments of peace from the non-stop pace her life seemed to be running on all the time.

Now that she was home there was a twinge of guilt as she stepped off the elevator onto the fourth floor hallway of her apartment building. Her hand felt empty without the tiny hand of her three-year-old son Alex clinging to it, but she vowed she’d go pick him up from daycare right after she took just these few precious moments to relax. They'd go out for hamburgers tonight, she thought as she smiled to herself. He’d like that and even though he wouldn’t even touch the meal and would run off to climb across the brightly colored plastic tubes and ladders in the play area, it would be worth it.

All the way to the end of the dark red carpeted hallway was home – Apartment 4D. Fumbling through her purse for her keys, she produced the necessary silver one and unlocked the door. Immediately upon entering she dropped her jacket and handbag on the floor just inside and locked the world outside, literally pressing her back against the thick wood with a sigh as though she had barely escaped and had now managed to shut the chaos out.

Going straight to the kitchen she began the routine of relaxing. Placing a cup of water in the microwave, she then went to the stereo and tuned into some soft instrumental jazz. Closing her eyes she let the sound seeped into her as she sucked in a deep breath to enjoy the calming effect of it. The shoes were left by the bed and leaning over the tub she adjusted the knobs until the water temperature just right. She’d been longing for this all the way home and quickly dropped her stuffy office clothes to the floor of the bathroom and wrapped herself in her short silk robe before she went and took the cup out of the microwave and prepared a cup of herbal tea to sip at while relaxing in the warm bath. Humming along with the familiar tune playing behind her she placed the steaming cup on the side of the tub and turned off the water, swishing her fingers in it one last time to make sure the temperate was still just right.

Pulling open the sash that kept the pink robe wrapped around her she let it slip off her shoulders, but stopped as an almost imperceptible noise caught her attention. She’d never been afraid to be alone in her apartment, so there was no sense of panic as she pulled her robe back up around her and leaned out of the bathroom to glance out into the living room. Everything was exactly as it had been three minutes ago as the music serenaded her from the little speakers. Shaking her head she laughed lightly at herself. Without Alex here she wasn’t sure how to act, she told herself. It had been so long since she’d spent a few moments alone that she wondered if she even knew how to relax any more.

Going back into the bathroom she lit the candle by the side of the tub. That would be the final touch that would make this perfect, she thought, but as she stood up to once again prepare to climb into the warm water she saw him; a shadowy figure in the far corners of the mirror. Before she could turn around he was on her, pulling her back with frightening speed and force until she was immobile against him.

She didn’t get a good look at her assailant, but she could tell he was dressed all in white from the distorted image she could still see in the mirror from her peripheral vision. She knew it was a man from the strong, blond hairy arm which wrapped itself across her shoulders just underneath her neck. The other hand held one of the steak knives from her utensil drawer. She recognized the imitation chipped ivory handle and for some reason it scared her even more that the knife pressing into the soft flesh under her chin, making it sting, was hers.

Even if the man wasn’t holding firmly onto her, fright had paralyzed her. She wanted to fight, she wanted to scream or cry or something, but she was frozen as the man behind her tilted his head forward slightly over her shoulder, his eyes scanning from her toes up to her face. He let out a soft grunt and she wondered if he was disgusted or if he was approving. Either way it was terrifying. Tipping his head back again he pressed against her so his mouth was right next to her ear.

Hello, Katherine, he whispered, soft and deep in her ear.

In surprise, she turned her head slightly to try and get a look at him, but he only tightened his grip making it impossible for her to move. How…, she started, but let the thought drop from her mouth incomplete.

How did I know your name? he finished for her with a smile she felt on her cheek. You have a stack of bills in the basket by the phone, Katherine, he said, still whispering.

The knife ran gently down her neck and snagged at the tender fabric as