Matt waited; a knot of unease tightened in his chest. “Deanne, where are you?” 

He heard her cell phone ring without a response. He suspected she had left it in the car, but the seed of worry had been planted. Five minutes stretched into an eternity. He stepped outside, calling her name into the encroaching darkness, the silence his only reply.

Panic clawed at him. He searched her car, then raced upstairs, the frantic rhythm of his footsteps mirroring the pounding of his heart. He redialed, hoping to hear the faint chime of her ringtone somewhere in the house. Nothing but silence!

He burst from the house, calling, “Deanne! Smarts!”

His mind conjured a thousand terrifying scenarios. He reached the edge of the woods, the place where they usually unleashed Smarts for his run. “Smarts! Deanne! Come on, boy!” Then, a faint, familiar tone—Deanne’s custom ringtone for his calls. Hope surged, mixed with a chilling premonition. He followed the sound, his steps quickening as it grew louder, until he stumbled upon a scene that froze his blood.

Deanne and Smarts lay motionless on the cold ground. His world tilted on its axis. He was unable to speak. He stumbled back, a guttural cry escaping his lips. Time seemed to stop, and Matt could not believe his eyes. He was trapped in a nightmare, unable to wake up. In shock, confusion, and denial, he dialed 999. “Hello, hello, my wife has been attacked. She is lying in the woods. I need an ambulance quick; for God’s sake, quick!”

“Sir, what is your name? Where exactly are you?”

Matt gave the information as effectively as he could, stumbling over his words. He tried to will himself awake from the nightmare. He cuddled Deanne’s seemingly lifeless body, rocking back and forth, crying and asking, “Why didn’t I take the dog for a walk? I could have done it easily; why, why?” He cradled her, gently coaxing her, “Come on, Deanne. Please, for God’s sake, please.” He remained in the same position for what felt like an eternity. The sound of the police and ambulance sirens broke his self-recrimination.

He looked at his phone; only five minutes had passed. Picking up Deanne’s phone, he turned on the flashlight and placed it by her so that he could see exactly where to return. He carefully set her down on the ground.

Matt ran to the road, waving. He saw flashing lights in the distance. As they approached, he saw a police car with an ambulance not far behind. When the police car pulled up, two officers got out.

Officer Strong introduced himself and his partner, then added, “My colleague will stay with you here while I follow the paramedics.”

Matt retorted, angry and breathless. “No! No! I’m going with you! I must see if—”

Peers took Matt’s arm and said, “Mr. Wallace? Matt? I know you want to help your wife. The paramedics are attending to her right now. Why not come and sit with me in my car? I’d like to ask a few questions. Your answers would help us, please.”  She guided Matt to the passenger side of the police car and opened the door. Matt, in a trance, sat in the seat and slumped forward, immediately vomiting. He began to sob, trying to apologize through his crying.

“Take deep breaths, Mr. Wallace,” she said. “It’s OK. It’s OK.”

Peers watched as two paramedics carried Deanne on a stretcher toward the ambulance; right behind them, Strong spotted her and put his thumb up. “She’s alive.” “Matt, your wife is alive, and we’ll be on her way to the hospital soon.

Despite this moment of despair, Deanne’s story was far from over!

What began as a horrific attack would ignite a fire within her. It is a determination to rise, to fight, and to reclaim her life, once and for all. Her journey would become one of resilience and justice, challenging her to confront the darkest corners of her mind and the world around her.

In a nutshell, Remember, Remember is not just a tale of revenge. It is a compelling exploration of the human capacity for resilience. With complex characters, thought-provoking themes, a chilling plot, and many twists and turns, Grant presents an amazing story—to consider how far one would go for justice and whether the pursuit of revenge can ever bring true healing. This novel will appeal to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers with complex, morally ambiguous characters and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end. Get your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9TWH7H3.