“From the parking lot that you normally park in?”
“Why?”
“Because I just pulled in,” he stated. As she started to speak, he heard a “Son of a—” and then her half scream and some thuds. “Jesus Christ!” He bolted from his car, clicking the fob, locking up, as he ran. “What’s the matter? Kate, what’s the matter? Where are you?” He took off running, not even knowing if she was up or down or around. Instinct took him on the same path, right where the murders had been. “Run, dammit. Run.”
“I’m trying,” she finally said, “and somebody’s after me.”
“Run to the parking lot,” he replied. “I’m coming toward you. I’m on the high road.”
“I’m running. I’m running.”
“But remember,” he murmured, “you could be running into a trap.”
“Shit, it wasn’t supposed to be like this. I’m alone.”
“Yeah, well, somebody doesn’t give a shit. They want you out of the picture, and they want you out now. Can you see who it is?”
“Can’t check now,” she noted breathlessly. “He’s running behind me.”
“Run, run, run, dammit!”
And then there was silence at the other end.
Chapter 16
Kate couldn’t believewhat had just happened. Somebody had tried to smack her on the side of the head with some stick. She was running as fast as she could, thankful that there was just enough light to actually see the path better and better. She realized that the path she was on would take her right up to where the double murders had happened. Knowing that she was likely being driven into exactly the same location, she tried to think quickly, but, in her mind, she was looking for an alternative route, though pretty heavy brush was in this area. She didn’t dare get caught in a hand-to-hand combat situation because she didn’t know whether he had a weapon or not. But, if that’s all she had, she would take it.
Her eyes darted from side to side, as she raced flat-out, trying to get closest to the parking lot and Simon. She had no doubt he was racing toward her just as fast. A corner was up ahead, and she realized that just down below was where the second couple were taken out. As she raced straight up into that corner, she darted off to the side, diving full length into the brush and rolling up on the other side, where she immediately hid behind a tree.
She studied the area around her, hearing footsteps and the heavy breathing of her pursuer. He went around the corner, and he stopped, and she heard him swearing on the path behind her.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”
She twisted, trying to look, but couldn’t see who it was. She couldn’t see anything, except the man’s leg. She waited and waited, trying to sneak around the corner. She would come upagainst Simon here any minute. And then she heard a man’s voice.
“No fucking way you’re getting away from me this time,” he yelled. “Get out here.”
She raised her eyebrows at that, wondering how often ordering your victim to come out and get shot would work. She didn’t know if he had a gun or not, so she snuck down on her hands and knees and crept under the brush. She knew that he was close, but could he actually see where she was? Did he know this area well enough?
“I know where you are,” he yelled.
And, dammit, he did appear to be approaching her.
“I’ve got a fucking handgun,” he called out, “and I’m not afraid to use it.”
She swore under her breath, silently looking at the trees, wondering if she could at least climb and get up out of the way. But there were no easy branches to climb up on, and climbing wouldn’t be a silent process. He’d shoot her in the back before she got anywhere.
“You just had to keep sniffing around, didn’t you?” he yelled. “You couldn’t just leave it. You know those bitches needed to die. Nobody should be allowed to have bitches like that around,” he roared at the top of his lungs.
She heard other footsteps in the distance. She didn’t know how far away they were. She hoped her attacker didn’t either. Except that, if he did, it would help send him on his way, and that wouldn’t make her happy either. This had to stop, and it had to stop now. She just didn’t know what the hell she was supposed to do, considering she hadn’t brought her weapon with her.
Switching her position, she peered through the underbrush until she could see the path itself. No sign of him. The path was empty.
“Shit,” she whispered under her breath. She heard running footsteps, as another couple jogged on the path toward them and took off in the opposite direction, both of them laughing and talking. But they were just at the start of their run it seemed, so it wasn’t too hard on them yet, and they could continue to speak at the same time. But where the hell was Simon? She snuck a little bit closer, looking underneath the brush. And just then she heard a voice behind her.
“There you are.”
And she froze.