Part 34 (1/2)

”You're good, Hadley. I'll say that.” Carnie squatted and appeared to be following Hadley's instructions. Then she rolled to the floor and started shooting blindly into the dark corridor. She fired all six rounds. Hadley did not return fire.

The room was silent, except for the diminis.h.i.+ng echoes of the gunshots.

”You missed,” said Hadley. As he had figured, she had a.s.sumed he was standing, not lying down. ”Now, just stay right there on the floor.”

But she didn't. She scrambled to the table, picked up the .22 and fired into the corridor, emptying the gun.

”Are you done?” said Hadley.

”I knowI shot you in the front yard.”

Hadley stepped into the light of the hospital ward, holding his shotgun. The rolled-up s.h.i.+rt he had tied around himself was b.l.o.o.d.y in one spot. ”Yes, you did. But it's not the first time I've ever been shot.”

Carnie stood up.

”Just stay right there,” said Hadley.

She reached behind her back and pulled out the knife.

”Don't make me do it,” said Hadley.

She looked directly at Elmo and raised the knife above her head. ”Everybody say 'goodbye' to Elmo.”

She pulled her arm back, ready to throw the knife, but before she could release it, Hadley fired the shotgun.

The knife few against the wall, along with two of Carnie's fingers. The rest of her b.l.o.o.d.y hand was scattered across the table and on the floor. She lay on the floor, screaming in agony. Her former prisoners looked on in horror.

”Somebody go upstairs and call 911,” said Hadley.

But n.o.body reacted. All eyes were on Carnie.

She felt across the floor with her left hand and found the knife.

”No-put it down,” said Hadley.

”I'm sorry for the horrible things I've done,” she said, holding the blade at her throat.

Hadley was surprised by the look in her eyes-her remorse seemed real.

”But I'm not going to prison.” And with a quick jerk of the knife the blood began to gush from her neck.

Hadley knew there was nothing he could do to save her. He knelt and watched her sad eyes quickly fade.

After a few moment of complete silence, Cynthia said, ”Could somebody please get these handcuffs off of us?”

Hadley found the key on the table and took it to Cynthia. She took off her cuffs and Beverly's, and gave the key back to Hadley, who went to the next bed.

Cynthia prayed that the drug Carnie had given her mom and the other women had not done any permanent damage. But they were lucky to have slept through most of the ordeal.

Greg was still carrying around the bedrail he was handcuffed to. He put his arm around Cynthia. ”Sweetie, are you okay?”

”Yes. I just hope Mom's going to be alright.

Even before Elmo's handcuffs had been removed, Macy ran to him and hugged him.

Mallie Mae smiled. ”I refuse to let you two waste any more time. We need to start planning the wedding.”

Macy wrenched her head around in shock, popping her neck. ”What?”

”I said we need to start planning your wedding,” said Mallie Mae.

”But...Elmo hasn't proposed...”

Elmo dropped to one knee, his left hand still cuffed to the bed. ”Macy Golong, will you marry me?”

Macy's eyes erupted with tears. After waiting so many years, she had not expected it to happen all at once-in one day. ”Oh, yes, Elmo. You know I will.”

But then she felt bad for Carsie. If things had gone as planned, Elmo and Carsie would have been on their honeymoon right now, she thought. And now poor Carsie was having to watch her fiance propose to Macy. She looked to see how Carsie was handling it, but couldn't find her. ”Where's Carsie?”

Mallie Mae said, ”She's right over-”

”-she's gone,” said Elmo.

Hadley ran upstairs, shotgun in hand. On his way up to the kitchen, he heard the engine starting. By the time he made it through the foyer and out onto the porch, she was too far away. He would have only shot at her tires anyway. She hadn't killed anybody-as far as he knew.

He ran to his car and jumped in. He would call the police on his cell phone and follow her until they took over. He reached for the ignition.

But his keys were gone.

Chapter38.

”More popcorn, Beverly?” Greg held up the big plastic bowl.

”No, thanks-I've had enough,” said Beverly from the other end of the couch.

It had been less than a week since their underground nightmare. But now Greg was beyond just being grateful to be alive. It was Friday night, and the three of them were watching a movie in Cynthia's living room. He and Cynthia should have been out on a date-not stuck here at home with her mother, he thought.

Cynthia wanted to pamper her mom for a while. She had been abducted at knifepoint, after all. And Greg was sympathetic to Cynthia's feelings. But he hoped she understood hisfeelings. And right now what he was feeling was her warm leg against his. And her occasional hand on his knee.

It was weird and mildly unsettling-as though he existed in three distinct realms. Intellectually, he was dressed in a business suit, reading a magazine, waiting patiently for a scheduled appointment. Emotionally, he had reached the top of Mt. Everest and was admiring the magnificent view. Physically, he just wanted to pounce on her.

Greg really liked Beverly. He enjoyed being around her. But he needed more alone time with his girlfriend. He needed to hold her, kiss her, caress her back, legs, b.r.e.a.s.t.s-stop! It was not a good time to get turned on.

”Good news, Sweetie. I just got a call-we've got the room we wanted at the Hyatt Regency,” said Elmo.