Part 44 (1/2)
He leaned against the hearth again, glaring at the flames, silent and brooding. After a long, uncomfortable moment, he faced me directly, his lip drooping into a sneer. ”So, go to Nechville! You'll recognize it. It's where we started, you and me.” He looked away as if viewing it in his mind's eye. ”Meet my daddy. Talk to my mom. Hear what a lie really sounds like. Maybe you'll finally wake up.” Finally, he looked at me. ”When you come back, we'll talk about it, have a drink, compare notes. I'll enjoy seeing your conversion.” He pointed his finger at me. ”Just be sure you find out everything!”
”Have you got your mom's phone number?”
He turned away. ”It's your voyage.”
I FOUND MY OWN WAY OUT to the front porch where Kyle was waiting. We moved toward the parking lot. Most of the cars were gone by now. The RV people were milling around their big vehicles, apparently discussing the meeting-their faces weren't this glum the last time I was here.
”What do you think?” Kyle asked.
”He's heading for rough water,” I replied. ”And you and I are part of the storm.”
”I think we're being followed.”
I had no reason not to look back. The moment I did, a hooded figure walked faster, moving toward us, looking down, face concealed.
We were near my car. ”Let's get the doors open.”
Kyle opened a rear door as an invitation, then got in the front pa.s.senger seat. I got behind the wheel and then beckoned to the hooded stranger to hurry and get in.
The figure slipped quickly into the back seat and closed the door. ”Thank you. Please get me out of here.”
I started the engine and got moving. ”Better lie down.”
She slumped over, the hood of her coat over her face.
It was Sally Fordyce. We knew her voice, and saw part of her face as she climbed in. It was bruised yellow, green, and black. One eye was swollen shut.
I reached over and locked all the doors with the autolock.
”Lie still,” Kyle cautioned her without looking back. ”We'll get you out of here.”
”Please hurry.”
”Just keep calm,” I said. ”We aren't going to stop, not for anybody.”
We drove past the parking lot attendants in their bright orange vests. One eyed us suspiciously, his walkie-talkie close to his jaw. I couldn't be sure if he knew. I kept driving, not looking his way in case he tried to signal me. I turned down the driveway and added some speed. In a few minutes, we were out on the highway. I hit the accelerator.
Kyle turned. ”Have you seen a doctor?”
She sat up but kept her hood around her face, embarra.s.sed. ”No. Brandon wouldn't allow it.”
I could see her face in the rearview mirror. ”You'd better see a doctor. I'm not kidding.”
”I want to go home first.”
Kyle was visibly angry. ”Did he do this to you?”
She broke down weeping as she nodded. ”He's going crazy.”
”What about Mary Donovan?” I asked.
”She's okay.” She could see us both giving her a second look and added, ”She's not one of his lovers.”
Kyle flopped back in his seat. ”Lord, help us . . .”
”Oh, great!” I said.
”What?”
I was watching the rear window past Sally's battered face and saw blue lights flas.h.i.+ng.
Kyle twisted around and looked back. ”It's Henchle!”
Sally wailed, ”NO! Don't stop!”
”Take it easy,” I said, watching the image in my mirror.
She was desperate, frantic. ”He's working for Brandon, can't you see that? He's trying to take me back.”
”She's probably right,” said Kyle.
I wanted more. ”Sally, listen to me. That's a police officer back there. I have to stop.”
”NO!”
”Then I need a good reason not to.”
She dropped the hood from her face. I could see Kyle's face twist with horror and disgust.
”Trav, she's been bleeding.”
I saw enough in the rearview mirror to turn my stomach.
”You think Brandon would want people to see this?” she asked. Kyle took her side. ”Brandon's the one who beat up Sally, so why's Henchle chasing us?”
Did I trust Brett Henchle? Not anymore. ”Okay, okay, we won't stop. But I want witnesses.” I grabbed up the cell phone lying next to the gear s.h.i.+ft and handed it to Kyle. ”Sally, what's your home phone number?”
She said her number and Kyle tapped it in.
”Tell Meg and Charlie we're taking Sally to the clinic and to meet us there. Tell them to bring some friends. And then call 911 and tell them we're transporting a beating victim to the clinic- and you can tell them we're being escorted by Officer Brett Henchle.” Then I prayed out loud, ”And Lord, please help us.”
I caught Sally's eye in the mirror. ”Don't worry, Sally. I'm not stopping, not for anybody.”
25.
BRETT TURNED ON his siren. My heart was pounding and I felt guilty-hey, I was disobeying an officer-but I kept going, driving under the speed limit. Sally whimpered and cowered in the back seat, her hood over her face.