Part 19 (2/2)
Great evil lurked nearby. She sensed its presence. Cruel and malevolent. Close. So close.
”Stop the truck!” Genny cried as she opened her eyes and lifted her head from Dallas's shoulder.
Jacob skidded to an abrupt halt in the middle of the road. Bobby Joe came within inches of ramming into the back end of the truck as he slammed on his brakes.
”What's wrong? Are you all right?” Dallas clamped his hand down on her shoulder.
”Are you sensing something?” Jacob asked.
”He's somewhere close by.”
”Misty and the killer?” Dallas asked.
Genny nodded.
Jacob glanced through the winds.h.i.+eld at the surrounding area. ”This is the opposite end of the county from where I grew up, and I'm not as familiar with it so I don't know if there might be an abandoned barn around here or not. Genny, can you tell us if they're still inside a barn?”
Genny's breath caught in her throat when she noticed a faint glow in the eastern horizon. Dawn was fast approaching. ”I don't know. I can't see.” Genny grasped Jacob's arm. ”Find them. Find them now or it will be too late.”
Once again the entire entourage gathered at Jacob's truck, but this time Genny insisted on going with them. Dallas supported her with his arm around her waist.
”Anybody know of an old barn around here anywhere?” Jacob asked.
No one responded for a couple of minutes, then finally Jess Whitaker, a Cherokee Pointe police officer said, ”If I remember right, from when my brothers and I used to go hunting on this side of the county, there was a really old barn that was falling apart twenty years ago somewhere around here. I can't remember where exactly.”
”Okay. Sally, it's time to let Peter and Paul see if they can pick up Misty's scent.”
Sally pulled Misty's blouse out of the sack Jacob had given her earlier. She let the bloodhounds get a good sniff, then released them.
”We'll follow the dogs,” Jacob said. ”The rest of you spread out and start searching for that d.a.m.n barn.”
Genny tried to keep up, but she simply couldn't. When she halted, totally exhausted, she turned to Dallas.
”Y'all go on without us,” Dallas called to Jacob and Sally, who were already a good piece ahead of them, following Peter and Paul. ”I'll take care of Genny.”
”The dogs picked up Misty's scent, didn't they?” she asked.
”Yeah, I think they might have.”
She glanced toward the east. The first tentative glimmer of daylight colored the dark sky. ”Oh, Dallas. It's already dawn.” She slumped against him, needing his comfort, seeking his strength.
Off in the distance she heard Sally's hounds howling. Mournful cries that sent cold chills up her spine. And then the sound of car and truck doors slamming and loud voices-numerous voices-echoed through the open fields. As if coming from out of nowhere a band of men appeared, marching up the road, their lanterns and flashlights illuminating the area like fireflies on a warm summer night.
Genny realized that these men had emerged from their parked vehicles and were headed toward her. In the dawn light and at a distance, she couldn't make out any faces. ”What's going on? Who are all those people?”
”h.e.l.l if I know, but none of them are in uniform.”
As the group of boisterous men approached, Genny immediately recognized the one leading the pack-Jerry Lee Todd. He was shouting loud enough to be heard in the next county.
”There they are!” Jerry Lee broke into a run, coming straight toward Genny and Dallas. ”We're at the right place. Jacob's gotta be around here somewhere.”
”h.e.l.l!” Dallas murmured a few choice curses under his breath. ”Looks like a lynch mob to me. Who's the idiot leading them?”
”That idiot is our beloved mayor, Jerry Lee Todd. His wife was Cindy Todd, the second victim.”
”Then he's not thinking straight,” Dallas said. ”He's probably half out of his mind. And one thing's for sure-he doesn't have the slightest idea that what he's doing could jeopardize Jacob's chances of capturing the killer.”
Before Genny could respond, Jerry Lee reached them, and his army of vigilante citizens halted only a few feet behind him.
Jerry Lee glanced from Genny to Dallas. ”When I heard about Misty, I formed a group of locals to help in the search. Is Jacob here? Have y'all found Misty?”
”How did y'all get past the roadblocks?” Dallas asked.
”I'm the mayor of Cherokee Pointe,” Jerry Lee said as if that was explanation enough.
”Get these men quiet,” Dallas said. ”If you're in charge of this pack of yapping morons, then take control of them. Jacob and his men are handling the situation and don't need your a.s.sistance.” When Jerry Lee stared at Dallas, eyes wide and mouth agape, Dallas added in a deadly calm voice, ”Do it now.”
”Hey, fellows, quiet down,” Jerry Lee called to the others, then turned back to Dallas. ”Well, have they or have they not found Misty?”
Although so weak she could barely walk, Genny took several steps toward Jerry Lee, then reached out and laid her hand on his arm. ”You shouldn't be here. You know that, don't you?”
”I've got a right to help track down Cindy's killer. I've got every right-”
Genny squeezed Jerry Lee's arm. ”Let Jacob and the other lawmen handle this.”
Jerry Lee jerked away from Genny. ”Where's Jacob?”
Dallas gripped Jerry Lee's shoulder. ”Jacob and the men with him are doing their job.”
”There's a deserted old barn around here somewhere,” a voice called out. ”I'll bet that's where Misty is. And wherever she is, that's where we'll find our killer!”
Recognizing the voice, Genny snapped her gaze around to seek out the speaker. Jamie Upton, looking rakishly handsome in his designer jeans, expensive leather coat, and Italian loafers, made his way through the rumbling posse.
”I say we follow the sound of those howling dogs,” Jamie said. He eyed Genny. ”Those are Sally's bloodhounds, aren't they?”
”What all of you need to do is go home and let the law handle this,” Dallas said.
”And who are you?” Jamie inquired.
Dallas glared at Jamie.
Another familiar voice rang out loud and clear. ”He's FBI Special Agent Dallas Sloan,” Royce Pierpont said.
Genny's gaze connected with Royce's. He smiled at her. She couldn't understand what Jamie Upton was doing with this group, but seeing Royce with them surprised her even more. Apparently Royce had been dragged from bed to join in, because despite his impeccable attire-from cashmere overcoat to a pair of Italian loafers similar to Jamie's-his hair was mussed and he needed a shave.
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