Part 62 (1/2)
Menelo glanced at Gage. ”Can you get to the back? It looks like there's only one shooting.”
Gage nodded. ”Stay here,” he told Meredith. ”Don't move. You don't have a weapon.”
She nodded. Reluctantly.
He leaned over and kissed her. ”I love you, Ms. Rawson.”
Then he was gone, sprinting toward the cabin, zigzagging as he did so. Menelo kept the shooter occupied by shooting slightly above the window. It was obvious he didn't want a stray bullet to go inside.
Meredith prayed as Gage reached the side of the cabin and disappeared behind it.
She heard a siren. The backup car was on its way. Most likely more calls had gone out.
But where was Liz Baker? Was Liz Baker really Holly Ames?
Was she already dead?
And Gage? He was taking so many chances. She wondered whether her breath would stop coming every time he was on duty.
Shots. Different sounds. Then Gage appeared at the front door. ”Call an ambulance.”
She ran toward him. So did Menelo.
”Liz?” he asked.
”There's only one here,” Gage replied. ”And he's wounded.”
Holly heard the hunter behind her. He was making no attempt to mask his movements.
Harry was exhausted. The dog was panting. She didn't know if she could run another step. They couldn't go any farther.
She heard a siren in the distance. Then shots. She stopped. Listened. But then she heard a rustling of brush beneath her and understood the pursuit had not ended. She urged Harry onward again.
Doug was here. She'd known he would come. And now he would probably come after her. He would be a prime target for the man chasing her.
She stopped, looking around. They were high. Near the edge of a cliff.
Harry had caught her urgency. He'd suddenly understood danger. So apparently had the dog. He didn't bark. He just went where led.
She saw a cottonwood not far from where they were. It had been struck by lightning and was charred.
She stopped and kneeled. ”Harry,” she said. ”You must do something for me. No matter how hard it is.”
His eyes grew big.
”Do you see those bushes over there? Near the tree?”
He nodded.
”Take Caesar. Hide behind them, and if you see a man, toss a rock toward that ledge. Can you do that?”
His lip trembled. ”I don't want to leave you.”
”You won't be far away. You can always see me.”
She heard a rock fall. It wasn't far from them. ”Please, Harry.”
”I can,” he said.
”Don't let him see you. I just want him to hear the rock land. Right over in that spot.” She pointed out a spot.
”'Kay,” he said.
She hugged him. ”I love you,” she said.
”I love you, too.”
”Now go. And find a good rock.”
He dragged the dog away, and she watched as he hid himself. She went close to the ledge and sat as if she couldn't go any farther.
In seconds, a tall, well-built man appeared. His gaze moved around, catching her. She watched as he glanced down at a photo, then back at her.
”You're going to pay for making me go to all this trouble,” he said as he approached her. ”Where's the kid?”
”I didn't bring him.”
”You lie. I saw the coloring book. Two plates on a table.” He drew closer. ”I won't hurt him.”
”You heard the siren. The police are here.”
”Hick cops,” he said arrogantly. ”They're probably dead by now. Now where's the kid?”
A thud behind him. Harry's rock. The man quickly turned toward the sound and she ran toward him and pushed. He stumbled, took a step, then started to swing around, grabbing for her. A flash of color flew past her, a low growl filling the air. The hunter put up his hands to protect himself, dropped the gun and stepped back into nothing.
Holly grabbed the dog's leash and pulled him back as her hunter went over the cliff, his scream following him all the way down.
*Chapter Thirty-two*
Meredith heard the scream. A man's scream.
Doug turned to one of the two newly arrived officers. ”Take care of the man inside the cabin. You,” he said to another, ”come with me.”
He started toward the back of the house and up a trail behind it, moving faster than Meredith thought possible. Gage was next to him. Dom behind.
She followed.