Dead Center

by Susan Sleeman

  “They’re both inside the SUV, and it’s running. Jayla looks terrified.” He held up the coffee cup. “Anyone need some caffeine?”

  “Are you kidding?” Ainslie said. “I have enough adrenaline rushing through my veins already.”

  The SUV suddenly roared to life and raced through the lot toward the exit.

  “Something spooked him,” Grady said.

  “Dang!” Nick slammed his fist into the back of Grady’s seat. “I know it wasn’t me. He could be listening to a scanner app on his phone and heard something was going down here.”

  “We have to go after him!” Ainslie fired Grady a panicked look. “Jayla needs us.”

  “I’m on it.” Grady shifted into gear and raced to the parking lot exit. He prayed. Prayed hard, asking God to show him the right thing to do before a young girl lost her life.

  25

  Ainslie held onto the dashboard, rolling with the vehicle’s movements as Grady took the corners fast and hard. Her heart thundered in her chest, and she offered copious prayers for safety for Jayla and for them, too, while in pursuit of Murphy.

  Ainslie glanced at Grady. She might be afraid, but he looked calm and deadly, navigating onto Skyline Boulevard and starting the climb into the West Hills. Driving higher. Higher along the heavily wooded road. Erik was on the speaker, and Grady gave him a play-by-play of the action.

  Murphy suddenly whipped off the road into a small clearing with tall power lines.

  “He’s heading to Forest Park,” she said, remembering her photos and wondering if she’d missed something in them.

  The vehicle crashed into a barrier. Reverberated and stopped.

  Grady slammed on his brakes, the SUV skidding on the wet pavement.

  Ainslie held fast, but kept her attention down the road where Murphy bolted from his Escalade, a rifle over his shoulder. He ran around front. Dragged Jayla out. She fought him. Struggling. Kicking. Screaming. He cold-cocked her and tossed her over his free shoulder and ran full speed toward the path.

  Grady surged forward and shifted into park at the turnoff. He looked at Ainslie. “Stay here. I can’t worry about you and Jayla at the same time.”

  He jerked open his door and bolted. Nick was hot on his heels. Both men had their guns raised. She opened her door and thought to follow. But she couldn’t distract them. And she had zero skills to chase an armed man.

  “Be careful,” she screamed after them.

  They all disappeared on the wooded path in the very secluded part of the park. People wouldn’t be out hiking at this time of night.

  Ainslie didn’t know what to do, so she got back in the vehicle and out of the rain to update Erik. “Matt has a rifle. I’m afraid for Grady and Nick. Matt could kill them.”

  “Backup’s on the way but there’s a major accident with serious injuries nearby and resources are spread pretty thin right now.” Erik sounded frustrated. “I wish I could do more, but I’m clear across town. You’ll have to count on them arriving in time.”

  “Thanks,” she said. “I’ll call back if we need you.”

  She disconnected and kept watching out the window, straining to see through the growing rain, her breath held. She got out her phone and looked up their location on a map program. She couldn’t see much of anything, since they were on a trail, not a road, and the overhead satellite view showed only an impervious tree canopy. They would all be moving deeper into the woods. Away from her. From help. From that backup that still wasn’t arriving.

  A gunshot split the quiet.

  “No. Oh, no.” She craned her neck ahead. Saw nothing.

  Oh, please, Father. Please keep them all safe.

  She scooted even closer to the windshield. Reached over to turn on the key so she could get the wipers running. She craned her neck again. Struggled to look through the swipe of the blades, but the sun had completely disappeared now, and she was greeted with only a hazy glow from a faraway street light.

  “Where are you, Grady?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

  Her heart clipped at a high rate, but she sat quietly. The window started to fog, and she fiddled with the controls to get the fan running.

  Her car door was suddenly jerked open. She spun. Matt stood, handgun aimed at her.

  A bolt of terror shot into Ainslie’s heart.

  Jayla was still hanging limp over Matt’s shoulder next to that long rifle. “Get behind the wheel and drive.”

  She couldn’t move. Not a muscle as she looked down the muzzle of his gun. How had she been so careless that she’d let him sneak up on her? She never even imagined he’d find a way to circle back to her.

  “Move!” He glared at her. “Now, or I kill the girl.”

  He jabbed the gun into her side. That got her moving. She slid over the console to the driver’s seat. He kept his gun trained on her and opened the back door. He was distracted. She had to act quickly. She got out her phone. Pressed Grady’s icon and turned the volume all the way down so Grady wouldn’t be heard. She tucked the phone by her leg just as he tossed Jayla into the back seat like a rag doll.

  “Matt, hey,” Ainslie said loudly. “You should let Jayla go. You don’t need her anymore, and you’re hurting her by throwing her in the backseat like that.” Her statement sounded stilted, but she had to get as much information out as possible so Grady knew that Matt was with her.

  He snorted and slammed the door, hitting the child’s beat-up sneakers and shoving her forward.

  “Get going.” He slid into the front and jerked his door closed, the sound feeling like he’d pulled down a coffin lid on them.

  No. Don’t think that way. Think positive. Find a way out.

  She couldn’t die here. She couldn’t let Jayla die here. Ainslie had to stall. Give Grady and Nick time to come back. If she drove off this site, Matt would kill her. “You don’t want to do this, Matt. Put the gun away. You can’t come back from murder.”

  “Hah!” He waved the gun. “Like you know what you’re talking about. I’m already on the hook for murder.”

  “Neil?” she asked. “You killed Neil, didn’t you?”

  “Well, duh! Yeah. He had to go.” His earnest tone lacking even a crumb of remorse shocked her. “Won’t take your super geeks long to figure out the unknown DNA profile found on Neil’s shirt belongs to me.”

  He’d done it. He’d killed Neil. Meant he wouldn’t likely hesitate to kill her, too. “You were involved in killing him? But how? Ethan didn’t see you.”

  “That’s because he ran off like a little chicken before Neil died. Wade choked Neil, but as usual, he couldn’t finish the job, and he let Neil go when he passed out. Then he took off after your brother, and I had to take it over the finish line. A perfect quarterback sneak.” He gave a sick laugh and waved the gun. “Now get going.”

  She reached for the key in the ignition and let her hand rest there. “But why kill him?”

  “He figured out Wade and I were Stoner’s suppliers and was going to report us. Wade could go down for that, but not me. Couldn’t have the star quarterback’s rep tarnished from drug sales. Wouldn’t get me where I wanted to go in life.”

  “You supplied drugs to our local dealer?” she clarified for Grady.

  “Him and a dozen others in the county.” He lifted his shoulders with pride.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement in the backseat. She slyly glanced at Jayla and saw her messing with her shoelaces. What was the girl planning?

  “Surprised, right?” Matt said, catching her unaware. He jabbed the gun into her side. “Now get this SUV going before your buddies figure out I doubled back.”

  She turned the key. The big engine roared to life, and she slowly inched it toward the road.

  “Faster. Go!” He wiggled the gun.

  She stopped at the road. “Which direction?”

  “North. Now move.”

  She turned onto the road and left Grady and Nick behind. Hopefully, Matt had left the keys in the ignition of hi
s SUV and Grady could follow her.

  “So you were a drug dealer,” she said to get him talking and keep him distracted so she could find a way to escape.

  “No one ever found out about the drugs except for Neil. I mighta teased him one too many times in front of the school. He snapped and wanted to get revenge, so he followed me one night to a drug hookup. Then thought he could blackmail me. Fool.”

  She clicked on the windshield wipers and adjusted the rearview mirror so she could see Jayla. She’d removed a shoelace and was working on the other one. Was she planning to try to strangle Matt? If so, she wasn’t nearly strong enough to fight him on her own.

  “Neil should’ve thought about how strong you were before he messed with you,” she said, her statement a warning for Jayla.

  “Exactly.” His chin raised and lowered his gun. “I’m invincible.”

  The kind of attitude that went before a fall. “At least while you’re waving that gun around. Maybe when you shot Wade. You did shoot him, right?”

  He frowned at her. “Guess you saw the video.”

  “We did,” she admitted and let off on the gas bit by bit, hoping he wouldn’t notice she’d slowed. “But why shoot him after all these years?”

  “My stupid detective reopened the investigation without telling me. Wade thought it was a good time to start blackmailing me.”

  She glanced at him. “But you botched the job.”

  He grimaced, and she had to admit to some satisfaction at seeing his reaction.

  “Still, it helped,” he said. “Wade knew I meant it when I said I’d end his life if he didn’t take the fall for Neil and even blame your brother for the shooting. Oh, and he also got me the rifle to do you in. Stood by and watched me take the shot.”

  “But you missed again.”

  He glared at her, his gaze stony and harsh. Maybe she’d pushed him too far.

  “Wouldn’t have,” he snapped, “if I’d had more time.”

  “And the swatting incident at my house and the bomb? You behind both of those, too?”

  He grinned. “Thought SWAT would take you out, but guess they weren’t as trigger happy as I’d hoped so had to get creative.”

  “But why try to kill me?” she asked. “I didn’t know anything.”

  “You told Wade you were going to get to the bottom of the shooting. Brought in the super team, and I figured you might just do it.” He snorted. “Couldn’t have that happen.”

  “You had to know if you killed me that the team would come after you, right?”

  “Actually, I didn’t know that. Figured with you gone, they’d drop it. Then I saw you all in action, and I knew the bonds were tight. If I took you out they’d keep after it.”

  “And now?” she asked and continued slowing. “Where will you go, and what will you do with us?”

  “Coast and then Mexico. You and the kid are going to be my insurance.”

  He clearly hadn’t thought this through, which surprised her. “I don’t have a passport with me. Jayla doesn’t either. We’ll be stopped at the border, if you even make it that far. It’s a long drive.”

  “Don’t need one. I got a boat at the coast ready to smuggle me aboard, and you two will be taking a permanent nap in the ocean.”

  She could easily imagine him tossing them overboard and laughing while doing so.

  “You slowed down. Press on that gas.” He pointed his gun at her. “Now! No more stalling.”

  She met his gaze. “You won’t kill me if I’m your insurance policy.”

  “Only need one person, and I got the kid.” He leaned closer, a growl in his tone. “Either speed up this vehicle, or you die now. Got it.” He jabbed the barrel hard into her ribs.

  She sucked in her breath and clamped her mouth closed so she wouldn’t cry out and let him know he’d hurt her. She couldn’t stall any longer. She pressed her foot on the gas.

  Matt rested his gun on his knee but kept his focus on her. She quickly glanced in the mirror at Jayla. She had both shoelaces free and tied together. Her gaze met Ainslie’s. Her eyes narrowed, and she gave a tight nod born of fear and determination.

  Ainslie didn’t want to have to count on a teen to save the day, but she nodded back. Her life was in the hands of a teenager.

  Grady didn’t know if his heart was bursting from running full stop or from listening to the calm conversation Ainslie was having with Murphy. Grady didn’t know how she was doing it. Keeping the guy talking when he had a gun trained on her—was threatening her with every other sentence. Snapping. Barking. Shouting.

  She needed him. Now!

  He tried to kick up speed, but his side hurt. A stitch. A bad one. He could hardly keep moving. But he had to. He couldn’t stop for a little pain. Not when Ainslie was counting on him. He churned his legs. Knew Nick was behind him but didn’t slow to check.

  They crested the last hill, the cold wet night stretching out in front of him, the wind buffeting his body. He barreled down, his legs pumping and barely keeping up with the downhill momentum.

  His foot caught a rock. He stumbled. Righted himself and continued. He reached the turnoff and confirmed the SUV was gone. Grady bolted for Murphy’s vehicle and glanced at Nick. “Keys are in the ignition. Let’s go.”

  Grady didn’t wait for Nick to agree but hopped into the vehicle and cranked the powerful engine.

  God, please. Please.

  Nick jumped in, and Grady raced for the road.

  God, I need help. Now. Please. Now.

  A gun report sounded over the phone.

  “No!” Grady shouted, his heart shredding as he floored the gas, terrified of what he might find when he reached them.

  Ainslie had gotten the SUV to the side of the road and was grappling with Matt’s gun hand while he clawed at the shoelaces around his neck with the other one. Little Jayla held firm, and a gurgling sound came from his throat. The gun poked toward the roof. Fired. Once. Twice.

  Her life flashed before her eyes. She could die here. Tonight. Ethan’s and Grady’s faces flashed before her eyes. She had to live for them. For the life they could all have when Matt was behind bars.

  Matt’s strength took over. Pressing on the gun. On her arm. Inching down. Her muscles cramped. Trembled. Failed. The gun came down further. Further.

  Directly facing her. The cold steel barrel eye level. Her arm muscles turned to spaghetti. She couldn’t hold him off any longer.

  Father, please. I don’t want to die. Help me. Oh, help me.

  The passenger door jerked open. Grady appeared. He grabbed Matt’s shoulders and ripped his body from the SUV, a feral growl grinding from Grady’s mouth. Matt’s hand jerked up. The gun fired. The sound slammed into the air, deafening. The bullet went wide, whizzing by her head and shattering the window.

  Grady tossed Matt to the ground and dropped down.

  She touched her head. Just to be sure. Felt for an injury. A bullet graze. She was fine, but could hardly breathe. She dragged in a breath. Another and another. She recovered enough to slide over and look down at Grady. He flipped Matt over and started pummeling him with his fists. Hard. Fast. Punishing.

  Nick trained his gun on Matt. “Whoa. Man. Back off. I got my gun on him.”

  Grady glanced up, held his fist in the air. He shook his head then slammed his knuckles into Matt’s face again. Ainslie didn’t like violence, but the crunch was satisfying.

  Grady flipped Matt onto his stomach, grabbed up his hands, and put a knee in his back.

  “Ainslie?” Grady called out. “Are you hit?”

  “I’m fine.” She shifted into park, her hand shaking like a frightened puppy. She looked back at Jayla who was breathing hard, but okay. Ainslie smiled at the girl, who wrapped her trembling arms around her waist and fell onto the seat. “Jayla’s okay, too. We’re both fine.”

  “There’re zip ties in the glove compartment,” Grady said. “Can you bring me a few?”

  Ainslie reached out to get the ties and pressed a hand on
Jayla’s knee. “It’s okay, honey. This is all over.”

  “I got him for you, didn’t I?” Her voice trembled.

  “That you did.” Ainslie smiled again, but she had to force the gesture. She wanted to curl up in a ball and cry but she opened the glove compartment instead. “You’re a hero.”

  “Yeah. I am.” She grinned, but it quickly faded at the sound of sirens in the distance. “I want my mom.”

  Poor thing. “We’ll get you to her as soon as possible. For now just hang tight, okay?”

  “Yeah. Maybe a little rest.” She curled into a tight ball and closed her eyes.

  Ainslie grabbed a few zip ties and climbed out. Surprised her legs held her, she hurried around the front of the big SUV. Sirens sounded in the distance as she handed a zip tie to Grady, and he tightened Matt’s hands together behind his back.

  “The others.” He held out his hand, and she planted the remaining ties there.

  He combined them and secured Matt’s ankles.

  “There,” he said. “Tied up like the pig he is.”

  Matt grumbled and tried to jerk free. “You’re going to regret this, man. I’m a sheriff, not a common criminal.”

  “Right. A murderous, kidnapping sheriff.” Breathing deeply, Grady came to his feet and looked at Nick. “You got him?”

  “Yep.”

  Grady dialed Erik and gave him their new location. “We’ve got Murphy zip tied, and Jayla is fine. Officers are nearby. Make sure they know we’re armed and not the bad guys.”

  Grady listened for a moment then shoved his phone into his pocket and closed the distance to Ainslie in a quick burst of speed. He searched her face and raised his voice, allowing her to hear above approaching sirens. “You’re sure he didn’t hurt you, because if he did…”

  “I’m fine. Jayla saved the day.” She made sure to take a breath and smile to assure him. “She was in the backseat and took out her shoelaces. She started to choke him, allowing me to grab hold of his gun hand.”