Run to Me

by Diane Hester

  Catching his breath, Zack stood gaping. Beside him Shyler was reloading her rifle. When she finished she jumped up and ran back as well.

  Zack stretched up to see the two of them. Chase had grabbed the end of the log and was trying to lift it. He was clearly struggling but Shyler wasn’t helping. Instead she stood at the bushes next to him, aiming her rifle into the foliage. ‘Come out of there! Now!’

  From above them the automatic fire resumed. An arc of bullets struck the log and began swinging in Chase’s direction. ‘What are you doing?’ he yelled to Shyler. He’d managed to lift the log an inch. ‘Either help me or get back.’

  Shyler thrust her gun towards the bush again. ‘I know it’s you! I swear I’ll shoot if you don’t come out!’

  Straining with his burden, Chase began walking it to one side. Zack finally got what he was trying to do. But the gunshots were almost to his hands!

  ‘Shyler, for God’s sake, there’s nobody there!’

  The man’s desperate words gave Zack an idea. Breaking cover he rushed to Shyler, grabbed her arm and spun her around. ‘They went back behind us!’ he yelled, pointing up the ravine.

  Shyler swung the rifle around and fired. In the resulting brief silence she pushed Zack away then looked down and saw what Chase was doing. Firing her last round up the stream, she shouldered her weapon and dashed to help him.

  Chapter 72

  ‘I lost them!’ Tragg called from behind the tree he’d been using as cover. ‘Have you got a fix?’

  ‘Too many branches. Let’s move down.’ Before Vanessa had finished her sentence the man was running.

  Together they raced along the ravine, pausing only where terrain or foliage provided cover for a possible ambush. When they reached the spot where Zack had stood on the fallen log, they found both him and his accomplices gone.

  Stepping to the edge, Vanessa peered into the ravine. There it was – their fastest, easiest way across, smashed to splinters on the rocks below.

  She stiffened at the feel of Tragg moving up to stand beside her. Then flinched when, in unchecked frustration, he fired a volley blindly into the forest on the other side.

  ‘There’s got to be another way across,’ she said when the shots died away. ‘All this has done is buy them some time.’

  Vanessa paused to catch her breath. It had taken them a good half hour to work their way down the rocky slope, and another before the ravine had narrowed enough that they could jump across. Now, as they stood on the opposite side overlooking the flat stretch ahead, she suddenly had an uneasy feeling.

  ‘I think we should go back to where they crossed and follow them from there.’

  Tragg looked up the slope they’d descended then back at her. ‘They’re heading for town; that’s over that way.’ He pointed to their left. ‘We keep going straight we’ll cut ’em off.’

  She frowned. ‘That’s what’s bothering me.’

  ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

  ‘I’m not sure the bitch would keep going that way. She’d know we’d expect her to and change direction.’

  ‘So which way do you think she’s going?’

  ‘I don’t know. That’s why I’m saying –’

  Tragg swore.

  ‘If we go this way we’ll be walking blind,’ Vanessa reasoned. ‘If we climb back up I can find their trail again.’

  ‘Which’ll put us at least two hours behind them.’

  ‘Better than losing them completely. Besides, if they aren’t heading for town we’ve got all the time in the world to catch them.’ She held out the map for his inspection. ‘There’s nothing but wilderness in every other direction.’

  Chapter 73

  Shyler stepped out on the narrow escarpment and looked to the distance. The last rays of sunlight warmed her face and formed a golden pool along the horizon. Undulating mountains, streaked in the sepia tones of dusk, sprawled like a giant bedded down for the night.

  Shifting her gaze to the valley floor, she wondered for perhaps the twentieth time if her ploy had worked. Their pursuers would no doubt have expected them to head for town after crossing the ravine so she’d done just the opposite and kept to high ground. If they hadn’t picked up on what she’d done they were down there right now, floundering in the dark, unable to find any trace of their quarry. Which meant for the moment Jesse was safe and they could allow themselves a much-needed rest.

  But although she was tired enough to drop in her tracks, she doubted she would get any sleep. Her behaviour at the ravine still haunted her. With every step she had taken since, she’d grown more convinced only a small part of what she’d experienced had actually been real.

  The prospect was terrifying. It was as though a black hole existed in her mind, a well of secret unspeakable horrors. She sensed that understanding those images was vital to the decisions she was making now. Yet the thought of shining a light on that space and actually seeing what was there . . .

  She shuddered as the forest’s chill washed over her. The sun was gone now, leaving her to face her dawning realisations with fading hope. If it was true, if she had lost touch, then she couldn’t be trusted to take care of Jesse. More than that, it meant her lapses – face it, her madness – might actually place him in greater danger.

  She heard a muffled grunt as Chase, having caught up to her at last, tripped over something in the deepening gloom. His footsteps halted at the forest’s edge. ‘You must have eyes like an owl. What do you say we stop for the night?’

  She stayed as she was, unable to answer.

  ‘Yeah, I’m hungry,’ came a supporting vote.

  At the sound of Jesse’s voice, tears were suddenly burning her eyes. And with them a phantom freed from its grave – a voice in her mind, repeating the same words over and over. What have I done? What have I done?

  Chase walked a stone’s toss back into the woods. He wanted to camp near enough to the cliff to profit from any moonlight available but not so close that one of them might wander off the edge in the night.

  Crouching down, he let his passenger slide from his back. ‘Looks like we’ll be camping here.’

  ‘It’s cold.’ The boy peered around at the deepening shadows.

  ‘I know. We can’t light a fire, unfortunately, but if we sleep close together we’ll be all right.’ Chase pulled the blanket around the boy and gave his shoulders a vigorous rub. Perhaps cold wasn’t the only thing bothering him. ‘Get yourself settled and I’ll bring you some food.’

  By the last of the fading light Chase walked over to stand beside Shyler. She seemed unaware of him, deep in thought. He lowered his voice so the boy wouldn’t hear. ‘Shyler, where have we been headed these last three hours?’

  She didn’t answer.

  ‘Even I know we weren’t this far from town. Where have we been going?’

  ‘Away from where we were.’

  ‘Could you perhaps be a bit more specific?’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  Her voice had been even softer this time – he couldn’t possibly have heard her correctly. ‘What was that?’

  ‘That’s right, I have no idea.’ At last she turned to him. ‘All I know is what we’re running from.’

  ‘You mean we’re lost.’

  ‘I didn’t say that. I know exactly where we are. I just don’t know where we can go that’s safe.’

  At the strain in her voice his chest grew tight. He gave her a moment then reached up and gently took her shoulders. ‘Shyler, we can’t wander around these woods forever.’

  Her body sagged and for a moment he thought she might actually lean against him. Instead she straightened.

  ‘I know.’ She swallowed. ‘Which is why at first light tomorrow you’re going to take Jesse and head for town.’

  ‘I am?’

  ‘When the sun comes up I’ll show you the way.’

  ‘And what will you be doing in the meantime?’

  ‘Waiting here.’

  ‘For them, you mean.’
When she gave no answer he understood. ‘No, I’m sorry, that’s not an option.’

  ‘Look, I know what’s happening, I know that I’m –’

  Her words cut off, somehow leaving him with the impression it had been her own state of mind she’d thought to discuss. Or maybe that was only what he wanted to believe.

  Her behaviour back at the ravine had disturbed him. For a few crucial moments she’d appeared to disengage from reality. And she’d been distant and preoccupied ever since, even to the boy. Now he grew hopeful. Awareness that a problem existed was the first step in treatment. ‘What, Shyler? What do you know?’

  But the moment had passed. She shook her head. ‘As far as I can see it’s the only option. I stop them here or it never ends.’

  ‘And if you don’t stop them?’

  She lifted her gaze. ‘Then it’ll be up to you. All that matters is to keep Jesse safe.’

  Reluctant to upset her yet unwilling to commit to such a plan, Chase tried to stall. ‘What do you say we discuss it in the morning?’

  She hefted the rifle and turned for the forest. ‘There’s nothing to discuss.’

  Chapter 74

  Zack sat huddled with the blanket around him. He could hear Chase and Shyler talking a short way off but couldn’t make out what they were saying.

  In the past few hours he’d been thinking lots about the doctor. Maybe the man had been telling the truth when he said he’d thought Tragg and Vanessa were cops. If he really wanted the others to kill them he never would have driven away or helped them across the ravine.

  Zack hugged himself, remembering the feel of his foot sliding off the side of the log, that horrible sensation of dropping into open space. The rocks had looked a long way down as he’d clung to that branch. He’d thought he was going to fall for sure.

  Then suddenly a big hand had closed around his wrist and he was flying upwards. Set on his feet, a large presence protecting his back, he’d been guided across by those same sure hands, then pushed to safety behind a rock.

  He shook his head. He still didn’t get it. Even with the others shooting at them Chase had helped him. Why? To score points with Shyler? Because he felt guilty? If all he’d wanted was to save himself, wouldn’t he just have run off and left them?

  At the sound of footsteps Zack looked up. Chase was walking towards him carrying the backpack. ‘Shyler’s taking first watch,’ he said. ‘I’ll relieve her in a couple of hours.’

  Chase sat down, opened the pack and began rummaging through it. ‘Well now, Jesse, what would you like for your first course this evening? Apple or pear?’

  Zack hesitated. There were things he desperately wanted to know and this man was the only one who could tell him. No way did he trust him a hundred per cent, but maybe the little he did was enough. ‘A pear,’ he answered. ‘And it’s Zack, not Jesse.’

  Beside him the doctor went still for a moment. Then he held out what was in his hand. ‘Good to finally meet you, Zack.’

  Zack accepted the piece of fruit and took a big bite as the doctor did the same with his apple.

  ‘So tell me, Zack, why have you and Shyler been pretending you’re her son?’

  ‘I’m the only one pretending. She really thinks I am her son.’

  ‘Why would she think that, do you suppose?’

  Zack blew out a ragged breath. It was the question he’d been asking himself for the last four days. ‘I saw this picture back at her cabin. It was of her and some guy and a little kid. Could be her family.’ He shrugged. ‘Guess I look like the kid a bit.’

  Chase dug the ground with the heel of his boot and dropped the apple core into the hole. ‘So why were you pretending to be Jesse?’

  ‘I told her I wasn’t but she just kept calling me that. At first it kinda made me mad. But then when Nolan came and tried to kill me Shyler stopped him. I figured she wouldn’t keep doing that if she knew who I really was.’ Zack straightened sharply. ‘You can’t say anything. You can’t tell her I told you this.’

  ‘I won’t tell her anything you don’t want me to.’ Chase reached into the pack again. ‘So is Nolan one of the men who’re after you?’

  ‘He was, but . . . Not any more I don’t think.’

  ‘I gather he’s one of the casualties back at Shyler’s cabin, then.’

  Zack didn’t answer.

  ‘Well, since you’ve started down this road maybe you can finally tell me why these people are after you.’

  Zack straightened and hardened his voice. ‘First you gotta tell me something.’

  ‘All right. If I can.’

  ‘Last week, in your office . . . You treated a kid . . .’

  ‘I treated several children last week, Zack. What was his name?’

  ‘Corey. But . . . you wouldn’t know that.’

  ‘I wouldn’t? Well, how –’ A heartbeat of silence. ‘The John Doe child. You know him? He was with you? You brought him in?’

  Zack braced himself to relate the details. ‘There were three of us at the start – me, Reece and Corey. Corey was the youngest and when he got hurt . . . Well, me and Reece . . .’

  Chase heard the pained uncertainty in his tone. ‘You did the right thing. Corey definitely needed medical attention.’

  ‘So what was wrong with him? We saw the ambulance come. Where did they take him? Was he all right?’

  ‘They took him to Presque Isle hospital, about an hour’s drive from here. As for his condition, I don’t have the equipment to run all the tests but I suspect he may have injured his spleen.’

  ‘Is that bad?’

  ‘It depends on how severely he damaged it. Do you have any idea how it happened?’

  Zack bit his cheek, feeling the food turn sour in his stomach. ‘There was an accident.’

  ‘In a car, you mean?’

  ‘It was how we got away. The car drove off the road into a ditch.’

  For the next few minutes, Zack gave the details of their ordeal – from their life with the Learys to learning the truth about their rescue to their ultimate escape and arrival in Deadwater. In answer to the man’s gentle probing he even blabbed stuff about his real mother – why she’d left him, that she’d died, where he’d been since.

  ‘So what happened to the third boy, Reece?’ Chase asked.

  ‘Nolan and Vanessa followed us here and found us in the general store. They caught Reece but I got away. Nolan never saw me ’cause I jumped in the back of Shyler’s car.’

  They sat in silence.

  ‘You’ve certainly been through a lot,’ Chase said finally. ‘But why didn’t you feel you could tell me any of this?’

  ‘Yeah, right, like you’d really believe me.’

  ‘Why wouldn’t I?’

  Zack held the words in as long as he could but at last they burst out. ‘Because I make promises and then don’t keep them! I’m a liar and no one should ever believe me!’

  The man thought a moment. ‘You promised to take care of Reece and Corey, didn’t you?’

  Fighting his tears, Zack looked down.

  ‘Sounds to me like you did your best. Were you going very fast when the car hit the ditch?’

  ‘Not too fast.’ Zack wiped his eyes.

  ‘Then I’d say Corey’s injuries probably wouldn’t have been too severe.’

  ‘Probably? You mean you don’t know? Didn’t you call the hospital to see how he was?’

  ‘I did. Several times. They wouldn’t tell me.’ Chase explained why.

  ‘Then for all you know Corey could be . . .’ Zack bowed his head again. This time he had no hope of winning the battle.

  After a moment he felt the man’s arm slip around his shoulder. The same strength that had helped him across the log was there for him now. He didn’t really want it. He certainly didn’t need it. But if the doc thought it was helping he could knock himself out.

  Chapter 75

  Chase kept his arm around Zack’s shoulders until they stopped quaking and his body relaxed. When he though
t the boy was finally asleep he eased him to the ground and tucked the blanket close around him.

  The truth was worse than he had feared. At hearing this innocent speak the name Lazaro a knot had tightened inside his chest. The man was a well-known Northside thug – to possess knowledge that could put him in prison would be frightening to anyone, let alone a ten-year-old.

  We don’t even know where that guy hid the case! And even if we did, they’d kill us anyway!

  Chase gazed down at the sleeping form with a sense of awe. Zack’s ingenuity in arranging his and his brothers’ escape and getting them safely as far as they’d come was truly amazing.

  As for pretending to be Shyler’s son, it didn’t take a genius to see his motives went beyond simply trying to evade his enemies. Having to leave his brothers behind had clearly caused him tremendous guilt. What better way to escape feeling hateful than to assume the identity of a child adored? And for a kid who’d been abandoned by his mother and spent the last three years shunted from one foster home to another, Shyler’s devotion would have seemed a dream come true.

  And that could be the most serious problem – a danger even worse and more immediate than the thugs who were after them. Shyler herself.

  ‘You really think she killed her kid?’

  Chase looked down at the drowsy boy who’d just asked the very question he’d been contemplating. What could he say that wouldn’t destroy the child’s fragile hopes? What should he answer – what he’d been told or believed in his heart?

  ‘Zack, you know . . . sometimes things happen to grown-ups. Things that make them . . . well –’

  ‘Never mind.’ The boy rolled over, pulled up the blanket and settled again. ‘Even crazy, Shyler’s the best mom there ever was.’

  Chase sat unmoving. He waited nearly half an hour this time, torn between urgency to complete his next task and wanting to be sure the boy was asleep.

  At last he got quietly to his feet and slipped his hand into his pocket. The mobile was there, right where he’d put it after snatching it up off the floor of the Rover before they’d abandoned it.