by Lis Wiehl
The lake was off to her right, wasn’t it? She hoped it was, because if she blundered into it, he would surely hear her.
When she tore half her left big toenail off on a sharp rock, Allison gritted her teeth to keep from screaming. At least she hoped it was half her toenail and not half her toe. The pain was such that either seemed possible, and she couldn’t afford the time to reach down to check.
Her skin was slick with rain, her hair plastered to her head. To stop the sodden cloth of her borrowed shorts from simply sliding off her body, she had to keep yanking on the waistband.
And then she burst from a stand of trees into a clearing. Ahead of her was a railroad track, and then a chain-link fence and a short stretch of weeds that dropped down to a narrow paved road. On the other side of the road was a wrought-iron fence and the imposing circle of the Ferris wheel.
She had run out of wetland.
Ahead of her were two fences and the amusement park.
Behind her Lucas Maul.
The choice seemed easy.
CHAPTER 39
Allison darted across the railroad tracks and managed to climb over the chain-link fence, using her bruised bare toes like a monkey’s. She scuttled across the road, the skin between her shoulder blades itching. If Maul spotted her, she’d be an easy target. The resulting spurt of adrenaline gave her the extra push she needed to clamber over the metal fence that ran around the amusement park. The tops of the black bars ended in dull points, and one dug painfully into her thigh.
She landed on her poor feet, which were by now so bruised and cut that she barely bothered to wince. There were now two fences between her and Maul. With luck, he was still hunting for her in the wildlife refuge. She could find a security guard or maybe a pay phone—some way to connect with the outside world and let the cops, who were hopefully looking for her by now, know exactly where she was.
Keeping to the shadows, she ran through the parking lot and between the two huge toy soldiers on either side of the entrance. Corrugated metal shutters covered the windows and doors of the gift shop and booths that sold lemonade and snacks. The ticket booths all had white Closed signs in their windows. To her left, the roller coaster looked much tamer than she remembered. Across the way was the big pink slide that had been a fixture at the park since she was a child. Did children still slide down it on burlap sacks? Did burlap sacks even exist anymore?
Allison remembered the first time she had climbed to the top of the slide, how her father had held her hand up the seemingly endless series of steps. Once they reached the platform, the only thing separating them from the long fall to the ground was a chain-link fence. Five-year-old Allison had frozen in fear. She didn’t want to stay on the open platform. She didn’t want to slide down the slide. She didn’t even want to turn around and go back down the stairs to where her mother waited with Lindsay. All three choices seemed impossibly dangerous.
Allison remembered the fear so well. What she didn’t remember was what had happened next. Had she slid down the slide, discovered it was fun, and begged to go again? Or had she been carried, sobbing, back down in her father’s arms?
Then the danger had all been in her mind. Now it was real. So real it could kill her.
She turned to look at the slide again and walked full-tilt into a metal garbage can. The round lid crashed to the pavement. The noisy clang was as loud as the clash of cymbals. It was unmuffled by the rain, which had died down to a light patter. The lid rolled over and over, making more noise with each revolution before finally coming to a halt.
Allison froze. Holding her breath, she listened as hard she could.
Nothing but the faint sound of the rain.
She was just exhaling when she heard footsteps swiftly crossing the road. Heading straight toward the amusement park.
No. No, no, no.
Where could she hide? While there were plenty of shadows, they didn’t offer enough concealment. Everything here was out in the open and squared off—no recesses, no unevenness, no projections to hide behind. The wide and open walkways had been designed with children in mind, so they couldn’t slip out of sight of their parents.
But now that openness meant there was no place for Allison to hide from the man who was determined to kill her.
She heard him grunt as he scaled the fence and dropped down on the other side. His footsteps began again. And now they were getting closer.
Where could she hide? The nearest ride was the carousel. She hurried over to it and stepped up on the outer edge of the platform. The rain pinged off the roof. Until now, Allison had been wishing for shoes. Suddenly she was thankful for her bare feet, which moved soundlessly. She threaded her way around the carousel, past a prancing black horse, a brown kangaroo, a gray emu, a white unicorn with a golden horn. Finally she crouched down behind a large elephant designed to hold at least two riders. She peeped past the elephant’s short curly tail.
Go away, she told Maul silently. Go away, go away, go away.
Instead, he stepped into view in front of the Tilt-A-Whirl. Allison would not have recognized this thin man with the shaved head as the same man she had helped bring to justice six years ago.
Maul pulled a small black rectangle from his back pocket. A phone. He tapped on it with one thumb. His other hand still held the gun. It seemed a strange time to send a text. Then the whole screen glowed a bright white, and Allison realized he had been opening a flashlight app.
After a spurt of fear, she relaxed a little. The phone as flashlight was nowhere nearly as bright as a real one. It illuminated an area only about five feet in front of him.
Then Maul leaned over the wide paved path. What was he looking at? He held his phone a few inches above the ground. And Allison saw what had caught his attention. Half a bloody footprint. Bent double, he shuffled forward, waving the light back and forth until he found the next. And the next.
They were leading in a line straight to the carousel.
He stepped up on the carousel, and it shifted a little under his weight. Allison risked another glance. Holding the phone in one hand and the gun in the other, Maul slowly began to circle the ride.
If she moved, he would shoot her. If she stayed still, he would find her and still shoot her.
Was there anything she could wrench off one of the wooden animals and throw at him? Or better yet throw into the distance so he would hear the sound and think she was someplace else? Her eyes darted back and forth, but of course there was nothing loose on the ride, nothing that some determined child could pry off and turn into a safety hazard.
And then she saw Maul’s shoes. They stopped about five feet from her.
“Get up,” he said. His voice was more weary than angry. “Get up or I’ll shoot you right now.”
She stood. He skirted the elephant’s wooden trunk until only a few feet separated them. In silence they stared at each other. Water still ran in rivulets from his bald head. Very little about him looked like the Lucas Maul from his booking photos. Except for the eyes. They were the same. Challenging. Threatening.
“You.” Maul shook his head. “How can you be alive? I killed you. I shot you twice in the heart.”
“You shot my little sister. Lindsay Mitchell. Not me.”
“No. I’ve seen your sister. Some skanky tramp with pink streaks in her hair. I’ve seen her sneaking cigarettes outside your house.”
“That skanky tramp was going to be a businesswoman,” Allison spat. “You didn’t know her. You didn’t know her at all. She never did anything to you, and you took her out of this world.”
Maul let out an angry snort. “Did you know me? Did I ever do anything to you? No. But you still sent me off to do twenty-four years in prison.”
Over the rain softly drumming on the metal roof of the carousel, Allison heard a faint ululation. Sirens. More than one. Ophelia had done what she could, had called the police. But they were too far away to do Allison any good. Maul’s head lifted a fraction and she could tell he heard them too
.
“But you robbed banks,” she said slowly, wondering how she could buy just a little more time. “Lindsay did nothing but dress in my clothes one day. She just wanted to impress the loan officer. But instead you killed her. Not me. Her.”
“Don’t worry,” Maul said, and he lifted the gun so it again was pointed right at her heart. “I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
“Freeze!” a voice shouted. Allison and Maul both started, their heads whipping around.
It was Nicole.
Nicole.
And while the maid’s uniform was soaking wet, it was with water, not blood.
Nicole stood next to the carousel, her arms straight out in front of her, her Glock pointed right at Lucas Maul.
Maul’s mouth fell open. “Why does this keep happening to me?” he said wonderingly. “Why aren’t you dead?”
Allison lunged for his gun.
And suddenly they were both grappling for it. She yanked it to one side and up, hoping to pull his finger out of the trigger guard. Nicole was shouting, and Allison also heard Ophelia’s voice. But she could only pay attention to Maul and what she knew would be a fight to the death.
He elbowed her in the face, hard enough that fresh blood flooded her mouth as he smashed her lips. She did not slacken her grip on the gun. Instead she kicked him in the shins, wishing again for shoes. He twisted the gun until her wrist threatened to snap. She took a half step to one side, then drove her shoulder into his solar plexus.
He grunted, the air going out in a whoosh. And suddenly Allison was the only one holding the gun. She turned and pressed it against his chest, right at his heart. Over his shoulder, she saw Nicole circling them, trying to find an angle that would let her shoot Maul without injuring her. But now Allison had the gun. Her face and Maul’s were just inches apart. His sharp breath was hot on her face. She had never been this close to another person without kissing them, but now all she wanted to do was kill.
Exultation sang in her veins. All she had to do was pull the trigger and Maul would be dead. She wanted it more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life. Her vision narrowed so that only his face filled it. His fierce gaze locked with hers.
He deserved to die.
The trigger was under her finger. The weight of the gun felt good in her hand. She would end this thing—right here, right now, with a single pull. Maul’s heart would cease beating, his mind would stop its twisted fiendish plotting, his tongue would no longer be a restless evil.
But when Allison looked into his burning eyes, it was like looking into her own. The same rage consumed them both. They were different sides of the same coin.
But justice wasn’t in her hands any more than it was in his. She wasn’t God.
Something like a smile stretched across Maul’s face. “Go ahead,” he said. “Do it. Do it for Cassidy. Do it for Lindsay. I killed them. And I enjoyed every second of it.”
The anger surged back. She saw Cassidy shoved under the kitchen sink like garbage, heard Lindsay’s last breaths.
“Do it!” he shouted. His fingers closed on her throat, trying to force her to pull the trigger. With her free hand, Allison clawed at her neck, trying to pry his fingers loose. A line burned across her neck and then her necklace snapped. The silver cross went flying into the darkness behind him.
Her father had put that necklace around her neck. Now Maul had taken it away. In pursuit of what he thought was justice, Lucas Maul had killed Cassidy and Lindsay and shot Nicole. Justice meted out by him. Outside of any court of law.
But Allison had taken an oath to faithfully discharge the duties of her office. And those duties were to be a prosecutor. Not judge. Not jury. Not executioner. No matter how much she wanted it. No matter how much Maul wanted it too.
“Sorry,” Allison said, and stepped back as Nicole pushed the nose of her gun between Maul’s shoulder blades, ordering him to put his hands on top of his head. “Whether you live or die is not for me to decide.”
Ophelia ran up, breathing heavily.
“Cuff him for me,” Nicole said to Ophelia, taking the handcuffs from her belt. Maul put his hands behind his back without protest. All the fight seemed to have gone out of him.
“Oh, Nic.” Allison’s voice caught. “I thought you were dead too.”
“Thank God for whoever invented Kevlar.” Nicole smiled. “I’m pretty sure I’ve got a few cracked ribs, and I definitely had the wind knocked out of me.” She had to raise her voice because a dozen vehicles—police cars, unmarked vehicles, and an ambulance—were now pulling up outside of the amusement park, sirens wailing. “But cracked ribs sure beat the alternative.”
Cracked ribs or no cracked ribs, Allison knew that as soon as Maul was safely in custody she was giving Nicole a huge hug.
Maybe Ophelia too, if she would allow it.
CHAPTER 40
When the hostess at the Laurelhurst Market led the three women to their table, Ophelia chose to sit with her back to the crowd. Allison made a mental note that next time they should look for a quieter venue.
“Did you ever go to this restaurant with Cassidy?” Ophelia asked as she opened her menu.
“No,” Allison said, feeling a momentary pang.
“What would Cassidy have ordered if she were here?”
There was no sense in asking why Ophelia wanted to know, Allison was beginning to realize. Ophelia was Ophelia, and her reasons made sense to her.
Allison looked over the menu. “Probably the flat iron steak and the roasted potatoes with black garlic butter and hazelnuts.” Cassidy had always been tempted by rich food, happily ignoring calorie counts and cholesterol. “She used to say, ‘Sin now, Spin class later.’ ”
“Then I’ll have the beet salad with chevre.” Ophelia closed the menu with a snap.
Nicole raised an eyebrow. “Are you a vegetarian?”
Laurelhurst Market was known for its steaks and chops.
“No. I just don’t want you to think I’m trying to take Cassidy’s place.”
“You can’t,” Nicole said, and Allison winced. But then Nicole leaned forward and said, “And that’s okay. You may not be like anyone else I know, but like my mama says, ‘God don’t make no junk.’ ”
Ophelia busied herself lining up her silverware. “I know it will sound wrong, but if Cassidy hadn’t died, I wouldn’t have met you guys. And you have changed my life.”
“What do you mean?” Allison asked.
“When I started school, I was good at reading and math. In fact, I was better than anyone else. But after a while I realized that everyone else had friends and I didn’t.” Ophelia raised her head and shot each of them a darting glance. A rare smile transformed her face, making her suddenly beautiful. “Now I do.”
“Thank you,” Nicole murmured.
Allison touched the spot above her heart. “Well, I’ve learned a lot from you too, Ophelia.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I think you probably did.”
Allison tried hard not to laugh, but then she met Nicole’s eyes, and it was all over for both of them.
She expected Ophelia to shrink back, but instead she said, “Sorry. I think I was inappropriately blunt just now. I’m not good with praise.” She looked down at her hands. “I know that I’m different from other people. But you two don’t seem to mind.”
“Everyone’s a little bit different once you get to know them,” Allison said. “Your differences are just more visible than most people’s.”
“Maybe, but you two are different too.”
“What do you mean?” Nicole asked.
“The way you work together. Other people have to talk things through, but you two can accomplish something together saying hardly a word. All it takes are a few glances and some body language, and all of a sudden you have a common purpose. I admire that, but I’ll probably never be able to do it. I know you take it for granted, but it’s really amazing.”
Allison had never considered it, but it was true that she and N
icole could say volumes without speaking.
The waiter took their order. When Nicole handed back the menu, Allison spotted something glinting on the finger of her left hand.
“What is that?” Allison held out her own hand, palm up.
Nicole ducked her head so that Allison couldn’t see her expression. Without speaking, she slowly put her left hand in Allison’s.
What Allison had glimpsed was a small but sparkling diamond set on a plain gold ring.
“It appears to be an engagement ring,” Ophelia said.
“It’s beautiful.” Allison gave Nicole’s cool fingers a squeeze and then released them. “Congratulations. You couldn’t do any better than Leif.”
Nicole blinked rapidly and then turned her eyes up to the ceiling. Biting her lip, she held herself still, keeping her unblinking eyes wide open.
Ophelia glanced up, looking puzzled.
“Why are you crying?” Allison asked.
“I’m not crying.” Nicole dropped her gaze and looked at Allison. “At least I’m trying not to. It’s just that I know Cassidy would have noticed first thing, even if I hid my hand behind my back. She would have grabbed my hand the minute I walked in the door.”
“I noticed the ring,” Ophelia objected. “I just didn’t know if it was polite to mention it.”
“Cassidy would have been so happy for you,” Allison said. And maybe a little bit jealous, but she chose not to say that. Still, she was trying to hold on to all of her memories of Cassidy, to remember the real woman and not some plaster saint, perfect and unmoving.
“And Cassidy would have noticed that you’re wearing your necklace again,” Nicole said.
Allison touched the cross gently with her fingertips. “Thanks to you, Ophelia. If you hadn’t found where the cross went when Maul broke the chain, it probably would have been lost forever. And you have no idea how much it means to me.”
“Sometimes it’s helpful to have an eye for detail,” Ophelia said.
The jeweler had suggested replacing the chain, saying it would be impossible to make it perfectly smooth again. There would always be a mended place in the links, he explained, that Allison would feel against her skin even if she couldn’t see it.