“But if you believe I’m not Ellie, why do this? I’m no threat to you! I’ll tell everyone I’m Beth, and the money will go to Palmer. That’s what you want, isn’t it? You manage his finances. You can do whatever you want with it.”
“Right. And what else will you tell them?” He looked for the leash. “What did you do with the collar?”
Beth just shrugged.
Anderson smiled tightly and pointed the gun at her. “It doesn’t matter.” He wiggled the fingers of his other hand. “The keys. Now.”
Beth turned off the engine and handed them over.
He got out of the car and used the rebar to break the still shiny lock on the rusted gate, then pushed it open with an ominous screech of metal on metal.
Beth winced at the sound.
Anderson went to the trunk, then came around to her side of the car, wearing Chris’s hard hat. That’s what was different! The hat had been missing from its place in the library. The maps, too. He opened the door, and pressed the barrel of his gun against her head. Beth froze, as he fished something out of his pocket. It was the key to the cuffs.
“Here. Use it.”
Beth stared at the key, her mind racing.
Whatever she did, she’d probably wind up dead.
“Sometime today,” he complained.
Beth took the key, fumbled, and dropped it.
“Stupid bitch!” He knocked her in the side of the head with the butt of the gun.
Pain exploded across her face and down her neck. Her vision grayed for a moment, then Beth blinked the world back into focus.
Anderson bent to retrieve the key. “Where the hell is it?”
Beth turned in the seat and kicked Anderson in the face as hard as she could.
With a grunt, Anderson bounced off the door and fell back on his rear; the gun dropped from his hand. It was too far away for her to reach. Beth scrambled out of the car sideways, her left hand still cuffed to the wheel. Her head swam for a moment, then cleared. She turned and knelt, searching for the key. The sun glinted off it, just beyond the edge of the door.
Beth grabbed the key. Her hands were shaking so hard she had trouble fitting it into the lock. Hurry. Hurry.
Anderson groped for his weapon. Beth aimed another kick at his head, but he ducked the blow—and came up pointing the gun. The bore looked huge. The bullet coming out of it would make an equally huge hole in her chest.
In a second he was on his feet, jamming the barrel under her chin. His face was flushed and he was breathing hard.
“Do you want to die right here? Do you?” he screamed in her face as he pushed her head back painfully. “We can end it right now, if you want! It’s all the same to me.”
THE CAR FISHTAILED AS Jason sped down the narrow, disused road as fast as he dared, a rooster tail of dust boiling up behind. Steep canyon walls rose to either side. What would he face when he found Beth and Anderson? He strove to remember what he’d been taught about hostage situations, but his mind was full of fear for Beth.
He had to get control of himself. He couldn’t help her if he let his emotions get in the way.
Jason came to a chain-link fence and slowed. A gate that bore signs declaring, “Danger,” and “Carlton mine. Private property. Keep out,” hung open.
The road curved around the tailings pile, then split in front of the mine. He didn’t need Ellie to tell him which way to go. There was Anderson’s car. They were in the mine.
He should wait here for back-up. There was nowhere for Anderson to go. But he had Beth in there with him. And unless Jason did something, he was sure Anderson would kill her. Jason checked his cell. No signal. Shit. He grabbed the rental contract, scribbled a note on the back, and left it under the wiper. It would have to do.
He grabbed the shotgun and headed into the dark maw of the mine.
FIFTY FEET INSIDE THE tunnel, Beth blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dark. Anderson hadn’t yet turned on the hard hat’s lamp. The mine was cool and still, but his hand was hot where it fisted in the back of her shirt.
Tires crunched on the dirt outside. Hope surged as Anderson froze, then pulled her into a recess in the wall beside several boxes. His free hand covered her mouth. “If you move, if you make a sound, I will shoot whoever comes through that gate,” Anderson whispered in her ear. “Do you understand?”
Beth nodded. What should she do? Anderson was likely to shoot the person anyway. Should she try to warn them? Or would she be causing his death?
She saw movement out of the corner of her eye, then she heard soft, cautious steps. Anderson’s hand was tight across her mouth, the gun pressed painfully into her side.
Cool air brushed Beth’s cheek and she shivered, waiting as the footsteps grew closer. Jason edged by the alcove, only five feet away.
“Drop your gun,” Anderson said, “or I’ll put a bullet in her brain.”
JASON FROZE AT THE sound of the voice behind him, his heart pounding. “You don’t want to do that, Bob.”
“Actually, I do. So don’t give me an excuse.”
Jason’s hand tightened on the shotgun. It went against everything he knew to disarm himself, and Anderson was probably going to shoot them both anyway. He was sure he could turn, drop, and shoot before Anderson could get off a round. But he didn’t know where Beth was, and the shotgun wasn’t a precise weapon.
Jason bent and carefully placed the shotgun on the ground.
“Good choice. Now go on down the tunnel.”
Jason stayed where he was, and slowly turned to face Anderson. His eyes were starting to adjust to the dim light. Anderson held Beth in front of him, hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide with fear. She had a darkening bruise on her face and a bloody rag tied around her hand.
A wave of rage washed over Jason. This bastard had killed Chris and Ellie and now his finger was on the trigger of a gun pointed at Beth. Every muscle in Jason’s body wanted to leap on Anderson and pound him into an ugly, bloody mess, but he couldn’t do that. Not until Beth was safe.
Jason fought down his anger. “You know, Bob, you don’t need to do this. Whatever the problem is, we can work it out. How about you put the gun down and we talk about this?”
“Jesus! Do you really think I’m that stupid?” Anderson made a disgusted sound, and gestured with the gun. “Now turn around and get moving.”
Good. Take the gun off Beth. Jason inched forward. “I don’t think you’re stupid, Bob. I know you’re really smart. So you know you don’t have to hurt anybody.”
Anderson pointed his .40 caliber semi-auto at Jason’s chest. “I said, turn around!”
Jason stopped in mid-step, eyes drawn to the large bore of the gun. At this range it would be hard for even an idiot like Anderson to miss. For a second he was back in that board room with Babinevich’s men, surrounded by pain and noise and death. His heart slammed in his chest.
That’s the past. Stay in the present. Jason took a deep breath and looked into Beth’s eyes. She needed him to stay focused.
“Let me help you, Bob. The sheriff is on the way. He knows you have Beth and where you are. There’s only one way out of here.”
Anderson paused, eyes narrowed. “I don’t think so. You couldn’t have told him where I was going when you left the house, and there’s no cell reception here. It’ll take hours before they check this place. I’ll be back at the ranch calling 911 to report a break-in before the sheriff gets his thumb out of his ass.”
“Are you sure? I found you pretty quick.”
Anderson pressed his weapon against Beth, forcing her head over nearly to her shoulder. “Then I guess I’d better hurry up and get this over with.” His voice sounded strained, on the edge.Jason took a step back. If he pushed Anderson too hard, the man might kill Beth. He took in Anderson’s sweaty face and tight jaw. He looked desperate, and desperate people were unpredictable.
“Now move!”
Somehow Jason summoned a smile. “Take it easy, Bob. We’re all friends here.”
<
br /> “Cut the crap. Turn around and get moving.”
Jason took another step backward, into the tunnel. “Why are you doing this, Bob?”
Anderson shifted his grip on Beth, grabbing her injured hand and digging his fingers into the bloody handkerchief.
A sharp cry escaped Beth’s lips, as she cringed and paled.
Anger flared again, making it hard to breathe. “Don’t!” Jason took a quick step forward, then stopped. He had to get control of the situation somehow. He had to get control of himself.
Anderson’s mouth twisted in a nasty smile. “Do it! Or do you want to see your girlfriend’s head explode?”
As if he watched through a scope, Jason saw Anderson’s finger tighten on the trigger. His heart nearly stopped. “You don’t need to do that, Bob. You’re in charge here. Take it easy.”
“Don’t tell me to take it easy. Just shut up and get down that tunnel.”
Jason turned. His shoulders itched. He hated giving his back to Anderson. “You’re not a man who likes to hurt people, Bob. Why don’t you let Beth go? Then you and I can talk about how to get you out of this situation.”
BETH HATED THAT SHE was so glad to see Jason. When he’d stepped into the mine, her heart had leapt with hope. But he was only going to get himself shot again. Killed. Because of her.
Jason paused. “I have a flashlight in my pocket. Mind if I get it?”
“You won’t need it.” Anderson released his hold on her for just long enough to click on his head lamp. Then he grabbed a handful of her shirt again.
Jason continued down the passage. Anderson followed, pushing her in front of him. The tunnel was tall enough that Jason could stand upright and wide enough to drive a car into. Jason’s car? Beth thought wildly. He could hide Jason’s car in here, drive away, and no one would find us for months.
They walked in silence for maybe fifty yards, as the passage curved slightly to the left. The light from the entrance grew faint. Beth’s heart thudded hard and fast. Every step brought them closer to death. What was she doing here? She’d thought that pretending to be Ellie would draw out the killer. She hadn’t planned on this. And now, because of her, Jason was going to die too.
A tunnel opened on Jason’s right. Anderson said, “Turn there.” Jason complied, and they followed him, their steps crunching and echoing off the stone. This passage was narrower than the other had been and sloped downward. The rock changed and the air grew stale. Timbers supported the ceiling here, but they were splintered and bent with age and strain. Fallen rocks littered the floor. Beth was glad of the light from Anderson’s head lamp.
Another alcove opened to the right.
“That’s far enough,” Anderson said.
Jason turned to face them.
Beth thought her heart would beat its way out of her chest. This was it. Anderson was going to kill them, now. She stared into Jason’s eyes. How can he look so calm?
“Turn around and walkover to that recess.” Anderson moved the gun away from her head and pointed it at Jason.
“No.”
The gun came back to her head. “Do it, or I will shoot her.”
“You’re going to shoot her anyway. But if you’re going to kill me, you’ll have to look me in the eye while you do it. I’m not going to make it easier for you.”
Beth’s pounding heart almost stopped. What’s Jason doing? Was he trying to get them killed that much sooner? “Wait! Wait! Let’s not be hasty, here,” Beth interrupted. “You know you really don’t have to kill us, Bob. You could tie us up. Leave us here. It could take days before anyone found us. You could be long gone by then.”
Anderson shook his head. “And what about my family? What about them? I can’t take them on the run.”
“I didn’t know you had a family, Bob,” Jason said. “What’s your wife’s name?”
To Beth’s surprise, Anderson answered.“Barbara.”
Jason smiled. “Any kids?”
Beth stared at Jason. A minute ago he was trying to get us killed and now he’s chatting about family?
“What do you care?” Anderson snarled.
“I guess I envy you, Bob. I’ve always wanted to get married and have kids. Once I found the right woman.”
The air became cooler and Beth’s heart beat harder, if that was possible. What was Jason saying?
“We have two. Andrea and Tammy.”
Jason smiled again. “Girls. I’d love to have a couple of daughters. I bet they’re great.”
“They’re a pain in the butt. And expensive as hell. But yeah, they’re great.”
Beth could hear the answering smile in Anderson’s voice. She felt his hand relax where it was fisted in her shirt, and suddenly she understood what Jason was doing.
Then Anderson’s tone hardened. “And I’m not going to give them up.”
“Why would you have to?” Beth asked.
“I’m not going back to prison. Now shut up! I don’t want to talk about this!”
“Prison?” Jason persisted in a gentle tone.
“Don’t play stupid. You must have it figured out by now.”
“As a matter of fact, we don’t,” Jason said. “Why don’t you tell us?”
Beth felt Anderson shrug. “I owed some not very nice people, so I borrowed the money from Palmer. I would have paid it back, too, except he decided to go to Africa and give his entire share of the family trust to the damn church. Their audit will ruin everything. I need the inheritance from Chris to cover my tracks. It would have gone off without a hitch, except you turned up pregnant.”
“I told you—”
“Yeah, whatever. Your sister had to go. I knew Nyles from before, from Inside, and he owed me a favor. Only he botched it, and here we are.”
Beth felt a sudden chill. She couldn’t keep the horror out of her voice. “You killed Ellie because she was pregnant?”
“I didn’t kill her. Nyles did. He shot out your tire. Her death had to look like an accident. Just as yours will.”
“But you paid him to do it,” Jason said softly.
Anderson’s hand tightened in her shirt again. “Don’t you understand? I need that money! Barbara doesn’t know I did time. If Palmer finds out I took the money he’ll insist I confess my sins. He’ll want me to ‘purify my soul.’ Barbara will leave me, and take the kids. I’ve worked too hard to build a new life. I couldn’t let your sister and her brat ruin everything.” He raised the gun and pointed it at Jason’s chest. “And you’re not going to, either.”
The air grew icy. Goosebumps rose on Beth’s arms and she shivered. Anderson’s words turned to white vapor in the air.
A scream of unearthly rage echoed off the stone walls. Every hair on Beth’s body stiffened.
“What—what was that?” Anderson’s light moved around jerkily as he turned his head from side to side, looking for the source.
A whirlwind rose, blasting them with swirling grit. Beth braced her feet and raised her hands to guard her face from the stinging vortex.
A glowing form coalesced within the maelstrom. Its wide eyes were red as blood and its lips drawn back in rage. Its hands were raised, fingers hooked like claws. Beth recoiled in horror.
That can’t be Ellie. But it was.
“You killed my husband and child for money?” Ellie screeched.
Beth wrenched free as Anderson gasped and stepped back.
Ellie rushed toward Anderson in a cloud of stinging debris, flying at him like an avenging angel.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Holy shit! Jason caught Beth as she stumbled free of Anderson’s grasp.
Anderson backed toward the alcove, his face contorted with fear. He fired over and over at the figure that hovered above him. “Get back! Get back!” His shouts were tinged with panic. Bullets bit wood from the rotten beams and slivers of stone from the walls.
The sound of gunfire in the narrow tunnel was deafening, but Jason could still hear the timbers cracking and giving way as the roof began to
collapse. He grabbed Beth’s arm. “Come on! We’ve got to move!” he shouted, as a large rock fell and hit Anderson’s shoulder. Anderson screamed and fell backward into the recess. Boards splintered beneath him. His scream turned into a shriek as he, and Ellie, disappeared from sight.
The hair rose on Jason’s neck as he tugged Beth further down the tunnel, away from the falling roof. He’d never heard such raw terror come from a man’s throat before.
The temperature returned to normal. Dust choked the air as Jason hunched over Beth, shielding her with his body. He pulled his tee-shirt up over his nose. Small stones bounced off his shoulders bringing twinges of old pain. It seemed like the crashing roar of tumbling stone would go on forever …
Then it stopped.
Jason held his breath and listened. A few last rocks and pebbles sifted down in the near silent dark. Silent except for their coughing.
Beth coughed, nearly doubling over. Jason hacked. He pulled his shirt over his head and ripped it down the middle. “Here. Tie this over your mouth,” he said, handing her half. He fastened his own, then fished his mini-flashlight out of his pocket. Beth was shaking so much she kept fumbling the cloth. “Here, let me help.”
A minute later her face was covered and she was breathing easier.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I think so. You?”
“I’m good.” He was, now that Anderson wasn’t holding a gun to her head.
Her arms went around him. “Thank God. I thought he was going to shoot you.”
He held her close, savoring her warmth, her heartbeat, her soft breath on his skin. She was alive. Thank you, God. For a moment he almost felt giddy, then the fear he hadn’t let himself feel before rushed through him. Anderson had come so close to killing her. Jason’s throat closed, and his eyes burned with tears. He’d nearly lost her. Again.
Is this what it’s like for the wives and girlfriends of the other agents? How do they stand it?
He didn’t want to think about what life would be like without her. Jason rubbed moisture from his eyes. Damn dust.
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