Perilous Pursuit

by Kathleen Tailer

  He gritted his teeth, confident that God would see them through. “Is there anything else you remember? Anything at all?”

  She looked thoughtful for a minute and then shrugged. “Not really, but there was something I thought was a bit strange. Over the last few days, it seems like someone has been trying to kill me because of my movies, but these guys don’t know I’m a videographer, or at least they haven’t made the connection, even though Taylor abducted me when I was standing by my camera. They think I’m a fed of some sort because of the vest I’m wearing.”

  Jake didn’t know how that fit into the puzzle, but he stored it away in his mind just in case. “The less they know the better.” He felt his pockets. “Okay, they took my phone and my gun. Do you happen to still have your cell phone?”

  Mackenzie shook her head. “Nope. Taylor took it at the parking lot, and later he smashed it with his boot.”

  Jake’s eyes wandered around the room, taking in the details. “Tell me about this place. Are we locked in?”

  “There’s only the one door, and it’s locked up tightly from the outside. I think I heard some sort of chain rattling on the door. There are only the two windows you see, but both of them have iron bars covering them—presumably to keep strangers and critters from breaking in. I think we’re at some sort of hunting camp, and if we’re still west of Tallahassee, I’d imagine that we’re near the Ochlocknee River Wildlife Management Area. I think people do deer and hog hunting around here.”

  “Any food?”

  “Nope. There’s a small refrigerator, but it’s empty, and there’s nothing in the cabinets. I doubt that anybody’s been out here in a few months. I think it was a blessing that I found the first aid kit.”

  “I think you’re right.” He leaned forward and tried to stand but staggered as dizziness swept over him. A moment later he was back on the floor, his head swimming in darkness.

  TWELVE

  “Jake?” Mackenzie caught the deputy marshal as he fell and eased him back to the floor of the cabin. Wow, he’s heavy, she said to herself as she maneuvered him back into a sitting position by the wall. What was the proper treatment for a head injury? She racked her brain, trying to remember the basic first aid she had been taught at her CPR class. Surely they had taught something about what to do when someone you worked with had been bashed in the head and you were stuck in the middle of nowhere?

  “I’m...okay. I think... I just moved a little too quickly.”

  His voice surprised her. She thought he had blacked out, but apparently he hadn’t checked out completely. “Yeah, and I’m the queen of England.”

  Jake winced, but it turned into a smile. “Your Majesty...”

  “Look, I’ve been thinking,” Mackenzie stated, ignoring his jibe. “You’re in no condition to be out walking around, but if we can figure a way out of this building, I can go for help.”

  “You could get lost,” Jake answered quietly.

  “I’ll admit I’m no Sacagawea, but...”

  “What?”

  “Sacagawea. You know, the Native American girl who served as a guide to Lewis and Clark when they were exploring the West.”

  Jake raised an eyebrow. “My head feels like it’s leaking out of my ears. I’ll have to try to remember my history lessons a little later.”

  Mackenzie smiled. “All right, Deputy. We’ll talk about it after we figure a way out. Why don’t you sit tight for a minute.” She stood and examined the front door. It was a solid slab of wood with no windows. She pulled against it, but it was obviously locked from the outside. She had to admit that it was a formidable barrier. She moved to the windows and looked carefully at the iron bars that covered the glass. If the house had been built to code, then there would probably be some way to escape the bars to prevent the occupants from dying in a house fire, but by the looks of the shack, she doubted any part of it would actually pass a building inspection. Apparently, the bars were attached from the outside and bolted to the walls to keep predators away, which also meant there was no way to access them from the inside.

  She went back to the front door and examined it again, her mind whirling. Maybe she was making this too difficult. She returned to the cabinets and started looking through the drawers.

  “Eureka!”

  Jake looked up, a question in his eyes. “Did you find a way out?”

  “I think so. Give me five more minutes and I’ll let you know.” She returned to the front door and went to work on the hinges, hitting the pins with the hammer and screwdriver like a chisel until she could work them out with her fingers. She knew the noise was probably making Jake’s headache worse, but she did her best to keep it at a minimum. A few moments later, she pulled on the door and it opened—hinge side first. She looked at the lock on the outside of the door and smiled. If she hadn’t thought of taking apart the hinges, the lock would have secured the door with no questions asked. It was a heavy-duty combination lock that looked to be commercial grade.

  Thank You, God, for showing me the way out. She looked back over at Jake, who had noticed her success and gave her a round of applause and a crooked smile. Despite his support, she could tell by his expression that he was still hurting. Maybe she should add something to that prayer. God, please help Jake with his injuries, and help us get back to town safely. We really need Your help.

  She returned to Jake’s side. “What next?”

  “You’re a pretty smart girl, aren’t you?”

  “Sometimes I get things right, like I was thinking that if we’re going to be walking, I should look for a canteen so the heat doesn’t get us. It’s got to be about a hundred degrees out there. Any other ideas?”

  “Yeah, look for a flashlight and any type of weapon. I don’t know how long it’s going to be before we find help, and since Taylor took my gun, I’d like to be armed if we run across them again.”

  “I don’t remember seeing either, but I’ll take a look.”

  “I also wouldn’t mind a couple of ibuprofen or aspirin if you happen across one or two.” She nodded and headed to the kitchen area.

  * * *

  Jake watched her dig through the drawers and felt an admiration for her building within him. He was suddenly seeing a totally different side of her. He had to admit the child he remembered was gone, and Mackenzie Weaver was all grown up. She was also much more than just pretty packaging on the outside. Despite his general cynicism of people, he had to admit that this lady was worth a second look.

  He paused a moment and analyzed that thought. It had been a while since any woman had caught his attention, and even longer since he had actually done anything about those feelings. It was simpler that way—with fewer complications. Simple was good. Simple was easy. And from a romantic standpoint, being alone meant there was no one to let you down or cause any pain. Still, he couldn’t deny that Mackenzie had caught his attention and sparks were starting to fly when they were together. When she had touched his lip earlier to check his injury, he’d felt a sudden urge to kiss her that had been almost overwhelming.

  He watched her for a few minutes as she searched the cabin and then closed his eyes. It was hard to see her doing all of the work while he was sitting on the floor, but he was really hurting. Whoever had knocked him out had really gone overboard when they’d bashed his head. His brain felt like it was sloshing around in his skull every time he moved. Was he going to even be able to walk out of here? Nausea twisted his stomach.

  “Okay, I found an old water bottle, and I actually found a flashlight. The batteries were corroded, though, so I don’t think it’s worth carrying along unless you’ve seen the Energizer bunny nearby. Also, no gun, no knife, but—” She pulled out a plastic grocery bag filled with some black material. “I did find a mosquito net and a bit of rope. This ought to come in handy if we can’t make it back to the real world by nighttime and have to camp outside. Without this, I imagin
e the mosquitoes will carry us away.”

  Jake smiled. He was glad she could keep her sense of humor. The day’s events must have terrified her. “Good thinking.” He tried to stand up and gingerly used the wall to help himself rise. When he looked over at Mackenzie again, her arms were crossed and her right eyebrow was raised.

  “Seriously? You’re going to try to walk a few miles when you can’t even stand up?”

  “I can stand...” he growled.

  “Sure, if we take the cabin along with us for you to lean against.” She moved closer, and he could see the flecks of blue in her clear, pale eyes. “Give me a break. You’ve got a serious concussion and you need rest. Why don’t you sit back down before you fall down?” She looked around the room and then turned back to him. “On second thought, why don’t I help you over to that cot? You can lie down and rest for a couple of hours, and I’ll walk down the road a little bit to make sure there’s not a house right down the road with a telephone inside.”

  “That’s actually a pretty good idea. I changed my mind—you should go without me. Just keep walking until you find help, and then let them know where I am. If you follow the road, you’ll eventually find civilization.”

  Her eyes rounded. “Jake, I’m letting you rest. That’s it. I’ll go and explore the area, and then come back and check on you. You’re hurt worse than I thought, and I’m not leaving you alone out here.” Taking his arm, she gently led him over to the cot and then helped lower him down and get situated.

  Jake was touched by her sentiment, but he didn’t want her in jeopardy any longer than she had to be. “Look, it makes sense. We don’t know when those guys are coming back—it could be an hour, it could be days.” He caught her eye and held it. “I don’t want you here when they do come back. Do you hear me? It’s too dangerous. I’ve seen Taylor’s rap sheet. He’s not kind to women.”

  “And maybe they were just full of hot air and they’re never coming back.” She took his hand and squeezed it. “I’ll look at the tire tracks on the road to see which way we came into this place, and then walk that direction. That way I’ll see them driving up the road if they’re heading back. If I don’t find help in an hour, I’ll come back and we’ll start out together. That should give you an opportunity to rest up for the walk. Hopefully, there’s another hunting shack just a mile or so down the road complete with hunters and a cell phone. Deal?”

  A part of Jake knew that he should argue for her to get as far away from the cabin as possible. Taylor and his friends could return at any time and he was genuinely worried for her safety. His brain felt fuzzy, however, and it was hard to really focus on how to convince her. What he wouldn’t give for some extra strength Excedrin! He looked at her determined expression and gave up trying. He did need the rest and wouldn’t be much good to her if he fainted along the road because he did too much too soon. A couple of hours of sleep would definitely help him regain his sense of purpose. “Deal, but please be careful.”

  * * *

  Mackenzie stood and walked to the door. Then she turned and looked back at Jake. His eyes were already closed, and it was obvious he was in a great deal of pain. Her stomach growled as she headed out and started making her way down to the road. Breakfast had been a long time ago, and she hoped she could find help soon. What was the likelihood that she could find a friendly face within a mile or so? She looked down at the tire tracks and started east, following them in the dirt. She doubted there was anyone within ten miles or more of where they’d been stashed, but she wasn’t one to give up without a fight. As brave as she’d tried to be around Jake, she had to admit that Taylor scared her right down to her toes. The man was evil. She shivered involuntarily, remembering his touch when he’d slid his finger down her cheek.

  The air was stuffy with humidity, and sweat instantly coated Mackenzie’s skin as she began to walk. She tried to stay in the shade as much as possible, but there was no escaping the perspiration. Soon her shirt was sticking to her back. She walked for what seemed like a good half hour, but she didn’t see any other signs of life besides the mosquitoes that kept buzzing around her ears and a few cardinals. After about fifteen minutes, she came upon a fork in the road. The new branch wasn’t traveled much, as evidenced by the overgrown plants that nearly covered the tire marks, but she turned anyway, hoping that the road was really a driveway that led to a house or at least another shack that was better equipped than the one Bryson Taylor had locked them in. She smiled as she turned a bend and came across a small clapboard house. It was old but seemed to be in decent shape. It even had a screened-in porch. She looked around carefully for signs of life and, seeing none, tried the front screen door. It was locked. Disappointment swept over her, but she circled the building, looking for the back door. She found it and pulled against the knob and then jumped back as a skink quickly darted behind a cement block on the ground, the blue tail still partially visible.

  Man, they sure move fast, she said to herself. She tried the knob again and breathed a sigh of frustration. Locked. She turned and surveyed the yard surrounding the house. There was a small pole barn that was just big enough to put a boat under to protect it from the weather and a rusted-out old refrigerator whose door hung sadly on bent hinges. She saw nothing that seemed even marginally useful. There was obviously no one home, and she imagined that the owner was a weekend fisherman or maybe a snowbird that only used the house for a few winter months. Either way, she doubted there was a working phone inside or that anybody was coming back soon to help rescue them.

  Her stomach rumbled. Maybe no phone was inside, but a granola bar or some other snack would be a great find, and she sure wouldn’t mind finding some pain medication for Jake. She had a thought and returned to the back door and then moved the cement block. A smile crossed her lips as she spotted the key. Her mother had always kept a key under a rock by the back door, and apparently, it was a tradition that other folks followed, as well. She opened the door and entered a small living room. The house wasn’t much bigger than the shack where she had been imprisoned, but it at least had a separate bedroom.

  “Hello? Is anybody here?” She didn’t really expect an answer, and a quick tour of the place proved her theory correct. Dust covered most of the furniture, and it was obvious that no one had been in the house for a few weeks at least. Her heart sank as she realized that as she had suspected, the one thing she needed most—a phone—was nowhere in sight. She searched through the drawers in the bedroom and opened the closet, but she didn’t find anything useful there or in the bathroom. She moved to the kitchen area and looked through the cabinets. No granola bars met her eyes, but she did find three cans of soup and two cans of tuna. She searched through the drawers and found a cloth tote bag. She then filled it with the food and a few other items she found, including a half-full bottle of Tylenol. At least the visit hadn’t been a total waste of time.

  A wave of guilt swept over her. She couldn’t just steal the stuff, even if she was in a desperate situation. She had no money on her, but she did see a notepad and paper in one of the kitchen drawers. She made a quick list of what she had taken and then explained what had happened. She promised to pay for the items if the owners would just call her home or cell number and tell her what she owed them, and she added her phone number on the bottom. There. That should do it. She looked around the room one last time and then headed back to Jake and the fishing shack.

  It seemed even hotter on her return trip, and the air was thick and stifling, even when she was sticking to the shade. She made it back to the main road and turned toward the hunting shack where Jake was waiting. Suddenly, a noise behind her made her jump. Was that a car engine coming toward her? Her heart fluttered, and she quickly looked for cover, choosing to dive behind a palmetto bush just as the car approached. Could the car be their salvation? All they needed was a Good Samaritan who was willing to either give them a ride to the hospital or let them borrow a cell phone. Either would d
o nicely in her book, and beggars couldn’t be choosers. Her excitement quickly turned to dread, though, as she recognized the green sedan that Taylor had used when he had abducted her. There only seemed to be two people in the car, but she couldn’t quite determine if it was Taylor driving or not. She flattened herself against the ground, praying fervently that the men in the car didn’t see her as they passed. Now what was she going to do? The car passed by without stopping, but Mackenzie’s heart was still beating frantically as she watched it head toward the fishing shack. She couldn’t think of a single way to help Jake, and she imagined that he was probably sleeping and wouldn’t even be aware of the men’s approach or arrival. She ran after the car, keeping to the woods and out of the driver’s sight, trying to come up with a way to help Jake before it was too late. What would the men do when they discovered Mackenzie had escaped? Would they take their anger out on the injured man? Jake was strong and impressively athletic, but with his head wound, the other men surely had the advantage, especially since they outnumbered her lawman. Her lawman. She let that thought go without further analysis and tried to focus on the problem at hand. How could she warn Jake that trouble was heading toward him like a hurricane?

  THIRTEEN

  Jake stirred at the sound of the car engine and was instantly alert as he heard the car doors open and shut. He had been dozing off and on ever since Mackenzie had left, and he had to admit that the rest had done him good. He would still give his right arm for a bottle of pain reliever, but the nausea seemed to have vanished. When he slowly sat up, he discovered that the dizziness had disappeared, as well. He looked quickly around the cabin to see if he could find anything that he could use as a weapon to protect himself. Not finding anything else in the sparsely furnished room, he ended up grabbing the lamp from the end table. He removed the shade and moved silently to the wall by the broken front door. He heard footsteps on the dry pine needles outside as someone approached, and then a voice muttered, “What the...”