The birthday girl

by Stephen Leather

  'Kick her harder,' she urged. Freeman slammed his heels into the mare's side, but she didn't seem to notice. Mersiha turned her horse around and circled her father, slamming the mare's flank with the flat of her hand and shouting at her. The horse increased its pace a little, but not much. Around them were patches of snow lying on the pine needles, and ahead the patches merged together until they formed a single blanket of snow. The trail led up to the snowline and then it was impossible to tell where it went. Mersiha hoped that Red would know where it was safe to tread. She wasn't happy about taking the horses through the snow, but with the riders in pursuit they had no choice but to keep climbing.

  Jenny patted Midnight on the neck, encouraging him up a steep incline. She could see that Freeman and the girl had slowed down now that the horses were moving through snow. She heard hooves pounding on the trail behind her and turned to see Vincenti galloping up. His horse was out of control and he was pulling back on the reins, a look of horror on his face. She smiled at his discomfort. He wasn't a man who looked at home in a saddle. Luckily for him the horse came to a stop on its own at the base of the incline. 'What happened back there?' she asked.

  'Guy's horse threw him off. Leg's broken by the look of it.'

  He grinned. 'Kiseleva wanted to shoot him to put him out of his misery.'

  'He's a dumb fuck,' Jenny said.

  Vincenti peered up the slope. 'I think I can get them from here.

  How far do you think that is? Two hundred yards?'

  'More. But there are too many trees in the way. I told you, you're wasting your time.'

  'Just one burst?'

  Jenny couldn't help but smile at the man's enthusiasm. 'Go on. I bet you fifty bucks you don't even get close.' Vincenti was already drawing his Ingram from under his jacket. He took careful aim and fired a short burst. Pieces of bark sprayed from trees in the distance. He pulled a face and tried again. To Jenny's surprise Freeman's horse stumbled and fell. Freeman himself was thrown to the side. The other horse bucked, out of control. 'You did it!' she shouted in amazement.

  Vincenti held the Ingram up to his face and made a play of blowing the smoke away, gunslinger-style. 'I sure did, ma'am.

  Now let's go string up the varmints.' Jenny grinned at him.

  He was a good-looking guy, in an Italian sort of way, and she felt that he was the sort of man she'd like to get to know better once they'd taken care of business. She kicked Midnight and started him walking up the slope. She could see Freeman scrambling to his feet, unhurt, but the horse lay where it had fallen.

  As soon as Katherine reached Estes Park she drove up to a filling station and dashed inside. She asked a teenager in stained overalls if he had a Yellow Pages she could look at and he gave her one from under the counter. He was chewing on a toothpick and stared at her as she flicked through, looking for rental agents.

  'Can I help?' he asked.

  'It's okay, I've found it,' she said, giving him back the directory.

  She'd recognised the name in the listing. 'Where do I find Elkhorn Avenue?'

  The boy grinned. 'You're on it,' he said.

  'Great, thanks,' Katherine shouted as she ran for the door.

  She found the office, set back from the main road. A police car was parked in front of it and she saw a uniformed officer inside writing in a notepad. She wasn't sure what to do. She didn't know if the police were there because of Sabatino, or if it was just a coincidence. She decided not to take the risk and waited in her car until he left.

  She put on some lipstick to try to make herself look a little more presentable, then went into the office. A balding middle aged man with wire-framed spectacles was sorting through a stack of files. He introduced himself as Sam Hellings, the owner of the company, and he recognised her name straight away. He seemed upset and she asked him what was wrong.

  'We had a break-in last night,' he said. 'They stole some money and trashed the place. They smashed a window at the back to get in and threw our files all over the floor. It's not the money I mind, it's the mess they made. Why do they do that?'

  'I don't know,' Katherine said sympathetically. 'Maybe it was kids.'

  'I doubt it. Estes Park is quite a small community out of season.

  I know most of the kids in town and they wouldn't do this. It's not that sort of place. It'll be out-of-towners. Anyway, no use crying over spilled files. What can I do for you?' He smiled amiably over the top of his spectacles.

  'I'm supposed to meet my husband at the cabin but I've mislaid my map,' she said.

  'No problem.' He went over to his desk and pulled out a photocopied map. He used an orange marker pen to draw the route from the office to the cabin. 'It's about a fifteen minute drive.'

  'Have you seen him recently?'

  'Only when he dropped by to pick up the keys. Why, is something wrong?'

  Katherine shook her head. 'No, everything's just fine,' she said.

  Red stumbled over a fallen branch and Mersiha instinctively pulled back on the reins, jerking the horse's head up. She winced as her father's grip tightened around her waist, almost squeezing the breath from her. 'Dad, not so hard,' she gasped, holding the reins to the left and guiding the horse around a snow-covered bush. She risked a look over her shoulder. In the distance she could see one of the riders confidently urging a black horse up a snowy slope. There was no doubt about it – they were losing ground. She kicked the horse with her heels. 'Come on, Red.

  Faster, boy,' she shouted. Red was doing his best, but he was carrying two people and he was already snorting and panting from the exertion.

  'I'm going to get off,' her father said.

  'No!' she shouted, and kicked the faltering horse again.

  'On your own, you might stand a chance. Stop the horse.'

  'No, no way,' she said. The trail forked ahead and she chose the right-hand path which wound down the hill, making it easier for Red.

  'It's the only way,' Freeman said.

  'Dad, I'm not leaving you,' she shouted.

  Red's ears suddenly twisted forward as if he'd heard something.

  He began to buck and Mersiha pulled in the reins to bring him under control. 'What's wrong, boy?' she asked, pushing him on with her heels. It was as if he was afraid of something ahead of them. Mersiha remembered the coyotes. They wouldn't threaten a horse, surely? Maybe Red was just getting jittery, she thought.

  It was a pity he didn't realise that the real danger was on the trail behind them.

  'Something's spooked him,' Freeman said.

  'Yeah, there's something ahead that he doesn't like.' One of Red's rear hooves skidded on a stone and the horse lurched to the left, almost throwing them. As Mersiha fought to control the nervous animal, three slugs zipped by her head and slammed into a tree, kicking off flecks of bark. She wrenched the reins to the right and kicked the horse. Red broke into a run and Mersiha bent forward to dodge a snow-covered branch. Freeman wasn't as quick to react and his head banged into the foliage, covering them both with snow.

  As Mersiha shook the snow from her hair, she again heard the roaring sound that had alarmed the horse, louder this time.

  It wasn't an animal, she realised. It was a mechanical, whooshing sound that was vaguely familiar. 'Easy, Red,' she urged. 'Come on, boy.' She knew that Matt had been right about quarter-horses normally working better on a loose rein, but if she didn't exert her authority the frightened horse would bolt. She yanked the reins tight, keeping more pressure on the right side to turn him that way, and kicked him again and again with her heels, hoping the discomfort would take his mind off what lay ahead. More bullets ripped through the branches of the trees overhead. 'Hang on, Dad!' she yelled, as Red plunged forward. The ground was uneven and covered with a foot or so of snow, but Red managed to break into a canter. Mersiha's backside slapped down on to the saddle and she thrust her feet forward into the stirrups. Her father's arms hugged her waist and she heard him grunting in pain as he tried to maintain his grip with his legs. It was hard
enough for her to stay in the saddle – she doubted that her father would be able to hang on for long without stirrups.

  She heard the roaring sound again and realised what it reminded her of: the boiler in the basement of their house. It sounded like the gas central heating boiler bursting into life, only a hundred times louder. 'Come on, Red,' she screamed, kicking him for all she was worth.

  'Mersiha, no!' her father yelled. 'He'll fall!'

  She ignored him. She knew that if Red hesitated for a second, all would be lost. It was only the force of her will that was keeping him moving forward. That and her insistent kicks. The slightest hesitancy on her part and Red would become uncontrollable. In front of her she saw the trees thin out, and as Red jumped over a fallen trunk she realised that they were heading for a clearing.

  She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. They'd move faster over clear ground, but they'd also be an easier target. She risked another quick look over her shoulder. The closest rider, the one on the jet-black horse, had gained another hundred yards on them and was holding a large gun. It must have had some sort of silencer on because the only sound she had heard was the bullets hitting the trees. The rider aimed the gun and Mersiha ducked instinctively, throwing her face forward into Red's thick mane. The horse jumped through the air, crashed over a bush, and when Mersiha looked up they were out of the trees, the sky overhead a brilliant blue.

  Something roared, like a dragon breathing flame, and Red reared up, his nostrils flaring in panic. Mersiha felt her father's grip loosen and then he was gone, pitching backwards into the snow. There was a dull thud as he landed, but Mersiha was too busy trying to control Red to see what had happened to him.

  The horse dropped forward and then bucked, kicking out with its rear legs as if attacking some unseen foe. Mersiha gripped with her legs and clung on to the reins, but the horse was totally out of control. Red began to spin around, and Mersiha felt her feet begin to slide out of the stirrups. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something huge, something red and green and yellow that billowed in the air like a living thing, and then all she could see was the sky and the snow-covered pines. She gripped harder, but it was too late. One of her feet slipped completely out of its stirrup and as Red bucked again she lost her grip entirely and sailed over the horse's head.

  She had been thrown enough times to know how to break her fall and protect her head with her arms, but she was still winded when she hit the ground. She caught a glimpse of Red's flashing hooves and wide, staring eyes and then she curled into the foetal position as the horse jumped over her and thundered away across the snowfield. She lay where she had fallen and gently checked her arms and legs until she was satisfied that nothing was broken.

  She sat up. It was a balloon. A hot-air balloon. Three men in parkas were standing around the wicker basket suspended below the huge brightly coloured lightbulb-shaped envelope. Another man, bearded and wearing sunglasses, was standing in the basket and holding on to two stainless-steel burners. He was staring open-mouthed at Mersiha. One by one the rest of the men turned to look at her as they grappled with the basket, which was hovering only inches above the glistening snow.

  Freeman groaned behind her and Mersiha scrambled to her feet and went over to him. 'Hurry,' she said, pulling him up.

  'We have to get out of here.' She heard the thud of approaching horses and there were shouts from within the woods. Red was almost half a mile away, his mane streaming behind him as he cantered across the snowfield. 'Are you okay, Dad?' she asked as she swung his right arm over her shoulder. She staggered under his weight but managed to keep her balance.

  Freeman nodded, but he was too out of breath to answer.

  He had clearly landed badly. Mersiha hoped that he hadn't broken anything. She half pushed, half carried him over to the balloon. One of the men in parkas let go of the basket and was about to help Mersiha, but the balloon immediately started to rise into the air and the others shouted at him to hang on. The pilot let go of the burners. 'What's wrong?' he shouted.

  'Help us! You've got to help us!' Mersiha screamed. Her father stumbled and she grabbed him around the waist. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were glazed.

  'What's going on?' shouted one of the ground crew, a man wearing a balaclava which covered most of his face.

  Mersiha didn't reply. She was too busy trying to keep her exhausted father on his feet.

  'Keep away. We're about to launch her!' shouted the man in the balaclava. Suddenly his body stiffened as if he'd received an electric shock, and then four small roses blossomed on his chest. His mouth worked soundlessly as the red flowers spread across the green parka. The rest of the ground crew began shouting and screaming and one of them pointed over Mersiha's head.

  She heard the pounding of hooves behind her and the crashing of a horse through the vegetation. 'Come on, Dad,' she hissed. The balloon was only yards away. The man who'd been shot slumped to his knees, his hands hanging lifelessly at his side.

  A second horse leapt out of the woods and into the clearing.

  Freeman seemed to gain his second wind and began to run, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Mersiha tried to block out the sound of the horses' hooves and concentrated on moving through the thick snow. It was like a bad dream. The snow seemed to suck at her feet and each step seemed to be harder than the last. Freeman looked back and began to yell. 'Down, down,' he shouted, and pushed her between the shoulders, sending her sprawling. As she fell she heard a rapid coughing noise and then she smacked down into the snow. When she looked up, spluttering and choking, she realised with horror that the bullets had sprayed across the ground crew. All three were lying in the snow. One had been hit in the head – his face was a scarlet mask. The pilot had vanished, but then his head reappeared and Mersiha realised that he'd ducked down to avoid the hail of bullets. She doubted that the wicker basket provided much protection. As she pushed herself up, she swallowed some snow and spat out the rest. One of the injured men was screaming in pain, his back arched and his feet thrashing against the basket.

  More horses galloped into the clearing. There was shouting and confusion all around. Mersiha realised that they'd stopped firing because they were afraid of hitting each other as the horses milled about.

  A hand grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and she was yanked to her feet like a kitten. It was her father. He pushed her towards the balloon. She lurched forward and grabbed the edge of the basket. 'Come on, Mersiha. Get in!' he yelled.

  The pilot was in shock, staring down at the injured men. 'Help her!' Freeman screamed. With shaking hands, the man pulled Mersiha over the edge and into the basket. Bullets thudded into the snow around his boots as Freeman threw himself after her.

  The pilot pulled the levers that operated the burners. They burst into life. Even lying on the wicker floor, Mersiha could feel the searing heat. The balloon was close to equilibrium and with the added heat it rose swiftly. Bullets ripped through the basket and one screeched off a metal cylinder. Mersiha realised with horror that the cylinder must contain propane – the fuel that powered the massive burners. If the cylinder exploded there'd be nothing left of the basket or the balloon. She looked up at the pilot anxiously. He'd obviously come to the same conclusion and was keeping the burners full on, blasting hot air into the envelope.

  The balloon rose quickly. Another bullet tore through the floor of the basket and Freeman crawled towards his daughter, trying to shield her with his body. He wrapped her in his arms and they huddled together, trying to make themselves as small a target as possible.

  Jenny glared at Kiseleva. 'Who the hell told you to fire?' she hissed.

  'We were trying to stop them, right? You were firing,' too.'

  'I was shooting at them in the woods. When they were alone.

  You've just killed three people for no good reason.'

  Kiseleva's horse stamped its feet and he pulled back on the reins. 'You killed the cowboy back there,' he said defensively.

  Jenny
fought to control the burning anger that was welling up inside her. 'If you'd held your fire, the pilot wouldn't have panicked. He'd have stayed put. We'd have caught the girl and her father and then we could have dealt with the witnesses.' She looked up at the balloon, high in the air. She could just make out the girl, her black hair blowing in the wind. One of the ground crew moaned and then went quiet. Christ, thought Jenny, this was turning into a massacre. She looked around, wondering what to do next. What she really wanted to do was to put a bullet in Kiseleva's guts, but she'd leave that to Utsyev. There were two metallic-blue snowmobiles at the edge of the clearing. She clicked her tongue and her horse walked towards the machines.

  They were both two-seater Polaris models. The ground crew had obviously been planning to use them to follow the balloon. Both had ignition keys in place. 'You ever ridden a snowmobile?' she asked Kiseleva, who was still having trouble getting his horse to stand still.

  'It's gotta be easier than one of these things,' he said. He pulled back on the reins and the horse tossed its head from side to side.

  Vincenti walked his horse over to Jenny. 'I've been on one,' he said.

  'How fast will they go?'

  He shrugged. 'Sixty in good conditions. Depends on the trail.

  A darn sight faster than a horse, that's for sure.'

  Jenny nodded. 'Show Kiseleva and then go after them.'

  Vincenti climbed down off his horse and tethered it to a tree.

  Kiseleva did the same while Jenny walked her horse along the treeline. The crew could have followed the balloon on the snowmobiles, but there was no way they could have used them to transport it up into the hills. They'd have needed a vehicle, and a road. Through the trees she noticed a flash of red, and as she rode closer she saw a Jeep Wrangler and behind it a trailer. She slid down off her horse and led it over to the vehicle. There was a large-scale map on the passenger seat, along with a compass and a transceiver. The Jeep was parked on a trail that was little more than packed snow, which wound down the hill through the trees. Only a four-wheel-drive could have made the journey.