I shook my head. “I came up just to get dressed and grab my Kindle. It’s still downstairs in the living room with yours.
Clearly dismayed by my answer, she hurriedly dressed. “We’ve got to get to a phone. The doors are all locked, maybe we have time. Where are the dogs?”
“Outside somewhere, I don’t know.”
“Shit,” she muttered, going to the bathroom door I’d closed behind me. We both listened and, not hearing anything, risked opening it. I knew we should probably run for it if we hoped to make it to our cell phones, but neither one of us was brave enough. We crept slowly to the top of the stairs, and halted, listening again for sounds of someone in the house. Hearing none, Nora braved the first step and I followed right behind her.
We made it two more steps and then heard the wrenching of a door being forced open and someone entering the house through the back.
My stomach lurched and my heart stopped.
It was too late. And we hadn’t set the alarm so Camden wouldn’t even get the alert on his phone.
We could see the phones sitting on the coffee table. We were almost there, but he was already in the house. I had to stifle a cry when I saw the screen of my phone light up as it vibrated against the wood, a call coming in.
“I could go for the panic button on the alarm,” Nora whispered, eyes locked on the alarm pad by the door. It was so close, and yet so far away. It was no use, we couldn’t risk going down there now. He was already moving this way. He’d be able to see us.
We retreated up the stairs as noiselessly as possible while the soft footsteps downstairs drew nearer to the front of the house. Nora started to duck into the first bedroom to hide. I made to follow her, but stopped and grabbed her arm.
“No,” I whispered and pulled her back into the hall and darted to Camden’s bedroom. I closed the door behind us as silently as possible, locking it, then ran to his nightstand. I tugged the drawer open and found what I was looking for. I withdrew the gun and handed it to Nora.
“You’re the steadier shot, you take it,” I whispered.
She nodded and accepted it. “Smart thinking.” Her eyes went to the window. “And we can go out the window onto the garage roof and down from there. God, please tell me the keys to his car are still in your purse.” Her eyes were fixed on the small black bag sitting on the dresser.
My heart leapt, and I grabbed it, digging until I pulled the keys from one of the pockets. I held them up triumphantly.
Relief washed over Nora’s face. “Get the window open.” She crept to the door, pressing her ear to the crack, gun held tightly in her hand. She gave her head a slight shake. She couldn’t hear him.
But he was out there somewhere.
I worked on sliding the window up without making a sound. It was near impossible. I just had to hope wherever he was in the house, he couldn’t hear.
I had it halfway raised, almost enough for us to get out, and then we both heard it. The creaky step. Nora’s eyes went wide and she stepped back from the door, gun held at the ready. I had no choice but to shove the window the rest of the way up, regardless of the noise. We needed out of here now.
The window groaned and there was no doubt the sound reached him, because the quiet footsteps on the stairs became quick thuds as whoever it was thundered his way to the top.
“Let’s go,” I mouthed to Nora and started shoving my body out the window and onto the sloped roof. I had one leg still in the room and Nora was at the window, ready to follow me through when the doorknob to the bedroom rattled.
I froze, casting a terrified glance back at the door, before yanking my leg all the way through and scrambling out onto the roof. I reached my hand back for Nora and pulled her through hurriedly. She nearly tumbled into me, but managed to find her footing and then we both scrambled cautiously toward the lower garage roof. The garbage and recycle bins were pushed up against the garage like stepping stones down. Once we made it to the ground, Camden’s car was only a few yards away.
As we scurried across the slanted rooftop, I kept glancing back over my shoulder, expecting to see a menacing figure stick his head out of the window and give chase, but it didn’t happen.
Shoving the gun into her waistband, Nora crouched down when we reached the edge of the roof and prepared to drop down onto the garbage bin. Before she could even hang her legs over, there was a low cracking sound and then something tore into the roof inches from her. I screamed and Nora nearly slid off the roof. I grabbed her arm at the last second and dragged her up. Another shot cracked the air and this time it struck inches from my face.
I screamed again and we scrambled to the other side of the apex and ducked down. My heart was pounding so loud and I couldn’t suck in air fast enough as adrenaline coursed through my body.
“We can’t stay up here,” Nora struggled to catch her own breath and then we were moving again. She was right that we couldn’t stay put, it wouldn’t take him but a second to go around the house. We had no choice but to go down the back and make the jump to the ground.
Thankfully it was dirt and grass that padded our landing and not gravel, because it was a bit of a rough landing. We didn’t have time to worry about being careful or graceful as we lowered ourselves and then flung our bodies to the ground. We hit with an oomph and hurried back to our feet.
We looked at each other, both with a ‘where do we go now?’ expression. Fortunately, I still had the keys in my hand. If we could just get around to the front of the house. Trouble was, we had no idea which way the shooter had gone. Not having another second to waste, we flattened ourselves against the back of the house and Nora stuck her head out to look around the corner.
“I don’t see him,” she whispered, so I gave her a nod, nudging her forward since she had somehow managed to hang onto the gun. I stayed close on her heels, all my senses in overdrive, just waiting for him to jump out at us or fire another shot.
We reached the front and Nora once again, checked around the corner, ready to fire a shot of her own if she saw him, but once again she indicated that the coast was clear.
We shared a single look, and with it, we agreed to run for it. The car was so close. I had the keys ready, not wanting to hit unlock yet in case he was close enough that the beeping would alert him.
There was no avoiding the crunch of gravel beneath our feet though, as we bolted toward the car. When I was almost within reach of the driver’s door I hit the button and the single beep that resounded felt like a siren echoing through the air, but it didn’t matter, because at the last second, Nora and I both realized the same thing.
The car was sitting on four completely flattened tires.
A little cry escaped my lips as the little bit of hope I’d been holding onto died.
A cold, menacing laugh rang out just before a bullet struck the windshield, shattering it. We ducked down, but not before I caught a glimpse of him coming around the opposite side of the house.
“Go,” I yelled, and started to make a run for the tree line, but Nora remained crouched down, her back pressed to the side of the car, and drew in a deep breath. Then, in a flash, she’d turned and was firing back at the shooter, her head just barely sticking out. She fired three shots. After the second, there was a low grunt, and then she drew the gun back. That’s when she grabbed me and we made our run for it.
She’d forced him to take cover behind the side of the house, giving us an extra second or two to make it to the trees. Even then, it almost wasn’t enough.
We were nearly there when bullets started flying again, striking the ground only steps ahead of us and tearing into the bark of the trees as we finally reached them. Only then, when we were semi-covered, did I allow myself to speak.
“You hit him, right?” I asked through ragged breaths, not daring to stop moving. We both continued to tear through the trees and bushes, deeper into the woods around Cam’s property.
“I grazed his shoulder. I doubt it will even slow him down. I don’t have as much pr
actice firing at moving targets, or targets that fire back,” she answered through her own pants, keeping up with me easily.
“We need to go this way.” I veered to the right. “The closest neighbor is like half a mile or something.” I couldn’t remember exactly, but getting to the Fields’ place was our next best hope.
We ran as fast as we could over the terrain, but it felt like the shooter was tearing through the woods right behind us. I didn’t dare look over my shoulder and risk tripping, but I knew he was back there. The snapping twigs and rustling brush was getting closer. No matter how fast we ran, he was faster.
Thirty-One
Emily
We zigged and zagged through the trees, stumbling and terrified, but never once slowing. I felt every snag and tear in my clothing, and the sharp scratches and stings of every branch and thorn that caught me across the arms, legs and face, but none of it mattered. A bullet would hurt a lot more than a few scrapes.
My lungs burned and my chest pounded. It felt like at any second my legs would give out. I was pumping them so hard, but even going all out like we were, he was still gaining on us. While it felt like we were crashing our way through the woods, he seemed to fly over the uneven ground, unhindered by the rough terrain. Wetness dripped down my face, a combination of tears, sweat and blood from a cut above my eye.
“We’re not going to make it,” I cried.
“Keep going,” Nora shouted.
It was no use though. A bullet tore into the tree beside me and I lurched away, crashing into Nora, taking us both down to the ground in a tangled heap. Another bullet struck the ground beside us and I pushed myself off her, scrambling to my feet as Nora did the same.
There was more laughter. He was playing with us. He knew we weren’t going to get away. I knew it too.
We were going to die out here. Spencer and Camden would find our bodies.
The tears poured, but Nora didn’t stop running, so I didn’t either. The ground began to slope upward, and despair swelled. As if Nora could hear the cry I swallowed, she glanced at me over her shoulder. “Don’t stop.”
The incline became less gradual and it felt like we were crawling. Even knowing it was a mistake, I couldn’t stop myself from looking over my shoulder, a near sob escaping when I did. I could see him, no more than ten yards behind us.
The ground leveled off before sloping down and we’d just reached the crest of the small hill when I saw him raise his weapon again. I dove on Nora, knocking her the few feet forward and down the other side of the small hill. Bullets whizzed by and buried themselves in the ground. We tumbled down a ways before hitting the brush. Groaning, I worked to shove myself up. Everything hurt and I was covered in dirt and debris. Shoving my wild hair from my face, I watched as Nora too, struggled to her feet. Her eyes were searching for something. I realized she’d dropped the gun. I darted my gaze all over, but didn’t see it on the ground and we were losing precious seconds.
“Come on,” I reached for her hand, but jumped back with a scream when I heard the familiar pop just before Nora cried out and stumbled backwards. Her hand clutched at her shoulder.
“It was only fair,” a cold and detached voice called out. Fear turning my veins to ice, I dragged my eyes away from Nora and to the large figure now just a few yards away, at the top of the mound.
He was bulky beneath the cargo pants and black tee he wore. Thick and stocky, and his face was hidden behind bushy facial hair, except for his eyes. They were dark and menacing, with a hint of amusement. The corners of his mouth tugged into a slight smirk. “You seem to have lost something.”
His boots crunched over sticks and leaves as he started toward us, stopping and bending over to pick something up. No doubt, the missing gun.
I reached for Nora again, scrambling backward, but he straightened and lifted his gun, shoving the other one into his waistband. “I wouldn’t move if I were you.”
I stilled, or at least I tried, but tiny tremors of fear wracked my body. “What do you want?” I cried out stupidly.
Nora was holding herself together better than I was, even as the blood spread down her arm.
“I thought that was obvious by now.” He full on grinned, giving the rifle in his hand a little wave.
“Why are you doing this?” I choked.
Honestly, what did it matter?
What good would knowing do?
This was only ending one way.
“It’s simple really. Your boyfriend’s father took something from me. And everyone who had a part in it, and everyone they love is going to pay for it. They’re going to know what it feels like to lose the people they care about most before it’s their turn. I’m almost done now. Just a few more visits I have to pay when I finish up here.”
“What did they take from you?” Stalling was the only thing I could think to do. Drag it out as long as possible and pray for a miracle.
“I was only eight when David Shaw and his partner Paul Jacobs came into my house and took my father away. Jacobs paid the price for his part, as did his wife and his son Billy. He was a tough son of a bitch. Didn’t die the first time. Had to stop by the hospital to take care of him when I heard he was waking up. One by one, I’m checking off my list. I was saving David for last. I wanted him to suffer the most. He was the one that dragged my father out in cuffs, but there’s been a change in plans.
“He’s gone now and there are just a few more Shaws I need to take care of, starting with the two that will be coming for you. Sorry both of you got caught in all this, but when I’m done with you, I’m going to wait for your knights in shining armor to arrive. Only they’ll be too late. They’ll find me instead of you.”
“No,” I muttered hoarsely, the tears clogging my throat.
Nora only narrowed her eyes and emitted a low laugh. “If you think you’re going to beat them, then you’re stupider than you look. It’s going to be you who loses.”
His jaw clenched and he marched forward. I shrank back but Nora stood her ground until he jabbed the butt of his gun sharply into her wounded shoulder. I flinched as she cried out and crumpled to her knees.
I went to reach for her, but he chuckled and then trained the gun on her head. She lifted her chin and held his stare.
Noo.
I screamed and threw myself at him. He swung his arm and hit me across the face with the gun. I was knocked back and landed in the dirt. My entire face radiated with pain as I held my cheek with one hand and shoved myself up with another. The gun was back on Nora and I knew he was going to pull that trigger. I was preparing for another lunge when a low growl rumbled and then another.
All three of us swung our gazes around to see the two big German Shepherds emerge from the brush. Cash and Kota were baring their teeth and growling. The gun had lowered slightly and when he attempted to bring it around to the dogs, they barked and lunged. I grabbed Nora and dragged her back.
The gun went off, a stray bullet striking only the dirt not far from where Nora had knelt.
Cash got ahold of his leg but was kicked off with a grunt. Kota went for his arm and he cried out, but swung the gun and hit her, shaking her loose. Cash was already on the attack again and jumped on his chest, taking him down to the ground. Both dogs were going for his throat, but he was swinging the large weapon around wildly. He managed to clip Kota across the head again and she whimpered, stumbling back and shaking.
Using the moment of reprieve to his advantage, the man scrambled backward, kicking at Cash and raising the gun for a shot. Cash lunged at him again. Not able to take the shot, he jabbed Cash with it the way he had Nora. Cash yelped and jumped back, and once again the gun was raised to fire.
Cash’s yelp spurred me to act. Before he could squeeze the trigger, I threw myself on his back, and knocked the gun away. We both went down.
Nora screamed my name, and then I caught a sharp elbow to the face as I struggled with the man to keep him from getting to the gun again or drawing the other one from his waistband.
Nearly twice my weight, it wasn’t much of a struggle before he flipped me onto my back and had me pinned to the ground. One hand went around my throat and the other went for the gun in his pants. He drew it, but Cash and Kota were back on him. Cash was jumping on his back and Kota got her teeth around the arm he had me pinned with. He cried out and his grip on my neck released. I sucked in a choked breath, the pain all too familiar. I wiggled and squirmed beneath him trying to stay out of the path of the barrel of the gun and get free.
He struck Kota with the gun again and shook her loose and managed to throw Cash off of him as well. He fired the gun at the dogs. I didn’t think he hit them, but it was enough that they momentarily backed off.
He was bleeding and furious and turned the gun on me again. I saw it the second he went to pull the trigger. I saw his hand tense and the dark, satisfied look creep back onto his face. I closed my eyes and pictured Camden and waited for it to be over.
Nora’s scream was the last thing I heard before the gun went off.
I waited for the searing pain and the blackness to follow, but it never happened. The weight pinning me to the ground was lifted and when I pried my eyes open, the gun was no longer in my face. The man holding it was slumped on the ground beside me.
It took me a second to process and then to register the loud footfalls crashing toward us. When I did, I jerked my head in that direction and saw Camden, James and Spencer all running toward us.
When I listened more closely, I could even hear the distant sound of sirens wailing.
My heart soared with relief and I shoved myself up just as Camden threw himself to the ground at my side, grabbing me to him before I could even get to my knees. James came to a stop right behind him and my eyes met his relieved ones for just a second before I went willingly into Camden’s arms. My cries turned to ugly, relieved sobs as I clung to him and buried my head in his chest.
His arms came around me tightly and he rested his chin on top of my head. “I got you. I got you,” he murmured. “You’re okay,” he kept saying over and over. “I’ve got you. You’re okay.”
Tears of Blue (Shades of Death Book 2) Page 25