The man lunged after her, thudding her into the ground, knocking the air from her chest. A scream tangled in her lungs. She bucked and thrashed against him, terror twisting through her as she struggled to breathe.
Laser’s barks and growls intensified, echoing around them.
“Stop while you’re ahead, Paige.” He clamped his beefy hand over her mouth, his garbled whisper hot and fast on her neck. “No one can hear you. No one can help you.” His deep, exaggerated drawl made her skin crawl.
A scream scuttled up her throat, muffled by his harsh, callused hand. She fought harder. No way would she give in that easy. As the brute shifted a little, she was able to wrestle in a raspy breath. Adrenaline surged in her blood, and she slammed her elbow into his solar plexus.
The man’s deep groan jarred in her eardrums. In her next heartbeat, she felt the cold metal barrel of his revolver pointed at her temple. She stopped moving. Tears welled. Her heart ached. A sob built in her chest.
She was going to die. Right here. Right now.
Laser thought differently. His surly snarl turned razor sharp, followed by the snap of the branch. Suddenly Laser was free and lunging at the man. Thank you, Laser! Paige wrestled out of her captor’s grip as Laser took over, trying to maul him.
She couldn’t stop the terror that darted through her as she took off at a run. What if the creep hurt Laser?
She shot up a quick prayer, begging for God’s mercy and grace as she raced through the slick and rocky terrain, dodging low branches and skirting around boulders and trees. She couldn’t bear it if one more life had to suffer on her behalf.
Laser’s barks and growls rose above the rush of blood pounding in her eardrums and mingled with the man’s violent yelling. “Get down, mutt! Get away!”
A single shot ripped through the air.
Paige stumbled, nearly losing her balance again as anguish slammed into her. Please, Lord, not Laser! Please!
“Paige, you’ll be sorry for this!” The man’s angry drawl rumbled in the distance.
Keep yelling! Tears scalded her eyes, blurring her vision. She stepped up her pace. Maybe the distant neighbors would hear him.
Two more rapid shots rang out and echoed around her.
Panic sprinted through her. She dashed through ten feet of clearing and dropped into the trees and even then didn’t slow down.
More bullets hurtled through the air from behind, kicking up the dirt around her feet. Her shoes slipped on leaves still damp from the storm. She hit the ground hard, then scrambled back to her feet. Then she flew toward the underbrush as another bullet whizzed past her ear.
* * *
“Thanks, Ted, for keeping me updated.” Seth handed Ted back the report. If finding Trey’s fingerprints on the gun used in yesterday’s parking-lot shooting didn’t blow a hole in the case against Trey, he didn’t know what would. The fact that Trey had been locked up for months for Madison’s murder clawed at his gut. “I want Gentry picked up.”
“And charge him with what?” A crease appeared between Ted’s thick brows.
Good question. Seth thought on that for a moment, fighting the annoyance niggling his gut, telling him he was probably jumping the gun. Speculation and hearsay were never enough. They needed some sort of tangible evidence that would stick.
“I don’t know.” Seth ran his hand over his head. “I want Gentry off the streets, but for longer than a trip to the magistrate’s office. Keep digging and I’ll do the same. Hopefully we can come up with some noteworthy evidence that will keep him behind bars.”
“I’ll get right on it.” Ted clapped his shoulder. “In the meantime, take care of Paige. I think our killer is getting desperate.”
Desperate. Yes, the creep was desperate to kill Paige. Disgust seared Seth’s gut at the reminder, making him even more amped up and ready to take Paige’s attacker down. “Put a tail on Gentry.” At least he could do that much.
“You’ve got it.” Ted nodded.
Seth walked out of Ted’s office feeling like he’d just been hit by a Mack truck. With Trey’s trial in less than a week, Paige’s perpetrator would be on the warpath, even more now than before. No matter where Paige was, in Boone or elsewhere, her life would be in danger. Seth had a feeling that what had started out as a situation derived from fear of being found out had morphed into a personal vendetta against Paige. Sociopaths didn’t like to lose.
Seth stowed his jacket in the backseat of the truck and then climbed behind the wheel and started the engine. As he pulled out his phone, the blinking green light notified him of a missed call.
He punched the message button, and his heart shot into an unsteady rhythm as he listened to Paige. “Seth, you need to get back to the cabin ASAP. A white long-bed extended-cab truck is parked at the south end of the pond on your property...”
Her voice communicated everything he was feeling—terror, anger, disbelief.
The truck being there meant Paige’s pursuer was somewhere in his woods. Even worse, the two women he loved most were danger. Panic rioted through him as he slammed the gearshift into Reverse and took off out of the employee lot.
Five seconds later he was on the highway heading north toward the cabin, his phone to his ear calling for backup. “I need every available officer on the property, now! Marked cars. Lights and sirens.” He wanted the creep to know they were coming. A deterrent to hopefully foil his plans. “And put out an APB on a white long-bed Ford truck, extended cab.” Just in case he was already gone.
He hoped he was. Prayed he was. Without leaving any casualties.
The road was clear, with no traffic in either direction. Seth increased his speed and squinted as the glare of the sun reflected off the windshield. Dialing Paige, he held his breath as he counted the number of rings. It went to six before her voice mail picked up. He swallowed back fear. “Hang in there, Paige. I’m on my way.”
Guilt rode his shoulders. What if he was too late? The one day he’d silenced his phone... Teeth grinding, he shook his head. He’d made a point to have his phone on him at all times. He never missed a call or text.
Pressing his phone to his ear, he waited for his mom to pick up. His heart clenched and constricted harder with each unanswered ring. Finally, he heard her voice. “Hello.”
“Mom, are you okay?” he asked, trying to keep the panic from his voice.
“Well, yes, dear, why wouldn’t I be?”
Seth breathed a small relief. “How about Paige? Is she there with you?”
“No. She left a little while ago to look for Laser. And actually, I just let him back in. He came back yelping and has a slight limp. He must have gotten into something. I was just getting my shoes on to go look for her.”
Seth’s jaw clenched as he absorbed the news. Exactly the answer he didn’t want to hear. Paige was out in the woods alone with him. Seth’s fingers tightened into a death grip on the steering wheel as he steered the truck along the blind curve in the road. The ultimate nightmare had begun.
“No, Mom, don’t go out after Paige. Just stay put where you are.”
“Seth, you’ve got me worried now. Is everything okay?”
“Just keep the doors locked. Stay away from the windows. Get the hunting rifle out of my room and use it if you need to.”
“Seth—”
He hit the disconnect key. There was no time to explain. He tried Paige again. Six more rings and the call went to voice mail. He didn’t leave another message.
Slamming the phone back in his pocket, he sat up straighter, disappointment mounting. He found himself struggling to control his fear, lock it away. But the harder he tried, the worse it became. He took a steadying breath. God, please protect her.
Down the road and around the bend, he was about a half a mile away from his final turn when he saw the amber and red warning lights start to flash, heard a loud horn from the approaching northbound train, followed by the monotonous ding-ding-ding of the crossing bell.
Stomping on the brakes, Seth heaved a groan
and slammed his fist against the steering wheel. This can’t be happening.
* * *
Frantically, Paige pushed forward, belly crawling against loose dirt and rocks as she worked her way down a slight incline, keeping hidden by the tall grass and weeds, hopefully out of the line of fire.
Gunshots echoed. Feet pounded from behind. Using her elbows and toes, Paige forced herself to pick up speed, ignoring the bite of the rough terrain. Why hadn’t she stayed in the cabin? Never let Laser out?
Laser. Her heart crimped, regret biting deep. Hopefully, he was okay.
When she came to the end of the tree line, Paige stumbled to her feet, weariness washing over her. The driveway lay just ahead of her, a few yards away. If she could just get to the end of it, maybe help would be coming by then.
Breathing hard, she forced herself to run, resisting the urge to look back. She couldn’t stop now, even if escape seemed futile.
A bloodcurdling scream lit the air from behind her, followed by unintelligible words Paige couldn’t make out. She ran harder, chest heaving, her rapidly pounding footsteps overshadowed by the sound of an approaching vehicle. Yes, Lord! The creep heard it, too.
The truck came screaming down the narrow drive, the vehicle’s rear tires flinging gravel and dirt as it bounced over the rocks and ruts.
For a moment she couldn’t make out the truck, but a split second later her heart rejoiced, relief flooding through her. It was Seth.
She would never discount his presence in her life again. He was her knight in shining armor.
Skidding to a stop on the side of the driveway, she placed a hand to her chest, trying to catch her breath. She was exhausted, throat parched, limbs weak.
A few feet away, Seth slammed to a stop and jumped out of his truck. “Are you okay?” He rushed to her. Suddenly she was in his arms, not even sure how she got there. Tears poured from her eyes as she buried her face in the soft fabric of his shirt. She closed her eyes as he held her. She’d never felt so safe or secure. A temporary rush of relief washed over her, blotting out the terror.
“Tell me what happened,” he whispered against her hair.
Suddenly, Paige stiffened. Easing back, she raised her eyes to his, panic skittering up her spine. “He’s here. The man—” She could barely get the words out as she pointed. “He was right behind me and has a gun. He’s parked in the clearing near the pond.”
“Who is he?”
“I don’t know. He was wearing a ski mask.”
Seth’s face changed from concerned to enraged in a matter of moments. “Okay. Let’s go.” He grabbed her hand, and they took off for the truck.
Paige held on as Seth yanked the wheel to the left and the truck bounced off the driveway onto the side of the road. The four-wheel drive kicked in, and the wheels dug into the dirt and mud, churning over the rutted terrain.
“Turn left here,” Paige shouted, pointing at a narrow dirt road. “That’s the area where the truck was.”
Seth took the turn, the road giving way to a footpath, and he slowed as the path grew thinner until it practically disappeared. Seth stopped and leaped out of the truck. Paige scurried out right behind him.
“Hold on. You better stay in the truck.” Seth kept his voice low. “Stay down and keep the doors locked. Backup should be pulling up anytime. They have detailed directions on where the pond is.”
Not on your life. Paige stepped away from the truck. “No, I’m going with you.”
“Paige—never mind,” Seth huffed, then beckoned her to him. “Just stay behind me.”
They headed into the woods, Seth leading, gun drawn, his gaze constantly sweeping the area around them. Paige stayed close behind, heart thumping, praying for a positive outcome. As they drew closer, near the edge of the trees, sirens roared to life in the distance. Instant relief fluttered through her.
“The gang’s all here,” Seth whispered.
“Hopefully my attacker is still hanging around.”
“We’ll soon find out.”
As they stepped out into the clearing, her heart dropped as she took in an unobstructed view of the pond. The truck was gone.
TEN
“Are you saying last week Gentry rented a truck that you believe was involved in Paige’s accident?” Brett firmly positioned his hands on his hips, his face set in a fiery stare.
“That’s correct.” Seth leaned back in his seat at his dining room table, still not believing it himself. “We ran the plates from the truck Paige saw parked down by my pond earlier this afternoon. We found it to be a rental that Gentry picked up in Wilkes County the day Paige arrived in Boone. And although it was supposed to be returned within twenty-four hours, he held on to it, my guess is because of the damaged right door and fender from when he ran Paige off the road. So we can only assume it was Gentry that was out here today...” He gave Brett a short synopsis, bringing him up to speed on everything that had happened.
“I can’t believe you’re telling me this now—” Brett paused to look at his watch “—two hours after everything went down. I hate learning about critical information after the fact.”
Seth had been a little preoccupied with Paige’s safety. And trying to run down a killer. But apparently that wasn’t a good enough reason for him not to pick up the phone in the heat of the action and fill Brett in on his next move. Brother. He hated this partner stuff. Seth shifted in his seat and expelled a breath through his nose, taking a moment to compose himself. Afraid he might say something he would regret.
“Sorry, I got busy,” he finally said. Not a great excuse, but the best he had. “Nonetheless, we made progress today. So here’s where we are now. The magistrate just issued warrants for Gentry’s arrest and for a search of his home. I expect him to be brought in anytime now.”
“Just great.” Brett scowled, shaking his head. “Warrants are out and I was never even notified. I take one day off and my position on the case is totally disregarded—” His voice was a whine as he droned on. Seth tuned him out, focusing instead on Paige, who stepped into the room, her hair wrapped up in a towel, just out the shower. She looked refreshed. Happy. Like a thousand-pound weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Just her being there definitely softened the mood in the room.
And from seeing her this relaxed, Seth hadn’t expected the gut-punch reaction reminding him how much he’d missed the old Paige.
Guilt nudged him from every direction as he thought about the stress that she’d been dealing with over the last ten months. Much to his chagrin, he’d contributed to that stress. Not because of Trey’s arrest—there was only so much he could do with the evidence he had—but he’d let her walk away. He should have pushed his own fears aside and gone after her, been there for her. Not let her walk through this journey alone.
Twenty-twenty vision, too late.
To keep from giving in to a sigh, he cleared his throat, knowing at some point he needed to make amends with Paige. He wanted her to know that he cared about what she’d been going through.
“Paige.” The annoyance in Brett’s voice cut through Seth’s thoughts. “You do know to call me, even on my day off?”
The grimace pulling the edge of Brett’s mouth told Seth that he wasn’t going to let this go easily.
“Yes. Of course I knew that.” A hint of confusion creased Paige’s brow and settled into her eyes as she took the seat across from Seth. She unraveled the towel from her hair, draping it across the back of her chair. “I’m sorry, everything was happening so fast I guess I just didn’t think about it.” Combing her fingers through her damp hair, she sent Seth an uneasy look, as if she wasn’t sure where this was going.
Seth knew exactly where this was headed, but before Brett succeeded with his attempt to provoke him into an argument, Seth was going to focus on something more positive. Like the strides they were making in their attempt to track down a killer.
Taking a deep breath, Seth pushed back in his chair. It had been a difficult enough day without havin
g to placate Brett’s sore ego. “Brett, it looks like we’ve got a good case against Gentry. Do you plan to talk to him once he’s brought in? Or would you like me to?”
Brett jerked his head up, apparently caught off guard by the question. “Yes...of course I’ll talk to him.” The hard lines in his face softened a bit. “I doubt I’ll get much, but I’ll see what I can do.”
Good. New focus. Seth got up to usher Brett out. “Sounds like a plan. Let me know how it goes.”
“I will.” Brett still had a hard tone, but it was less hostile now. He paced a few steps to the door, then stopped. “So Seth, what’s your gut feeling in regard to Madison’s murder? Do you believe Gentry’s responsible for killing his sister and framing Trey?” Brett’s eyes probed Seth’s face.
Seth shrugged and said, “I think the possibility is there. Trey’s shotgun showing up tells us someone had access to his things before Madison’s murder. Which could include the knife that killed Madison. And who better to have an extra key to his home than a family member?”
“It still seems like a long shot.” Brett’s voice went flat. “Unless you find some good evidence to support it.”
“That’s what we’re working on.” He clapped Brett on the shoulder. “Let me know what you come up with.”
Seth closed and locked the front door behind Brett. As he turned around, Paige stood there, chin high, her expression nearly a smirk. “You never answered Brett’s question.”
Seth settled his hands on his hips, his eyes narrowed. “Which question was that?” He thought he’d addressed Brett’s questions pretty thoroughly.
She shook her head, brows lifting to new heights. “He asked what your gut feeling was about Madison’s murder. You just gave a vague answer. So, I’d like to know, do you really think my brother was involved?”
Seth wished his opinion wasn’t so important to her. He’d let Paige down once by not coming to her rescue. Not being the support system she needed. The last thing he wanted was to give her false hope. Even if he believed Trey was innocent—and he still wasn’t completely convinced—everything remained up in the air, so he preferred to let that question ride.
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