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CHAPTER 43
KIMBERLY
CROUCHED BEHIND THE ROCK, KIMBERLY held her breath in the dark tunnel and focused on the sound of approaching footsteps. Flora remained propped up awkwardly beside her, in no condition to run or fight. This was it, then. One pistol versus one rifle.
As her FBI instructors liked to say, this is why we train.
The shadows beside the boulder started to shift, take shape. They formed into the faint silhouette of a man. Come on, she thought, two more steps. She had only one chance to get this right.
He stopped and Kimberly nearly groaned.
Flora dug in the dirt beside her, obviously searching for another stone to throw. Except.
The shadow pivoted sharply. He’d figured out their little game. One quick step sideways, the rifle leveled in front of him.
Pop, pop, pop.
Kimberly didn’t hesitate. Three to center mass. The man dropped. The rifle dropped. Then Kimberly darted forward, kicking the rifle clear, before collapsing herself, shaking uncontrollably from adrenaline and belated terror.
“That was a little close,” Flora said, just as more footsteps sounded in the dark behind them. Not walking this time. Running.
“Shit.” No time to find new cover. Kimberly fumbled around in the dirt, grabbing the rifle their first opponent had tried to use against them. Flora once more held up her blade.
A light burst into view. Then a second.
Kimberly was just settling her finger on the trigger, when a voice called out:
“Sheriff! Drop your weapon.”
A light hit her between the eyes. The second beam found Flora with her feral grin and bloody forehead.
“Are you okay?” Keith called out of the dark—and forget Flora, Kimberly could’ve kissed him.
—
KEITH EXAMINED FLORA’S HEADWOUND while Sheriff Smithers explained about the secret door that had led them into the old mining shaft. Keith and the sheriff had spent the past twenty minutes or so roaming a warren of tunnels while searching for an exit. Then they’d heard the gunshots and started running.
Now, Sheriff Smithers flashed his light on their stalker’s body.
“That’s Bill Benson,” Keith spoke up in surprise. “The ATV rental guy. Why is he trying to kill us?”
“He already shot Walt,” Kimberly provided. “He’s dead, at the other end of the passageway.”
“But why?” Keith asked again.
Sheriff Smithers appeared troubled. “Bill doesn’t have a criminal record that I know of. Quiet man, really. Married Penny Johnson forty years ago. Pretty thing. Unfortunately, she turned out to be not quite right in the head. They had a son together, but Penny’s condition grew worse. Last I knew, Bill tended his business, then went home to take care of his wife.”
“Walt led us here,” Flora provided. “He said he could prove that the woods really did scream at night. I assumed he figured out the sounds were coming from this mine entrance. Which, if it’s connected to the B and B, makes sense.”
“We found the cook’s body fifty feet beyond the secret door,” the sheriff said grimly. “Died hard. At least one set of screams that won’t be heard again.”
Flora was still frowning. “But why was Bill Benson here? How did he know we’d be coming? Because clearly that was one hell of an ambush, and Keith and I never talked to him about us coming here. We didn’t even know this tunnel existed.”
Kimberly shook her head. She didn’t understand either. “You said Bill and his wife had a son?” she asked the sheriff.
Smithers nodded slowly. She didn’t like the look on his face. “Big guy,” he confirmed. “In his younger days, was known for brawling and drunken disorderlies. Not the kind of guy you wanted to cross. But after high school, he moved out West. Last I heard, he was running his own business in New Mexico, someplace like that. Sounded like he was doing all right for himself. I know he’s been home more lately. I figured to help out with his mom, maybe see about taking over his father’s business. But Clayton’s always been a hard one to pin down. Being his own boss, he can come and go as he pleases.”
Flora glanced at Kimberly. The woman’s forehead really did look awful. “As in he has plenty of opportunity to kidnap girls, network with others, then return here with the new merchandise.”
