Michael gave a low laugh. “I should have killed you a long time ago. I would’ve saved a lot of trouble. Couldn’t bring myself to do it, though. I liked you too much. Ah, well. Too bad you weren’t born a Willard.”
Surprise registered on Hez’s face, but he said nothing.
Michael slowed as they reached the edge of Gum Swamp. “Do you like poetry, Counsel?”
Chapter 39
A lawn mower growled outside Savannah’s office window. She leaned back in her chair and checked the message she’d sent Hez half an hour ago. It showed Delivered, so he still hadn’t seen it, which was very unlike him. She had promised to give the tent supply place an answer by now about the location they wanted for the beach tent. It was a major detail, and while she could run out there by herself to make a decision, Hez always had good input.
She frowned at the phone as if her displeasure would switch the message to Read. Maybe he hadn’t heard his phone. He could be talking with students or asking Hope again about the status of an arrest. She called his number, but the connection went to voicemail, which was odd. She tried the office number, but it rang several times before she got his voicemail message there too. The sound of his deep voice released more fear than she’d realized she was suppressing. Where was he?
The Justice Chamber might know. She hated to bother them if they were in the middle of a discussion, but by now she couldn’t control her panic. She shouldn’t be worried, but fear shuddered down her back. There’d been too many attacks against Hez in recent months, and she kept waiting forsomething else to happen. Losing custody of Simon hadn’t improved her sense of equilibrium.
The line picked up on the second ring. “Justice Chamber, Dominga speaking.”
Savannah’s fingers tightened on her phone, and she paced the office. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything, Dominga, but I’m looking for Hez. Is he there?”Please be there, please be there.
“I was just about to call you.” Dominga’s voice was heavy with tension. “He’s not here, but even more worrisome is that Toni arrived a few minutes ago looking for him too. He didn’t show up to teach her legal writing class, which started fifteen minutes ago. As soon as she heard about his no-show, she started searching for him, but he’s not answering his phone. Something is very wrong. He is the most dependable person I know. And there was a report of a gunshot this afternoon. Security went to the parking lot but didn’t find anything.”
Savannah gulped back a gasp. “I’ll see what I can find out. Let me know if you find him.” She raced out of her office and across the lobby to the exit. Her secretary called out after her, but she didn’t pause.
A blast of heat and humidity hit her face when she stepped through the door and headed for where he usually parked. The passing mower threw grass clippings over her bare legs and skirt. She didn’t pause to brush away the debris but darted across the yard toward the parking lot.
She paused and scanned the area for Hez’s truck. There it was. The door was ajar. She ran over and checked inside. No Hez, but something shiny on the ground caught her eye. A bullet casing.
Her heart seized in her chest. Hands shaking, she called 911. “This is Savannah Webster out at TGU. My fiancé, Hez Webster, is missing, and I think Michael Willard might have d-done something—” Her tongue dried and she wet her lips to try again. “I think he’s hurt him or—or—”
She couldn’t get out what she feared, but her brain kept inserting graphic pictures of Hez tossed to the gators like Erik. Michael was a monster.
“Hang on and I’ll transfer you to Detective Richards.”
A few seconds of silence followed before she heard a click and Augusta’s voice was in her ear. “Savannah, I’m tailing Michael right now. We see two other men in his truck. Maybe one of them is Hez, but we can’t tell. We’re about to arrest Michael.”
Please, God, let him be alive.“Where are you? I’ll be right there.”
“It’s not safe. I’ll call you as soon as we have Michael in custody. There’s nothing you can do, Savannah. Pray for a smooth arrest with no bullets flying. I’ll be in touch.”
The call went dead. “Augusta?” Savannah glanced at the phone screen. Augusta had either hung up or hit a spot with connection issues. Savannah had no idea where the chase was taking place either. She sank onto a bench and prayed with all her strength.
Hez could hardly believe his ears when Michael started reciting poetry. “Because I could not stop for Death—”
A siren blared behind them.
Michael cursed and gunned the engine. His head swiveled back and forth as if he were searching for something in the marshy landscape. He glanced back at Jimbo. “Hold on.”
Michael yanked the wheel to the left, turning into the tall grass. He switched the truck into four-wheel drive and followed an almost invisible track. The truck bounced and shook, knocking them around the cab like pinballs. Hez’s skull whacked the roof, but somehow Michael maintained control of the vehicle.
Michael looked in the rearview mirror, then slapped the wheel. “Ha! They’re stuck!”
Hez’s heart sank. For a moment he’d thought he was about to be rescued. He’d have to escape on his own. But how?
The vehicle slowed slightly. The bone-jarring shocks became less intense and frequent. Still, they had to brace themselves continually. Hez glanced down. Jimbo wasn’t holding him. The big man held his gun in one hand and gripped his armrest with the other. The gun pointed more or less in Hez’s direction, but Jimbo couldn’t help waving it around.
Hez stared through the windshield, watching for an upcoming dip or rock. There! A glint in the grass showed where a trickle of water crossed their path, carving a nasty rut in the “road.”
The truck jolted as they hit the little gulley. At the same instant Hez opened the door and hurled himself out.
Jimbo shouted and fired through the swinging door. Hez landed in the muddy grass and tumbled along for several feet before crashing into a thornbush.
