Page 110 of Wild Escape

It happens. But it’s one thing when it happens at the range. This was life and death.

Brock was almost on top of me.

Daphne had followed me through the underbrush.

She threw the dagger. It tumbled end over end, glimmering in the moonlight.

The hungry blade pierced Brock‘s neck, spewing a fountain of blood. It severed his carotid. He flopped to the dirt, gurgling with a mouthful of blood. It only took him seconds to bleed out.

By that time, I cleared the jam in the pistol.

Daphne took cover next to me. “What the hell are you doing? I told you to stay put.”

“I was just trying to stay close to you. I figured that’s where I’d be safest.”

Jack kept firing at Dane.

“Stay here,” I said to her before taking off.

I darted south, then headed east, circling around toward Dane. He’d been relatively stationary.

Jack had Dane pretty well occupied.

I crawled through the underbrush, drawing close.

Dane emptied his magazine, hit the mag release, and dropped it. He slapped another one in.

I took the opportunity to take him out. I popped up, took aim, and my finger squeezed twice in quick succession. My bullets pelted the bastard in the chest and skull.

He went down before he could get a shot off at me.

“Suspect down!” I shouted.

Dane twitched in the dirt as I advanced.

I kicked his weapon away and checked his vitals.

Dane’s spirit had left the island.

I signaled to JD that all was clear.

He and Daphne joined me.

“Are you okay?” I asked her.

With eyes round like saucers, she nodded.

“You’re pretty handy with that blade.“

She had taken it from Brock‘s neck. Daphne held it in her hand, the bloody thing dripping.

“You should probably give that to me,” I said, taking it from her.

I couldn’t get a signal here. We walked back down to the beach, and I managed to get a bar of cell service. I called the sheriff and caught him up to speed.

Before long, the island swarmed with first responders.

Brenda and her crew examined the remains. Dietrich snapped photos, and the bodies were bagged and tagged. We transferred them aboard the patrol boats, then headed back to Coconut Key.