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“Really?” Emily pulled the band from her ponytail, letting her long blonde hair cascade down her back, and then scooped it up and retied it.
“We thought—me and Colt—that you might like to come to a party tomorrow night after the game?”
“Sure.” Emily’s smile almost convinced Jenna she was interested. “Where and what time?”
“Nine at my house on Pine, number six.” Lyons gave her a broad smile. “I’ll get you a ride.”
“No need, I’ll drive myself.” Emily sipped her water again and sat back down on the flat rock. “I come up here to meditate, so I’ll see you there.”
“Sure.” Lyons touched her chee
k and then turned to go. “I can’t wait.”
When he ran past Jenna, she used her com to contact Kane. “Lyons is heading back down the mountain. Emily is safe. If the killer or killers are going to strike, they’ll do it soon.”
“Don’t give away your position, they could be hiding anywhere along the trail. Follow the plan. They know Emily is here and she isn’t a threat. Let her follow as planned and we’ll take up the rear.”
“Roger that.” Jenna waited a good five minutes then pressed her mic. “Okay, Emily, you’re good to go. Your dad is waiting in the parking lot. As soon as you get to the broken bridge, take the track that cuts back to the inland path and head down to the foot of the trail. Then you’ll bypass anyone lying in wait for Lyons along the winding part of the track.”
“On my way.” Emily dashed down the trail.
Jenna stared after her then hit her mic. “Kane. Nothing’s happened or we’d have heard from Webber by now. I’ll give Emily a head start then follow her.”
“Lyons should be hitting the bend in the trail by now.” Kane heaved a deep breath. “If they were going to strike, opposite the old suspension bridge is the most secluded area and they’ll have the cut-through as an escape route. It looks like we’re going with plan A but I’ll head back down inland and make sure Emily makes it through, then I’ll cut through and meet you on the rapids trail.”
Jenna sighed. “Dammit! I figured one of our two suspects would have made a move by now.”
“The killer will make a move sooner or later. Maybe he made us, and if so this guy is even smarter than we’ve given him credit for.” Kane sounded calm as usual. “Webber, what’s your position?”
Nothing.
Jenna frowned. Even over the noise of the falls, Webber should hear the com in his ear. “Webber, this is Alton. Do you copy?”
A terrible rush of unease drifted over her. “I’ll head for Emily now. Emily, do you copy? Turn around and come back. I’ll meet you on the trail.” Jenna dashed out of her hiding place and hurtled down the mountain.
“I’m okay. There’s nobody here and the old bridge is a few yards away. I’ll be heading down the cut-through track in a few moments.”
Jenna hit her mic. “Webber’s not answering, something might have happened. Wait where you are until you hear from me, Em.”
Forty-Seven
He adjusted the earpiece and slapped the com pack taken from Webber to his belt then smiled into the shadows. He’d moved through the forest like a ghost, not making a sound. Of course, he’d made the sheriff and her deputy. It was hard to miss a man of Deputy Kane’s size running up a trail. Where the sheriff was, Kane was never far behind. They’d taken different paths and he’d had a momentary pang of regret for spoiling their attempts to catch the leader of Team Rapist, but he had his own plans for the spoiled, rich quarterback. He looked down at Webber’s body. The noise from the rapids had made it easy to creep up behind him and engage the chokehold. The man was stronger than he’d anticipated but not as strong as him, and soon Webber’s knees had buckled and he’d succumbed.
He dragged Webber’s body deeper into the forest and then kicked leaves over the double tracks his heels had dug into the forest floor. He’d had no idea he was working for the cops and grimaced. How had he allowed him to slip under his radar? As he moved to the end of the cut-through track, the sheriff’s voice came in his ear, ordering Emily to turn back, but he could see her not ten yards from Lyons, who was leaning against a wooden post to the old bridge as if waiting for her. He pressed his mic and hoped he sounded like Webber. “I’m at the cut-through. I couldn’t come back before; Lyons was close by.”
“Roger that.” The sheriff sounded relieved. “I’ll keep out of sight and let it play out. Emily, head to the old bridge then cut through.”
He grinned. He’d fooled her.
“Roger that.” Emily’s voice came through his earpiece. “On my way.”
He moved through the trees, and as Emily ran by, he stepped out, snagged her by the arm, and covered her mouth in one slick move. Holding her hard against him, he pulled the com pack from her waist and tossed it into the rapids then pulled the pistol from the small of his back and pressed the muzzle to her temple. “Don’t move a muscle or your brains will mess up my shirt.” He could feel her heart pounding against him and her breathing was rapid. “We can do this the hard way or the easy way, Emily.”
Forty-Eight
At first, anger at herself raged through Emily. How could she have run straight into danger? The trail ahead had appeared clear. Where had he come from? Fear followed with the terrible knowledge she couldn’t fight her way out of this problem. The wide-gloved hand pressed so hard against her mouth, her teeth ached. She could smell leather and gunpowder. The way the man held her, with his solid strength behind her, told her that if she moved, he’d break her neck. Terror slammed into her as the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against her temple. She froze and listened to the instructions.
“I’m not here for you, Emily. I’m here for Seth Lyons.” The man pressed the steel harder against her skin. “I’ll let go but if you scream or try to run, I’ll shoot you. Understand? I have a suppressor on my weapon, the sheriff won’t hear a thing, and Webber is down. Now this is what I want you to do.” He kept the gun against her head. “Walk down to Lyons. Keep your hands where I can see them. I’ll be in the bushes with my weapon aimed at your head. I won’t miss. All I want you to do is distract him for a few moments so I can get close and then I’ll let you go. Act natural. Got it?”
