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Aliya didn’t begrudge the two finding love or romance on the trail. Except it put her constantly alone with Jared. He was handsome, nice, and could hold up his end of a conversation, but she wasn’t interested in some dating fling. In five days she’d be flying home to Georgia and most likely never see him again. She was too practical and never led with her heart, her best friend Sydnee Lee was always saying. Truthfully her heart wasn’t tugged by Jared, and living in such a miniscule town in the mountains before and after attending the nearby and also small Cumberlands University for her schooling, there weren’t a lot of handsome male options available for heart-tugging.
“Should we stop and wait?” she asked.
“In a bit. Let them have their minute.”
“She sure thinks he’s the tomcat.”
“I am not certain what that expression means.”
“The actual expression is ‘Well ain’t he just the tomcat’s kitten’.” Aliya tried to think how to explain and then she laughed. “I really don’t know what it means. Basically, a man thinks he’s the best so if Ammon is Gracie’s tomcat then she thinks he’s the best. You know how it is, you’re British, you have all kinds of expressions. Do you know what all of them mean?”
“Why certainly I do.” He chuckled.
She smiled, arched her eyebrows, and kept walking. She would be spending a lot of time alone with Jared the next five days, at least they could talk and tease easily.
A scream split the peaceful mountain air.
“Gracie!” Aliya jumped and spun to head back to their friends and help with whatever was wrong.
Jared had a knife out, a long, vicious-looking knife. His eyes glinted maliciously, no humor in them at all.
“Jared …” She backed up a step. “What are you … we need to go help—”
The scream came again.
“Gracie!”
The first scream had sounded surprised and scared. This scream sounded like their friend was in pain.
“I wouldn’t worry so much about Gracie.” Jared stepped closer and Aliya instinctively backed up again. “She’s simply learning that Ammon isn’t nearly the quintessential gentleman he portrayed himself to be.”
Aliya’s heart thumped in an out of control race. She eased farther away, her eyes flitting from Jared’s face to that knife. Her mind couldn’t compute that this seemingly-nice guy would be threatening her with a knife and that Ammon, who’d appeared to be head over boots for Gracie, was hurting her.
“What do you want?” she asked, trying to keep her lip and her hands from trembling. She clung to the straps of her backpack, trying to think if she had any kind of weapon accessible. Her pepper spray was … in a pocket of the backpack. Which pocket and could she reach it in time?
“It’s not so much about what I want as what you’re going to give me, beautiful.” He sneered and there was nothing handsome about his face anymore. “Ammon might not have informed Gracie how this will all play out, but I like my victims to know their options. It makes things more interesting.”
Victims? Obviously this snake in the grass had pulled this stunt before. Prey on unsuspecting tourists, lure them into the woods, and then cut their throats? Chills covered her body and she shivered.
Gracie screamed again, louder and louder, each scream increasing in pitch.
Aliya’s neck tightened and her hands trembled violently. She wanted to help her friend, but didn’t know how to get past that knife and the suddenly evil-looking man in her path.
“Nobody will hear your screams up here so don’t think throwing a tantrum like Gracie is wont to do will bring you any form of rescue.”
Aliya said nothing, but she wanted to scream. She clung tighter to her backpack straps and she prayed like she’d never prayed, not even when she and Sydnee Lee had fought off a black bear backpacking the Appalachian Trail for their senior trip. She remembered then what her dad had taught her as a youth, and she concentrated on it now—fight with any kind of weapon you can find and don’t stop fighting.
Eventually the bear had given up and left them alone. She was terrified Jared wouldn’t give up. The glint in his gray eyes was ugly and horrifying.
“This is going to end with me having all the fun I want with you, taking your I.D. and your money and then … here comes your choice.”
Gracie’s screams cut off, and that made Aliya more terrified than ever. Had Ammon killed her? No! He couldn’t. He’d been so sweet with her. Too sweet … ‘Too good to be true’ Gracie had sighed just last night. Apparently that saying was as true as the good book.
Aliya couldn’t catch a full breath. Her gut churned with horror and her pulse raced out of control.Please help, please help, she prayed to anybody in heaven who had a spare minute. She wanted to glance around for a weapon, but didn’t dare look away from Jared.
“I’d rather keep you alive, and turn you over to the traffickers who will pay me even more than what I’ll glean stealing your cash, maxing out your credit cards, and selling your identity. Unfortunately, if you put up a fight, throw a screaming tantrum, or give me any grief, I’ll have to slit that pretty throat and leave your body somewhere only the wolves will find it to devour.” He paused. “What’ll it be Aliya? Death or submission?”
He studied her and the only sound was the twittering of birds and a soft wind rustling leaves on the trees. Gracie wasn’t screaming any longer. Not a peep. Cold sweat dripped down her back.Please let Gracie be okay.
