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“Okay, you’re on,” she called over her shoulder as she started after the boys. “See you tomorrow. One o’clock.”
They’d go fishing and then she’d get back to work. Nothing would change. She smiled to herself, thankful she had such complete control of her emotions.
Some women might take one look at Nathan’s killer smile or the warmth and humor in his eyes and fall right under his spell.
But she definitely wasn’t one of them.
* * * *
THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVITIES ended and the town was dark and quiet by eleven o’clock.
As she headed for her usual lookout on the hill with Harold at her side, Sara wondered if Nathan was busy rounding up teenagers at the quarry and telling them to report to him tomorrow. One look at their tall, imposing local deputy would probably sober most of them up fast.
The moment she took up her position, all thoughts of Nathan disappeared. Something was definitely up.
The plant was always shut down on Sundays, with both the front and back gates securely locked and only a weekend security officer present to patrol the facility.
Tonight the guard’s car was missing from its usual spot by the side door. In its place was a dark double-axle truck, which was backed up to the door. Three, no, four figures in dark jackets were lugging boxes from the truck, stacking them on dollies and wheeling them into the building.
Her pulse quickening, Sara reached for her backpack and withdrew her camera and telephoto lens, then crouched behind the rocks and snapped a series of photographs.
Through the viewfinder she saw one of the men suddenly stop. He pivoted, and turned toward the hill where she hid. Then he gestured sharply and they started moving faster. Could he have seen a reflection from her camera lens?
Their actions confirmed what she already knew. They weren’t here for normal business deliveries and they were definitely concerned about being caught.
Sensing her increased tension, Harold lifted his head and whined, then rose to his feet as she snapped another set of photos. He growled softly.
At that moment a flash of light caught her eye. Farther down the hill, a beam arced through the trees and then disappeared. She heard the sound of a twig snapping.
Had she been spotted?
She shoved her camera equipment and notebook into the backpack, shouldered it, then grabbed Harold’s leash and slipped around the rock to head farther up the hill. She’d studied possible escape routes during daylight hours, knowing that this moment could come.
Avoiding the main trail, she picked up a faint, narrow deer path that wound through the underbrush before dipping down into a clump of aspen and rising again. There, she would have a better view of the surrounding terrain.
The beam of light swept through the trees behind her. Closer now, it sent strobe-like flashes through the dense trees.
The sharp crack of a rifle split the air. Once. Twice. Behind her, she heard the impact of a bullet against a tree.
Her mouth dry and her pulse hammering, she ducked into a heavier stand of trees farther up the hill.
Even if he had a night sight on his rifle, there were dense trees and thick underbrush in his way. But whatever was going on, she wasn’t going to wait around to find out.
Her breath grew ragged as she fought her way through brambles and low-lying bushes with Harold on his leash behind her. Whining, he balked several times, but she called his name sharply and continued on.
The swing of that flashlight and the sound of footsteps behind her kept her moving.
The rifle cracked again.
Behind her, the light disappeared and total silence descended.
From down below came the sound of agitated voices, then the sound of an engine starting. Tires crunched on gravel as a vehicle moved off. Toward the back gate, probably, though she couldn’t see anything from where she stood.
She stopped behind the trunk of a massive oak and leaned against the rough bark to drag in huge gulps of air. Harold whined more insistently and nudged her leg as he looked behind them.
Maybe her follower wasn’t part of the group down at the plant. Perhaps they’d seen the flashlight beam, panicked and taken aim, and hadn’t seen her at all. So who else was up here—and why?
If there were teenagers up here—partying over a six-pack—one of them could be bleeding to death right now. The thought chilled her.
