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“Ash is already pissed at you. Sure you want to add yourself to Zak’s shitlist, too?”
“We sent them in the wrong direction. They’re too far away. I can get there faster, and Lucy doesn’t have much time.” Images from his book flashed through his mind — the claustrophobic darkness of the cemetery, the description of Rebecca’s terror as she suffocated, the unfathomable evil that lurked within the pages. Then he pictured Lucy Harper living out that horrifying fiction in real-time, and he couldn’t bear the thought of another innocent life being snuffed out because of his twisted imagination. He had to get to her.
Sawyer’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Wait.”
He paused, his hand gripping the doorknob tightly. “What?” He turned to face Sawyer, anticipation and anxiety sweeping through him like wildfire.
Sawyer’s blind eyes seemed to bore into his soul. “I’m coming with you.”
“No.”
“You need someone to watch your six.”
He hesitated, unsure how to respond. Sawyer was a smart man and brilliant on a computer, but he had to know his lack of sight was a significant disadvantage in a dangerous situation like this. “Sawyer, man, I’m sorry, but how are you going to watch my six?”
“Not me.” He pushed away from the computer. The moment he moved, his dog stood and stretched, then sat and waited for her next task. “Zelda. She’ll watch both of our backs. Besides, we go hiking in that area all the time.” He tapped a finger to his temple. “I have it all mapped out.”
Connelly stared at him. “I don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of a fucking book I wrote.”
Sawyer’s expression hardened. “Look, Connelly, I understand your concern, but I’ve managed to navigate these woods just fine since losing my sight. Plus, Zelda here has been trained as a guide dog, and she’s one of the best in the business.” He patted Zelda’s head affectionately.
Connelly glanced at the lab. Intelligence gleamed in her brown eyes. She could be a valuable asset in navigating the treacherous terrain around the cave, and Sawyer’s familiarity with the area would greatly increase their chances of finding Lucy before it was too late.
Reluctantly, he nodded. “All right. But we stick together, and we don’t take any unnecessary risks. No heroics, understood?”
“Deal.” Sawyer grinned, and there was a surprising hint of meanness in it. “Don’t worry, we’ll find her. We won’t let that sick fuck get away with this.”
chapter fifteen
The drive to the state park felt both endless and fleeting at the same time. The road twisted and turned through the dense forest, the hum of the engine filling the tense silence inside the car.
Time was running out. Each passing second was another second closer to Lucy’s suffocation, and Connelly couldn’t bear the weight of that responsibility.
He gripped the steering wheel so tightly the leather creaked.
“Ease up,” Sawyer said. “Keep doing that and you’re gonna rip the wheel right off the steering column.”
He glanced over. Sawyer sat calmly in the passenger seat with Zelda behind him, her head resting on his shoulder. The dog was alert but calm; a steady, reassuring presence. Despite Connelly’s initial reservations, there was relief in knowing he wasn’t going into this alone.
He exhaled and made himself loosen his grip on the wheel. “Yeah, sorry. I’m worried.”
Sawyer’s lips quirked. “I can hear that.”
“If Lucy is buried, she’s running out of oxygen and we’re running out of time. How long is the hike to the cave?”
“About forty-five minutes from the trailhead.”
Too long. They were cutting it too close.
He parked near the trailhead, out of sight of prying eyes. He opened the car door and was immediately greeted by the crisp scent of pine and the distant sound of birdsong. The forest was alive, vibrant with the energy of life, but Connelly couldn’t shake off the heaviness that hung in the air. Adrenaline buzzed in his veins with as he hopped out of the car and hurried to the trunk. He grabbed the backpack he’d filled with supplies before leaving the rescue.
“Let’s go.”
Sawyer swung his cane out of the car and tapped it on the ground, expertly maneuvering through the uneven terrain. Connelly followed closely behind, the weight of the backpack digging uncomfortably into his shoulders. He used to be able to carry heavier rucksacks through hostile terrain without breaking a sweat, but that was a lifetime ago. Now, his body groaned with every step, reminding him of the toll that age and countless missions had taken on him.
The three of them set off into the woods, their footsteps muffled by the carpet of fallen leaves. The path ahead was dappled with sunlight, casting shadows that danced and shifted with every gust of wind.
The hike to the cave was grueling. Every step seemed to test Connelly’s resolve, the weight of the backpack growing heavier with each passing minute. Sawyer and Zelda moved effortlessly ahead, the dog and his cane guiding him with unwavering precision. He walked like he was sighted, but once in a while, he stopped moving and clicked his tongue, then tilted his head like a dog as he listened for the echo.
