AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You know you can’t escape. None of you could. You’re weak; I’m strong. You should’ve chosen me.” Again, he lunged toward her. This time, he snagged her arm.
She let him drag her toward him, then she dug in her heels and resisted with all her might.
He leaned backward, using his strength to pull her to him.
Rachel suddenly changed directions and threw all her weight at Al. He’d been leaning back so hard that when she shoved him, he fell backward and released her arm to break his fall.
Free of his grip, Rachel leaped over him and ran down the path, past the ATV, gravity helping her to move faster and faster until she was on the verge of losing control. If she tripped and fell, she’d slide on the gravel, right over the side of the trail and down a slope so steep, she’d pitch and tumble, breaking every bone in her body. She’d die, and Alan would live to kill another day.
Rachel tried to slow her descent. She couldn’t run away. She had to stand and fight. She had to finish this, or others would die. In her dream, she’d pushed him over the edge of the trail. If she couldn’t subdue the man, she’d throw everything she had at him and send him to hell.
Rachel managed to slow to a stop, her breathing coming in ragged gasps so loud she couldn’t hear anything else. She held her breath and listened. For a moment, all she heard was silence. Then a motor revved and raced down the hill toward her.
The trail was too narrow. She wouldn’t be able to dodge him without falling over the edge.
Once again, she took off running, searching for a position where she could stand and defend herself. She had to find it soon, or it wouldn’t matter. He’d catch up to her and either run her down to kill her or hit her hard enough that she wouldn’t be able to run. Then he’d strangle her with his signature wedding veil.
Rachel ran hard. She ran for her life.
CHAPTER13
“She’s gone,”Griff shouted over the continued insanity of the barroom fight.
Jake broke free of the crowd and raced toward Griff at the kitchen entrance. “Was she wearing the necklace we gave her?”
“I don’t know. I think so.”
Griff turned with Jake and ran out the back door, down the lighted path and into the lodge.
All the way down into the basement, Griff thought,We’re wasting time. We’re wasting fucking time. Jesus, man. Every second counts.
Jake went straight to the cabinet where the tracking device was stored, grabbed it and ran back up the stairs, Griff on his heels, ignoring the pain in his leg the running had caused.
Once they were in the kitchen, Jake waited for the device to warm up and locate the pendent.
Griff held his breath, praying she’d worn it, knowing the killer would make his play.
“There!” Jake pointed at the blue dot on the screen, which displayed a contour map of the area with the streets and roads snaking through.
“They’re headed up to the old Merriweather Drop-off,” Jake said.
“How do we get there?” Griff asked.
“Follow me.” Jake took off running, passing through the dining room, great room and out onto the porch and down the steps.
Griff leaped past the steps, landing hard on his bad leg, and raced after Jake, headed for the barn.
Jake’s prosthetic leg didn’t slow him down. Griff struggled to keep up.
By the time he found Jake in the barn, his new boss had a four-wheeler revved and waiting.
Jake slipped off the machine, grabbed a roll of duct tape, hopped onto another ATV and secured the GPS tracking device with a single strip of tape.
Griff released the brake, shifted into drive and pressed the throttle. The ATV shot forward and out of the barn.
Jake burst through the barn door, passed Griff and led the way to one of the gates to a pasture. “I know a shortcut,” Jake yelled over the sound of the engines. He slid off his machine, opened the gate and jumped back on.
Griff drove his bike through and hopped off to close the gate behind them. He flung himself onto the ATV and raced to catch Jake.
