He sped up. I guessed he thought I was running from danger. Little did he know he was driving me toward it.
It was a trap. They’d kill me, and maybe BJ too, and I’d just left the only person who could save us. The buildings blurred by, but I hardly noticed them. My mind desperately searched for a way to get us both out alive. The buildings dropped off and we moved into a sea of thick green trees, away from the population toward the wilderness, where no one would see us. No one would hear our screams.
They would kill me. They would kill BJ.
An old lopsided sign announced we’d arrived at Cable Lane, at the end of what was once a gravel driveway. It was overgrownwith dry grass. The grass was squashed flat where a car had rolled through.
“Just pull up here, please,” I said. He pulled over. I glanced at my watch, it was 2:26 p.m. Ethan would be looking by now, he’d probably already burst into the toilets or was searching around the back. Furious and upset. They’d be watching him, but he wouldn’t be in the car. I did the only thing that might give us a chance; I sent a text.
‘Cable Lane. Don’t let them see you coming, you are ALL being watched and they can hear everything. Hurry.’
“Thank you.” I reached into my jean pocket and pulled out some money.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, concern in his warm brown eyes. “Are you going to be okay, love?”
“Yes, fine, thank you.” The words felt like splinters coming out of my lips as I threw the twenty dollars at him regardless. I didn’t wait for his response. I closed the door.
Spurred on by adrenaline, I ran up the heavily wooded track, knowing I could be running to my death, but not knowing what else to do. I ran fast, powered by the fear that someone or something might leap out and grab me. Although I knew my thoughts were illogical. Vampires, if it was vampires who had BJ, would grab me with ease, no matter how fast I ran.
From the forest a branch cracked.Footsteps?
My heart ratcheted up into my throat. I sucked in a breath. My whole body trembled.
Jefferson’s image clanged around inside my skull. Would they slash our limbs with bear claws and leave us bleeding out in the middle of the forest? The gruesome discovery would definitely seal the granting of hunting permits and be another tick towards allowing the development to go ahead. Or would we meet an equally horrific fate and simply disappear like all those hikers?
My blood ran so cold I felt as though I was sculpted from ice.
I stopped two hundred yards in. Panting, not from exhaustion, but fear. I had no weapons. I should have asked the cab driver for pepper spray, or even a tyre iron.
I churned over the ways in which I might be able to save BJ, and I realized grimly, I could only think of one.
And he wasn’t there.
Chapter 53
Run You Fool
Istopped dead halfway down the track, my senses sharp as a needle. A soft breeze shook the trees. From within the forest branches rattled.A body brushing past them?
I scanned for threats. The sun couldn’t breach the canopy and the shadows curled around limbs like ghostly hands. My pulse boomed inside my head. Overhead a few crows squawked loudly. I held my breath and listened, past the rush of the wind, I thought I could hear the murmur of voices.
I glanced at my phone. It was vacant of any response and bars. I couldn’t be sure he even got the text.
My stomach dropped.
Ahead, nestled in an entanglement of long, dry, knee-high grass there was an old dilapidated wooden house. The porch hung forward like it rested in quicksand. The tin roof was rusted. The boards were rotted and paint was peeled back. Two small black windows peered like a pair of demonic eyes.
No one lived here, nor had done for some time. In stark contrast there was one car parked outside. A shiny black BMW. They had money, whoever it was.
Like vampires.
Every fibre screamed to turn and run.
If he had even seen the message, how long until he could get here? Ten minutes, maybe? It might be eight minutes too long. And if they noticed him leaving . . .?
My heart beat fast as I edged through a profusion of long, straw-colored grass. The strands seemed to hiss like adders as if warning me to stay back. My legs felt like stone. My heart pounding, throat tight and parched, I willed myself to keep moving toward the open door.
Run, you fool, run.
