Hank kept pulling her, but he slowed, just a little. She thought she heard him mutterbullshitunder his breath.
“It’s true, Hank.”
They’d definitely slowed down. Hank shook his head. “He said the agent ran off with her.”
Rachael actually laughed. “You really are stupid. You must have passed that yellow crime scene tape closing off one of the roads, the big pile of dirt at the end of it. Why do you think they dug up that spot out in the middle of nowhere? I told the FBI where to look. They found her body. They found my mom.”
Hank stopped.
Rachael pressed on. “Yeah, Jake’s FBI. He knows all about you and my dad. I wanted to kill my father, so I told him to meet me out here.”
“I fucking know that part, about meeting here.”
“So what did you think I was up to, since you have the book and I have nothing?”
“I didn’t…” Hank shook his head.
“I cut a deal,” Rachael lied. “If you take me to my father’s car, you’re as dead as I am. Ernest Deal will kill you, but if he doesn’t, Jake will. And if by some miracle Jake doesn’t put a bullet in you, you’ll have the FBI after your ass for the rest of your miserable life. Unless you—”
“Shutup! I need to think.” Hank steered her back toward the road and Rachael’s car, the both of them nearly running.Oh, please, she prayed,please let it be Jake and please let him see us in time.
They got to the road. They were about twenty feet in front of her car and just inside the rows. Rachael heard the other car at the front of the lane, heard it slow down as it turned in.They see my car. They’re coming!
Hank yanked her down, cupped one hand over her mouth, and shoved his gun into her side. “Make one sound, and you’re dead. Then Jake’s next.”
The next few minutes were some of the worst of Rachael’s life. With Hank’s hand over her mouth and the cold metal barrel pressed against her, she listened as Jake and Camden talked, then jumped in the car and took off after Ernest, who must have known something was up when Hank didn’t return, or maybe he’d heard the car, too. The man had a sixth sense when it came to self-preservation. But not this time, Rachael hoped.
As soon as the Dodge sped off through the corn, Hank picked Rachael up and pushed her across the road into the field opposite. The sound of snapping cornstalks and the roaring engine filled their ears before it stopped. Had they caught up to her father? Minutes passed as she and Hank came to the far edge of the field near the barn. Rachael pretended to trip again and went limp. Hank slapped her before pulling her back to her feet.
Then the engine started again and grew louder. Jake knew,he knew, and he was coming for her.
They reached the open space where the barn sat, looking more dilapidated and abandoned that it had twenty years ago, when it was still picturesque. To Rachael, it was an abandoned shell now, an old empty cicada husk. She looked at the blackbird tree and saw that it had again filled with life, with crows hopping from one branch to the other.
She had one chance to show Jake where she was, that they hadn’t yet reached the barn. Rachael sang out, startling the birds into flight.
The engine stopped. Jake was coming for her on foot.
“Bitch!” Hank threw Rachael to the ground. The dry, scratchy grass scraped her face. She rolled over and looked up at Hank standing over her, his revolver pointed at her head. “Tell him to stop. That I’ll fucking shoot you if he don’t.”
“Jake,” Rachael called out. “He’s got a gun. Run!”
Bang.
* * *
Blood splattered across Rachael’s face.
Hank’s blood. His body crumpled atop hers, taken down by Jake’s gun. She pushed him off her and stared up into the aching blue sky. A single bird flew over. And then Jake filled her vision, his face so full of anguish it nearly broke her heart.
“Angel. Oh, my Angel.” He quickly cut her hands free and then she was kissing him with everything she had. Their hearts hammered together as he picked her up and carried her to the tree and set her down gently. He took out his cell and called Camden. Rachael heard sirens both in the distance and coming through the phone as Jake told his partner that his fiancée was safe under the blackbird tree. Then he pulled Rachael into his lap. He wrapped her up in his arms and rocked her while she whispered over and over how much she loved him. She knew that whatever came next, Jake would always be there for her, mind, body and soul.
And song.
Thirty-Three
- Eight months later -
Jake waited impatiently in the small room off the main hall. For the hundredth time, he stopped his pacing to adjust his bow tie and tux lapels in the full-length mirror while Camden smirked and shook his head.
