“No. You did a good job concealing your direction, and let’s face it, I’m no bloodhound. You said you were heading to town, and of course you’d go for your vehicle. I figured that was the best way to find you. Found it sitting right where you left it, and I’ve been up on the bluff with my binoculars where I could see the whole approach on and off for two days. I headed for high ground when they released some water, and man, it almost swallowed up the bridge for a minute, but those engineers know what they’re doing. I figured I’d give it until afternoon and then assume you’d drowned somewhere along the way.”
Mackenzie was relieved to hear that Gideon’s Jeep hadn’t been moved. The idea of traveling the rest of the journey in a vehicle tantalized her. She was ready to suggest they push the speed before a helicopter showed up, but Gideon wasn’t finished with his line of questioning.
“I’ve never been married, but I can imagine a wife would be pressuring her husband to evacuate,” Gideon said.
Kevin’s mouth tightened. “My wife is everything to me. She understands what I have to do.”
Rain began to drizzle again, but the steel sky promised it would turn into a deluge shortly.
Kevin shot a look at the clouds. “You done with thequestions? Want a lift to the bridge still? If the answer’s no, I’m out of here.”
Mackenzie replied with a nod.
The ATV seats were unpadded, and every bump and rock jarred her bones, but the progress was encouraging. From her passenger seat, she watched Kevin white-knuckle the steering wheel, tackling each steep hairpin turn with care. Sweat beaded his brow.
“Haven’t driven this kind of terrain since I was a teen.”
“You’re doing great,” Mackenzie said, but Kevin looked more nervous with every moment. When Gideon put a hand on his shoulder, he jumped.
“Stop,” Gideon said. “I’m going to take a look before we clear these last trees.”
“Man, rain’s gonna let loose properly in a second. You don’t really want to do that, do you?”
“Yes, Kevin. I do.”
“I can’t stop here.” Kevin removed one hand from the steering wheel and edged it toward his pocket.
Gideon dove forward and wrapped his arms around Kevin’s neck, while Mackenzie grabbed Kevin’s hand, snatching a gun he’d been reaching for.
Reflexively, Kevin clawed at Gideon’s hold. Mackenzie quickly took the wheel, guided them to the side, and killed the engine. “A handgun, huh?”
“Can’t be too careful. You two are fugitives, after all. Even if you hadn’t come clean, I didn’t miss the orange jumpsuit.”
Mackenzie quickly checked the gun’s magazine. “It’s not loaded,” she said in surprise.
“Lynn never wanted loaded guns in the house. Shotgunin the trailer isn’t loaded either. Didn’t have time to go out and buy bullets.” His tone was sullen.
“Why don’t you want us to see what’s down that road?” Gideon said without relaxing his hold on Kevin’s neck.
Kevin’s eyes were wide. “This is the thanks I get for helping you? Should have just let you fight your own battles.”
“But you didn’t,” Gideon said. “You stuck close, even though you knew we had targets on our backs. Why would you do that instead of letting the police know and then going on to meet your family? Why, Kevin?”
Mackenzie tried to read Kevin’s expression. Fear, certainly, and something else? Guilt?
“You’re wrong about me.”
“We’ll find out soon enough.” Gideon hauled him from the vehicle. Mackenzie turned and joined him.
“Go take a look, Zee, while I watch out for Kevin. I’ll see that he doesn’t make any noise, or message a friend.”
“Ingrates,” Kevin said. “What did I do to deserve this?”
“If I’m wrong, I’ll owe you a humble apology, but considering the couple of days we’ve had here in your happy little town, I’m willing to risk offending. Go, Zee.”
She pulled on her hood and hunched down, jogging over the sticky trail until she rounded the turn. Sticking in the periphery where the branches provided some concealment, she crept forward until she had a vantage point and pulled out the binoculars.
Below the plummeting trail, the bridge looked as if it were floating atop the raging river. The tumbling waves were so swollen they brushed the lower edge of the driving surface. Homing in, she located the break where the van had gone over, then backtracked until she saw Gideon’sJeep, parked at an awkward angle to the side of the roadbed, twenty feet from the breach.
