She pushed herself to her feet and ran back to the house with Frankie by her side, where she intended to call the police.
When she glanced over her shoulder, River had disappeared into the trees where the attacker had gone. She only hoped he was able to catch him and not be hurt himself. It would take at least ten minutes for the police to arrive.
This had to be connected to Elsie’s abduction. One thing was clear now. She was a target, too. Someone wanted her dead.
* * *
The darkness in the forest was disorienting to River as he scanned the spaces between the trees and waited for his eyes to adjust to the lack of light. The person who had attacked Lydia seemed to have disappeared. He pulled his gun and listened for the sound of footfalls. He could have used Frankie’s keen senses, but he’d feared the attacker might double back and take another shot at Lydia. Frankie wasn’t trained in protection, but there was nothing like a barking dog to deter a criminal.
He turned his head, still not hearing anything. The forest must be fairly deep. He couldn’t see where it ended. If the attacker was running away, he would have heard it.
Still on high alert, he stepped deeper into the trees, turning his head and tuning his ears to any change around him. A bird fluttered out of a branch above him. His heart pounded when he looked up.
A weight crashed against him, knocking him to the ground on his back. The gun had slipped from his hand. The man was on top of him. With one hand, River patted the ground, hoping to find his weapon. With his free hand, he braced it beneath the man’s chin, curving his neck backward and keeping him from getting closer to River’s face.
The attacker swiped at River’s arm, causing him to lose his grip. He brought the other hand up before the man could reach for his throat. The assailant landed a single blow to River’s jaw, triggering pain that vibrated through his head.
River sought to twist his body in an effort to get out from underneath the other man while he swung a closed fist at his attacker’s face. The blow landed on the man’s nose. The attacker lifted his weight. River flipped over to his stomach. He saw the glint of metal in the moonlight. His gun. He crawled toward it.
The attacker grabbed him by his collar, choking him with his shirt. River wheezed. His hand was only inches from his gun when the attacker landed a blow to his head with a hard object. White dots filled his field of vision. He could feel himself fading as the man hit him again with the object. This time on his back and shoulders.
Then he heard the sound of a barking dog. Frankie.
He reached for his gun. It felt heavy in his hand. He did not want to lose consciousness.
Sirens wailed, growing louder and closer. A heavy object fell by his head; the log that had been used as a weapon. He heard the sound of retreating footsteps. He turned in time to see the man dressed in dark clothing disappear into the trees.
Frankie reached him and licked his face.
“Are you okay?” Lydia’s voice was sweeter than honey as she knelt and extended a hand toward him.
He groaned. “You could have been hurt.”
“Frankie and I got worried. After I called the police, I realized I couldn’t leave you out here alone. I know these woods.” She helped him to his feet.
Pain shot through his head and back. With Lydia supporting him and Frankie heeling beside him, whimpering and casting concerned glances up at him, River made it back to the house, where he gave the waiting police officers a quick rundown of what had happened. Both patrol cars took off to try to catch the fleeing man.
Lydia retrieved an ice pack for River to press against the knot on his head, then she handed him a glass of water and some pain pills. “Do you think you should go to the ER to be checked out?”
“I’ll be fine. Did you get a look at the guy?”
“Not a good look. The hoodie covered his face, and it was dark. He was tall and he was strong.”
“That would be my assessment, too. Definitely a male, and probably a younger guy.” He winced.
“Prentiss Grafton is my age and in good shape.” She couldn’t believe the man would do something this horrible.
River winced again.
From where she sat facing him on the sofa, she reached out to touch his forearm, her face filled with concern. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the doctor?”
Her touch warmed his skin. “I’m sure. I’ll be all right.” The truth was he didn’t want to leave her alone as long as the attacker was still out there.
Lydia’s forehead wrinkled, and she laced her fingers together. “This must be related to what happened to Elsie. I guess it’s pretty clear that I’m a target, too. Whoever pushed me over that cliff intended to kill me. When he didn’t succeed, he took a second shot at me.”
“He must not have known I was here. I had to park the patrol car so far from the house.”
She bent forward and rested her face in her hands. “Who would do this?”
