Murder Stalks

by Sara York

  With feet flying, she raced across the grass. He fired a shot, but missed. Fear seized her muscles, and she halted her progress. Michael dove for her and knocked her to the ground. They struggled, rolling across the grass.

  Then, miraculously, Michael was off of her. She scrambled to her feet, watching in concern and relief as Tony punched Michael, sending him to the ground.

  “Run, Marissa, go now!”

  She hesitated, debating which way to go. She couldn’t leave Ally. She stumbled to where her friend lay on the ground. She grabbed Ally’s hand and pulled her to her feet.

  Marissa looked back to Tony. They were punching and kicking, going after each other like she’d never seen. Michael fell to the ground but popped back up quickly.

  “Marissa, get out of here. I need you safe.”

  Ally pulled at her hand, leading her away from the fight. Marissa’s movements were sluggish and stilted. Pain radiated from every pore in her body, but she led Ally through the trees, away from where Tony struggled with Michael. Marissa dodged under a low limb, then tripped and they both fell, Ally screamed out in pain. Another shot rang through the trees.

  “Get up, Ally. Run,” Marissa yelled.

  “Which way?”

  “Our only safe escape is that way, through the creek. I’ll need your help. I don’t think I can swim across.”

  Marissa helped Ally to the bank. They waded out into the moving water as far as they could before they had to swim. Ally grabbed onto Marissa’s arm and pulled her until they both could touch the bottom of the creek again. In moments, they were climbing out and onto the other side.

  A loud crack rang out across the water. The noise was deafening as dirt flew on the bank at their feet. Shock stopped Marissa in her tracks. She turned to find Michael firing round after round at them.

  “Tony,” she called out before Ally grabbed her by the hand and dragged her into the trees. A large warehouse blocked their path. Marissa eyed it, unsure which way to go.

  “We’ll hide in there. Maybe we can find a phone and call the police,” Ally suggested.

  “He shot Tony,” Marissa wailed.

  “Marissa, we don’t have time. Tony’s a strong man. He’ll be fine. Let’s concentrate on getting away from Michael.”

  Ally tried the door. It swung open, revealing a dark warehouse filled with boxes, leaving them nowhere to go. It looked hopeless to Marissa. Ally climbed over one crate and pulled Marissa behind her. Their clothes were dripping wet, leaving a trail of water wherever they went.

  Ally grabbed Marissa’s arm, stopping her progress. “We’re leaving a trail. We need to ditch our wet clothes.”

  Marissa whimpered but complied. Ally pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it behind a box. Marissa did the same. Next their shoes came off.

  “Our pants are dripping, too,” Marissa said as she began tugging at hers.

  “Then shed them. We’ll leave him a trail if we keep them on. It’s hot in here anyway.”

  They navigated the twisting path of boxes and crates, having to retrace their steps more than once. The heat pressed around them, leaving both of their bodies glistening with sweat. Every sound they made echoed throughout the building. Marissa knocked into a crate and a metal bar crashed to the floor, shocking them both. Ally picked up the bar, carrying it with her as they searched for anything resembling an office.

  The place was organized in a chaotic way. Dust moats floated through the shafts of light. They moved around the stacks of boxes, pausing every few seconds to listen for Michael. Marissa stepped on a piece of wood and tripped, striking her knee hard against the cement floor.

  “I have to stop.” Marissa hugged her knee, rocking back and forth, trying to overcome the pain.

  “Marissa, come on. We need to keep moving. He’s going to come after us, and when he does, he won’t be nice.”

  “He killed Tony. What am I going to do?” she asked in hushed tones. Ally bent beside her, using both hands to frame Marissa’s face. Marissa gulped over the lump in her throat. They may not make it out of this warehouse alive. If Michael showed up, he would hunt them down and shoot them.

  “Think about your baby. We have to survive, don’t give up.”

  Ally wrapped her arms around Marissa and held her while she cried quietly. The door banged open at the other end of the building. Marissa jerked away from Ally. She held her breath, trying not to make a sound.

  Ally and Marissa exchanged a knowing look. They would fight together. They moved between rows of boxes, careful to make as little noise as possible. The large boxes were stacked three high in most places, hiding them from view. Marissa had difficulty breathing in the stuffy heat. She swiped at the sweat running into her eyes. If they could find a phone, they could call the police. Maybe they could make it out of here alive.

  The silence stretched out, leaving Marissa wondering where Michael was. Fear held her in place but anticipation made her want to flee. Ally caught her attention. They both raised their shoulders, questioning where their attacker had gone.

  “Maybe we should move,” Ally whispered next to Marissa’s ear.

  Marissa shook her head. Once they moved, Michael could track them. They had the advantage if they stayed still.

  A siren blasted in the distance. Marissa clenched her fists, trying to stay put when her mind encouraged her to run. Ally tapped her on the shoulder, raising her eyebrows and her shoulders. Marissa shook her head again. They would wait Michael out, making him search for them.

  Marissa and Ally both jumped when his voice rang out from the front of the warehouse. “I know you’re in here. I killed him, you know. It was easy. One shot and he was down.”

  Marissa bit hard on her hand, stifling a sob. Tony would never see this baby. Blood seeped out of the bite mark, it tasted bitter, but she didn’t let up. The pain was enough to keep her mind on track. Michael would find them and kill them both. They had to fight to survive. This baby was all she had left of Tony, and she wouldn’t let Michael Rains take that from her.

  “I know exactly where you are. Taking off your clothes won’t keep me from following your tracks. You’ll just make it easier in the end for me to get what I want. You can’t hide forever.”

  His voice sounded closer this time. Ally gripped Marissa’s shoulder with a shaky hand. Marissa looked behind them. There was one exit from this row behind them and one in front. Michael could come from either way, catching them off guard.

  “Ally, we need to have a plan,” Marissa whispered.

  “He’s not going to stop until he finds us and kills us.” Ally’s voice shook as she talked, her eyes were wide and her face blanched white.

  “Don’t talk that way. We’ll both survive. He’s not going to win.”

  “We could draw him to one of us, then the other person could come from behind and hit him,” Ally whispered, holding up the metal bar she’d picked up earlier.

  “I’ll make a move towards his voice the next time he speaks. You move in once I start talking to him and knock him out.”

  “I don’t like the idea of you being used as bait,” Ally said.

  “You’re stronger than I am. If he fights back, you have a better chance of hurting him.”

  “I still don’t like it, but I’ll do it. I won’t let you down.”

  They hugged and Marissa wondered if this would be the last time they saw each other alive. She moved to the end of the aisle and poked her head around, checking for Michael. It was clear. She clenched her fists and moved slowly, forcing her feet forward towards danger.

  “I hear you, little mouse. Soon you will be dead, just like your husband. He begged for his life as I held the gun to his head. He didn’t mention you. I thought you might like to hear that. The last thoughts from your husband were of himself, not of you.” Michael’s voice taunted.

  He was lying and she knew he was. Tony was a noble man with character and strength. He never would have begged for his life. Marissa wanted to yell the truth back to h
im, but she didn’t. She held her position a few yards from the aisle where Ally waited to attack.

  Marissa’s hands shook even though she had clenched them to her sides. The sound of her own breathing seemed too loud, but she knew her senses were magnified. Footsteps sounded near and Marissa let out a short squeal. She wondered if this was how a cornered animal felt during a hunt.

  Michael’s laugh echoed through the building. “I’m coming for you.”

  His voice was close and Marissa had a hard time staying in place. She wanted to run away from him and away from this warehouse. Sirens came closer, but they were still too far off to help them. The police had no idea which building they had gone into. It was up to her and Ally to end this.

  “Ally, I have a special surprise for you. Once I kill Marissa, I’m going to fuck you on top of her. Her bloody body will be under your naked butt when I come inside of you. Does that excite you?”

  Bile rose in Marissa’s throat. Powerless over the need to purge, she hunched over and retched on the floor. Michael laughed again, this time from behind her. He had moved quickly, sneaking around their position. Marissa wondered if he knew what they were doing. She didn’t have long to think. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, his hand rough on her bare skin. She let out a high-pitched shriek and backed away, tripping and falling once.

  “Marissa, you know this is the end. That baby inside of you will never see the light of day. I’ll kill you, just like I killed Ashley and Tony. Your entire family will die at my hands.

  “No,” Marissa cried out. The blood drained from her head. She felt weak, ready to faint, but she wouldn’t give up without a fight.

  “Where’s Ally?”

  “She ran for help.” Damn it, they were in the wrong place for Ally to sneak up behind Michael. If she moved out from her spot, he would see her and their plan would fail.

  Marissa needed to let Ally know Michael had approached from the other way. She would have to move to expose his position. Marissa backed up, moving closer to the row where Ally was standing.

  “Why don’t you stop right there?” Michael pulled his gun out from behind him. “We’ll end this now.”

  “No, I want to know why you hate Tony so much,” Marissa asked, stalling for time.

  “You know how much of an ass he is. He only thinks of himself, always taunting the weak ones. I had to prove him wrong. I got stronger, and he got weaker. I studied him for the last five years. I knew his weaknesses and exposed them all along the way. Sally Gerrig was a peach. I think I’ll find her after all this is over.”

  “I know about Sally.”

  “You don’t know shit. You white trash bimbo. Spreading your legs for Tony Santos when you could have had a better man. I’m glad Tony interrupted us so I didn’t have the chance to do you. It would have been a huge step down from my normal standards.”

  “You have no standards,” Marissa spat out.

  Michael aimed his gun at Marissa. Her heart jerked rapidly. The tingling in her hands and feet made her limbs feel disconnected. She shuffled backwards, her feet automatically moving to flee.

  “Tony has always been a prick. He taunted me before I was adopted. We lived together for a while at the boys’ home. He called me Wuss, but he was wrong. I’m not the baby, he is. I put up with so much abuse because of Tony.”

  “He didn’t abuse you,” Marissa countered, trying to keep him talking until help arrived.

  “Oh, you know nothing. He should have been the one adopted by the Carson’s. But no, I had to go. They forced me out of the orphanage, and Tony was their ringleader. The couple had picked Tony first, but he told them ‘no’, knowing they would beat me once I went home with them.” His eyes moistened and took on a faraway look. “And they did. Almost every day, they beat me, made me bleed.” His gaze jerked back to focus on Marissa once more. “Now they’re dead, just like Ashley.”

  Marissa’s body shook all over. Michael was blaming Tony for something he had no control over. He had been a child at the time, not one of the caretakers.

  “You’re wrong, Michael. Tony had nothing to do with you being adopted by one family or another.”

  “Shut up,” Michael screamed and leveled his gun once more at Marissa.

  She saw a blur of motion behind Michael. He lurched forward, but caught himself before he fell. Turning, he caught Ally in the face, knocking her to the ground. His foot connected with her head. A sickening crack echoed through the warehouse.

  Marissa whimpered, her stomach clenched, and she thought she would be sick again. Blood poured from Ally’s head. Marissa was sure she was dead.

  “You stupid fucking bitch,” Michael yelled as he kicked her again. Ally moaned and moved her legs, pushing away from the attack. He bore down on her, his face contorted in hatred.

  Anger boiled up in Marissa, making her vision blur. Running may save herself, but Ally would be dead by the time Marissa made it back with the police.

  Chapter 44

  Tony couldn’t open his eyes. His head felt split in two. For a moment, he couldn’t control his muscles, and try as hard as he might, he couldn’t sit up. Lying in the dirt wouldn’t save Marissa, but his body wouldn’t respond to his commands.

  He heard voices, but couldn’t make out who was talking.

  “We need to get him up and out of here.”

  “I’ll help you lift him.”

  Tony felt a hand on his arm, and he jerked away from the touch. His eyes popped open. Rex was in the dirt next to him.

  “Tony, you okay?” Rex asked.

  “Help me up.”

  “You aren’t going to pull me down again?”

  “Sorry about that.” Tony wiped the dirt from his hands. He grabbed onto Rex to steady himself, he didn’t want to wind up back in the dirt. “Where’s Marissa?”

  “I don’t know. I think they went across the creek,” Rex answered.

  “Have you called for another search team to hit that area?”

  “Backup is on the way. Tony, let’s get you to the EMT guys and let them patch you up.”

  “We don’t have time. Get your cell phone out of your pocket and carry your gun above your head, we’re taking a swim.”

  “Tony, you’ve been shot. You won’t be worth shit if you pass out over there.”

  Tony reached up to touch his temple and came away with blood. “Just a scratch. You let me worry about it. Marissa is over there. Janice, you coming with us?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  Tony led the team across the creek, swimming with one hand in the air. He’d lost his gun in the scuffle with Michael. He’d find a way to disable the bastard so he couldn’t hurt Marissa again.

  Exhaustion pulled at him, making him want to give up in the middle of the creek. It would be so easy to lay back and let the current take him, but Marissa was out there. She needed him.

  On the other side, they found a trail of wet footprints leading to a warehouse. They approached the building cautiously, not wanting to be ambushed by a cagey Michael Rains. He was armed and would shoot. Tony had the scrape to prove it. Rex edged the door open slowly, sliding into the warehouse with his gun drawn.

  Tony followed, the pounding of his heart echoing in his ears. He strained to hear any noise. Someone was talking. Inclining his head, he indicated for Rex and Janice to split up and search down the aisles.

  Each step drew him closer to the voices echoing through the warehouse. Michael’s voice rose as he yelled. Tony didn't catch the specific words, but he could hear the hate laced with each sound.

  Tony’s palms were sweaty and his mouth dry. His vision blurred for a moment as he thought about his wife. He prayed Marissa was still alive.

  He caught a glimpse of Rex moving between the stacks of boxes. They acknowledged each other with a nod and pointed to where they thought the voices were coming from.

  The crash of boxes against the floor urged Tony to move quicker. He rounded the end of a tall stack of crates. Rel
ief pulsed through him when he saw Marissa, alive, lying half naked on the floor, but his elation plummeted. Michael Rains stood only feet from her aiming his Glock at her head.

  “Andrew Carson,” Tony yelled out, hoping that using Michael’s real name would throw him off.

  Michael turned, his gun aimed at Tony’s chest. His eyes rounded in disbelief, then narrowed as he sighted Tony. The first blast missed, sending Tony diving for cover.

  “You just won’t go away. It doesn’t matter now, Tony, I have your wife,” Michael yelled.

  “Let her go and maybe you can walk out of here.” Tony racked his brain, trying to come up with a way to buy them some time.

  “Don’t lie, it’s unbecoming and shows a lack of character.”

  “Give it up, Michael. Just put the gun on the floor and slide it towards me.”

  “You have got to be crazy,” Michael laughed.

  Another round splintered the corner of the crate next to Tony. A sliver of wood launched itself into his arm. He gritted his teeth to keep from cursing out loud. He wouldn’t let Michael know he was hurting.

  Marissa lay behind Michael, her arm hung at an odd angle. His heart clenched. She’d been injured. He hadn’t protected her. Tony saw her move. She was creeping away from the bastard. Thank God, she’d be safe.

  Tony kept talking, trying to keep Michael focused on him. Maybe Marissa could get away and find help. All that mattered was that she and the baby survive.

  Michael fired again, and Tony ducked further behind the crate. Tony looked over the edge of the box and saw Michael moving towards his hiding spot. Marissa hadn’t left. He could see her moving behind Michael, stalking him. She ran forward, her head smacking Michael in the back. Tony watched in horror as her eyes rolled up in her head and she fell to the ground. The sound of her head hitting the concrete made him sick.

  Tony swung around the corner, ready to jump. Looking down, he saw his wife in a heap next to Michael. Rains wasn’t moving, his eyes rolled up in his head. To make sure all threats were eliminated, Tony kicked the gun away from Rains’ hand.