Fatal Vendetta

by Sharon Dunn

  He drove a few hundred yards more and then turned around on a shoulder, scanning the dark landscape until moonlight picked up the glint of metal. Either this was a trap or the other man had gotten out of the truck and was dragging Elizabeth deeper into the trees. Either way Zach had to get to her quickly.

  He killed his headlights and rolled toward where he’d seen the metal. He stopped when he figured he was close enough to be heard if a window was down in the truck.

  He clicked open the door and slid down to the ground. He left the car door open. Using the brush as cover, he made his way toward the truck, circling around to the back. The stalker would be expecting to see him approach the cab.

  He crouched and made his way to the back tire of the truck. Was the man in the truck or was he waiting in the woods, watching for the opportunity to jump Zach? Or was he already gone with Elizabeth—hauling her to some dark cave while Zach wasted time? He waited, not hearing anything.

  His heart hammered out an intense rhythm. He scooted up closer to the cab, keeping one ear tuned to the sounds around him. He’d hear the man coming through the brush if that was how the game was going to be played.

  When he peered into the cab, the front was empty. He flung open the door. Elizabeth was in the backseat, eyes wide with fear. His heart lurched just as the adrenaline kicked in. He knew the man was coming up from behind even before he heard him.

  He swung around. The man held a log that he aimed at Zach’s head. Zach ducked out of the line of trajectory but he wasn’t able to move out of the shot entirely. The log hit his shoulder. The man swung again. This one knocked Zach back against the hard metal of the truck and drove the wind out of him. He sank to the ground. The man picked him up and set him to one side before he could recover.

  Then the man got into the cab of the truck and ignited the engine. Zach bounced to his feet and took off in a run just as the truck chugged forward, managing to jump into the bed of the truck. The driver, spotting him, sped up to dangerously high speeds.

  Zach could see Elizabeth in the back of the cab fully alert. The driver cut the wheel sharply back and forth on the road trying to throw him out. He turned off the road onto what was probably a dry river bottom. The truck bounced. Zach’s teeth clamped on his tongue. He held on. A crowbar skittered past him in the bed of the truck.

  Gunning the engine, they headed back up a steep incline toward the road. Zach lost his grip and slid toward the back of the truck. His spine impacted with the metal tailgate. The crowbar slid toward him. He grabbed it.

  The truck leveled off, and he crawled back toward the cab. He leaned out to one side and hit the driver’s-side window, causing it to spiderweb. He hit it three more times. One more blow and the driver would have a glass shower to contend with. Zach hung off the side of the truck at a dangerous angle and raised the crowbar.

  The driver jerked the truck.

  Zach’s body impacted with a tree branch. He whirled through space and hit the ground hard. His vision blackened and then cleared.

  His body screamed with pain. Only his heart cried louder as he watched the glaring red taillights of the truck that held Elizabeth fade into the distance.

  * * *

  Elizabeth watched as Zach flew off the back of the truck. She lifted her head to see better as her throat constricted. She could just make out the outline of his crumpled body on the ground beneath the tree. Her heart lurched. How badly was he hurt? Was he even alive?

  He’d fought so hard to free her. She wasn’t going to give up on herself.

  She lifted her feet and kicked the back of the driver’s head. He tried to dodge out of the way, which caused the truck to swerve. She kicked again.

  He increased the speed of the truck and roared down the road.

  “Quit that.” He spoke through gritted teeth.

  She sat up and slammed her duct-taped hands down on his shoulder.

  “I said stop it, Elizabeth. Why can’t you be nice to me?”

  She wasn’t going to stop. Rage seethed through her for what the man had done to Zach. She would use her anger to escape. This man was not going to hold her captive, and he wasn’t going to kill her.

  She hit him again.

  He sped down the road at a dangerous velocity. She swayed, trying to maintain balance as he swerved.

  He hit the accelerator hard. The road clipped by, blurring the scenery. He had to be going over a hundred miles an hour. She held her breath.

  He stared straight ahead with a white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel. The anger inside the cab of the truck was almost palpable. Was he going to kill both of them?

  She cringed. Maybe she’d made a mistake in fighting back.

  The man was on edge and unstable.

  Up ahead, the road curved but he showed no sign of slowing down. She braced for impact. She wasn’t in a seat belt.

  He let off on the accelerator at the last moment, swinging into the other lane of the curve. The truck fishtailed but remained on the road.

  She was in the truck with a crazy man. What could she do? How would she get away?

  He veered off the road into a grove of trees, hitting the brakes with force.

  He pushed open the driver’s-side door, stepped out and then yanked open the crew cab door. Even in the dim light, she saw that his face was red with rage. His teeth showed in a snarl.

  She scooted as far away from him as she could on the seat.

  He pointed his finger at her. “Don’t hit me like that ever again, Elizabeth.” He sounded hurt rather than angry.

  He grabbed her foot and dragged her down the length of the seat. She tried to twist free of his grasp but she had no room to maneuver.

  He grabbed her shoulders, reached up and ripped the duct tape off her mouth.

  She thought to scream, but they had not passed anyone on the road who would hear, and it might set him off again.

  He pulled a plastic-wrapped packet out of his shirt pocket that he unfolded to reveal three pills. “Take these.”

  She shook her head.

  He folded the packet back up and put it in his pocket. His sudden calmness was eerie; the mood changes hinted at how unstable he was.

  Her muscles tensed as she watched his every move.

  He sprang on her, clamping his hands on her throat and pressing. Her world went darker than the night that surrounded her.

  * * *

  Pain seared through every muscle as Zach pushed his bruised body up. He leaned against the tree for support and pulled out his phone.

  He dialed his detective friend’s private number. Glenn picked up on the first ring.

  He didn’t even give Glenn a chance to talk. “Listen, Elizabeth Kramer has been kidnapped by that nut case. I’m out on Garrison Road not too far from the Clear Creek fishing access. They were headed due east.”

  “I’ll get a team on it.”

  He’d had the presence of mind to pay attention to the license number on the truck. “You need to run a plate for me.” He dictated the numbers. “We’ve got to figure out who this guy is and then we can figure out where he’s taken Elizabeth.”

  “I’ll get the whole force on it.”

  “We can’t move fast enough.” His voice faltered at the thought of losing Elizabeth. “When you get out this way, pick me up.”

  He clicked off the phone, praying that they weren’t already too late.

  * * *

  Elizabeth awoke feeling groggy. Her head hurt. She was on some kind of cot in a room with dark curtains. She stumbled and swayed when she stood up. Her captor must have forced the pills down her throat after he’d caused her to pass out.

  When she tried the door, it was locked. She pulled back the curtains only to discover that the windows were boarded up from the outside. The room smelled musty. She was
still barefoot.

  She heard a faint voice on the other side of the door. She pressed closer. She could make out pacing—and the way the floor shook. They were in a trailer or something with a flimsy floor.

  She only heard one voice. Her captor must be talking on the phone.

  She sank down to the floor and tuned her ear to the one-sided conversation. Judging from the tone, he was obviously upset.

  She heard a flurry of phrases. “But you said I could be with her. I don’t think it worked like you wanted... That’s not my fault.”

  It sounded like Stalker had a partner.

  The room grew silent and then she heard footsteps coming back toward the door. She jumped in the bed and pretended to be asleep.

  The door slid open. She kept her eyes shut, even though she could smell him as he stood close, a dirt-and-grease stench. His gaze was like weight on her skin. Then his hand brushed over her hair.

  Inwardly, she cringed but managed not to openly react to his touch. He placed a pair of shoes on her feet. Several minutes passed before she heard his retreating footsteps. The door clicked as the lock slid into place.

  She sat up and looked around. What was here that she could use to escape? The man had to sleep and go out for supplies sometime. The room was pretty bare-bones. Just a bed and nightstand. When she opened the drawer, she found a pen and paper, nothing else.

  She pulled back the black curtain and slid the window open. She hurried across the room and listened at the door. It sounded like the television was on. She went back to the window and pushed against the plywood. It had a little give to it, which she hoped meant it wasn’t nailed on very firmly.

  Elizabeth pushed against the plywood putting all her weight into it. The wood bowed a little but didn’t give way.

  The television went off and the distinct ringing of a phone caused her to back away from the window.

  She could hear the man stomping across the floor. He was shouting so she was able to catch most of the conversation.

  “What do you mean? That wasn’t part of the deal. You said I could have her for a while.”

  There was a long pause. And then he said something in a much lower tone. The room fell silent. After a long moment, he spoke. “I’m not a killer. That wasn’t part of the deal.”

  Elizabeth shivered.

  The door burst open. The man’s face was red with rage. He grabbed her arm. “You’re coming with me.”

  She pulled away and dashed for the open door, running through a small living room and twisting the knob to the outside door. He came up behind her just as the door swung open. She spied a baseball bat by the door, picked it up and swung it at his head. The man reeled backward and collapsed to the floor, still conscious but clearly in pain.

  She jumped down the stairs. She was surrounded by forest. No chance of calling for help. She took off running. A quick check in the cab of the truck revealed that the keys were not in the ignition. Her gaze darted toward the open door of the trailer. The man still hadn’t recovered. She swung open the truck door, flipped down the visor and felt for the keys. No luck.

  Her attacker was on his feet now, looming in the doorway. She took off running toward the forest. He wouldn’t be able to follow her in the truck. He was a big man, hopefully not very fast. She prayed she could outrun him.

  FOURTEEN

  Zach gripped the armrest of the police SUV. The tension in his body and his racing thoughts made it hard to pray. The police car seemed to be moving at a snail’s pace toward the remote area in the forest where the stalker apparently lived. At least they’d let him ride along. The license plate on the truck had given them a name and address. Kenny Davis, a man with a history of mental illness, part-time construction worker and hunting guide.

  They rounded a curve, and the trailer came into view. The door to the trailer was open as was the door to the truck. The two officers in the front seat piled out with their weapons drawn as did the men in the police car behind them. Zach jumped out of the SUV, crouched close to it and surveyed the area.

  Two of the officers stormed into the trailer. The third officer peered into the truck while the fourth searched around the building.

  The two officers emerged from the trailer, shoulders slumped, weapons no longer drawn. He could guess at what had transpired based on the open doors. Elizabeth had escaped the trailer and then tried—and failed—to leave in the truck.

  What he didn’t know was if she’d been caught by Kenny or not. The truck was still here. So she must’ve run where a truck couldn’t go.

  Zach headed toward the forest. The officers knew he wasn’t going to sit idly by while Elizabeth might be fighting for her life. They could follow him or not. He didn’t care. All he wanted was to find Elizabeth alive.

  He came to the edge of the woods and looked over his shoulder just in time to see Neil Thompson’s news van pulling up. Oh, great.

  One of the other officers caught up with him. “We’re minutes behind them. One of the burners in the trailer was still warm. I’m going to see if I can get some chopper support. The officers here will enter the forest twenty yards apart to do a search.”

  Zach turned a half circle taking in the terrain. “If they’d headed out in the open country, we’d see them. Wherever they are, the choppers won’t be able to spot them. I’m going to help look for her.”

  The officer patted Zach on the back, indicating that he was fine with that.

  Zach knew the risk he was taking. Kenny was unstable, and he was probably armed. Zach didn’t care. His yearning to make sure Elizabeth was alive and safe overtook any fear he had. Knowing that she might be hurt created a hollow space inside him. He loved her even if she couldn’t love him back.

  He headed into the forest, praying they weren’t too late.

  * * *

  Elizabeth ran as fast as she dared across the rough terrain. The wooded area had quickly given way to rocky outcroppings. She glanced over her shoulder. Her stalker was in clear view and closing in on her.

  She jumped around a scattering of rocks and searched the landscape for the clearest path. Her foot caught on a rock. She stumbled but righted herself before she did a face-plant.

  Her attacker was twenty yards behind her. Close enough that if he had had a gun he could have shot her.

  Up ahead, she could see more forest and easier footing. She took careful quick steps over a slab of rock. She ran faster when her feet hit solid ground. Once in the forest, she came to a marked trailhead and bolted up it, though she knew she’d have to veer off the trail at the first opportunity to evade her pursuer.

  She pushed herself up the terraced trail where bare tree roots formed steps.

  “Elizabeth, don’t run away from me.” The agony-filled voice came from below her. She pushed hard up the steep landscape, seeking for an opening in the trees that would allow her to disappear from her stalker’s line of sight.

  The trail rounded a curve so the view from below was limited. She darted back into the trees, losing all sense of direction. Finding a road or a river to follow out would come later. Right now she needed to put distance between herself and her pursuer.

  The climb was steep. She steadied herself by holding on to the narrow lodgepole pines that grew in the hillside. Her legs burned from the effort and she fought for breath.

  Just get away from him.

  After she worked her way up the hill, she stopped to catch her breath. The breaking of branches drew her attention. Before she could absorb what it indicated, hands with an iron grip clamped on to her arm.

  Her stalker’s face was very close to hers. “Did you think I don’t know these woods?” He yanked her even closer. “Every shortcut. Every side trail. I live here.”

  Her heart thudded in her chest. She fought against rising terror. He was ten times stronger than
her. She had to win this battle by manipulating his mind, playing on his obsession with her. “Please, I’m so sorry I ran away.”

  “Sure you are. You’re bad, Elizabeth.”

  “I’ll do what you say. I promise.”

  “It’s too late for that.” He jerked her up the mountain.

  She scanned the area around her. If she could just get away for a second, she could pick up a rock or a stick.

  “You hurt me, Elizabeth. You hurt me bad.” His voice filled with rage. “I don’t want to do this to you.” In an instant, his voice indicated pain. “But I have to keep my word.”

  He dragged her up the hill. Something seemed to have shifted for him. She remembered the phone conversation where it had sounded as if he was taking orders from someone. “Whatever you have planned, you don’t have to go through with it.”

  “I wanted us to be together. Why couldn’t you just be good, Elizabeth? At least we can die together.”

  His words chilled her to the bone, but her mind remained clear. She planted her feet and tried to pull away. He tightened his grip on her arm. Her skin burned from the pressure.

  “What’s going on? Is someone making you do this?”

  His expression grew dark, and he slapped her face. She doubled over from the pain. He pulled her up the hill as her feet dragged along the forest floor.

  “Did somebody put you up to this? Maybe I can help you.”

  His tone softened a little. “I know the game you’re playing. I thought you were a good girl, Elizabeth.”

  She tried to twist away. He dumped her on the ground. She turned first to the hill they’d just climbed and then to the sudden drop off and the jagged rocks below. Her heart beat even faster. She saw in his eyes what he intended.

  “I have no choice. You’re bad. You didn’t do what you were supposed to do.”

  She flipped over and crawled away, struggling to get to her feet. He grabbed her collar and yanked her back toward the edge of the sheer drop-off.

  He swung her around. She stared down the steep incline. Every muscle in her body had turned to stone.