by D. B. Henson
Toni closed the photo album.
She had to find out exactly what was going on before it was too late. What if she confronted Gloria? Pretended to have proof that Brian murdered Scott with Gloria’s help? Maybe Toni could get her to confess, convince her to talk to the police. She could point out the fact that if Gloria turned herself in, she could arrange some type of plea bargain.
A clap of thunder reverberated through the house and the computer screen went blank. Shadows invaded the room that had been brightly lit only a moment before. The power was out. A shiver danced down the back of Toni’s neck. Although the security system had a battery back up, the darkness filled her with an overwhelming sense of vulnerability.
What if it hadn’t been the storm that knocked out the electricity?
What if someone had cut the power line? What if they had somehow disarmed the security system?
Come on. Get a grip You're just being stupid.
She picked up the phone to see if it was still working. She was relieved to hear a dial tone. She punched in the number for Mark’s cell phone. After a few rings, his voice mail answered. She decided to leave another message.
“Mark, I need to talk to you. It’s extremely important. Please call me the minute you get this.”
With the power off, she no longer felt safe.
She told herself she was being silly, that it was nothing a few candles wouldn’t fix. But her fear continued to grow along with the shadows. She felt an overpowering urge to get out of the house. She wanted to talk to Gloria again. Now was as good a time as any.
Toni fished around in Scott’s desk until she found his mini voice recorder. She checked to make sure the batteries were still good. After slipping on a lightweight jacket, she grabbed an umbrella and headed out to the garage. Despite the four windows facing the front lawn, the gloom here was even denser.
She tossed her belongings onto the passenger seat and then walked to the rear of her car. With the electricity out, she would have to raise the garage door by hand. As she opened the door, a gust of wind caught her jacket. It billowed out behind her like a ship’s sail.
Pulling the jacket tight around her, she scanned the lawn. Satisfied that no one was lurking outside, she got into her car. Cascades of rain pummeled her windshield as she drove onto the street. Lightning split the sky ahead followed by jarring thunder. The storm showed no signs of letting up any time soon.
As she reached the end of her street and turned right, Toni tried to think of a way to persuade Gloria to open up to her. She would have to be careful of what she said. She had to make Gloria believe that there was plenty of evidence against her. But she couldn’t say too much or Gloria would know she was lying. Just enough to hook her. Then she would let Gloria do the talking. Let her hang herself.
And Toni would capture the whole confession on the recorder.
Toni’s head jerked as the car behind her rammed into her back bumper. Steadying the wheel with both hands, she checked her rearview mirror. She saw a green sedan, four circles intertwined on the hood. An Audi. The windows were tinted enough that she couldn’t tell who was driving. Considering the careless way the sedan was traveling on the wet pavement, it was probably some idiot trying to send a text message. It seemed a little early in the day for it to be a drunk.
Leaves and small branches, ripped from the trees by the storm, littered the narrow road that wound through the rolling hills. To her left lay fenced pasture, to her right, a thick grove of cedars and oaks. Toni put on her blinker and started looking for a safe place to pull over. As she slowed, the car slammed into her again.
This was no accident.
Toni stomped on the gas, accelerating as fast as she dared on the slick winding road. The Audi matched her speed, clinging tight to her tail. The rain continued to hammer her windshield blurring the way ahead.
She was scared to drive any faster in this weather, but what choice did she have? If she slowed down, the Audi would run her off the road. She could pull into the next driveway, but then she would risk getting shot like Dana. And if she stopped at a house, she might end up putting someone else's life in danger as well.
She thought about calling 911 on her cell phone, but it was in her purse on the passenger’s seat. At the speed she was driving, she was afraid to take her eyes off the road long enough to find the phone, let alone dial the number.
She only had one option.
At the bottom of the next hill, the road curved sharply to the left before crossing over the Cherokee River. A few miles past the bridge, the road connected with a busy four-lane highway. If she could reach the highway, she might be able to lose the Audi in traffic. Then she could drive straight to the police station.
She glanced in her rearview mirror. The sedan was mere inches from her bumper. Any closer and they would be touching. As she mounted the hill, Toni pushed the accelerator to the floor, trying to put distance between her car and the Audi. She needed to shake the sedan from her tail before she reached the top. Once there, she knew she would have to let off the gas, reduce her speed enough to round the tight curve before the bridge.
As if reading her mind, the Audi barreled ahead, closing the gap.
Her hands clammy, Toni tightened her grip on the steering wheel while keeping her foot nailed to the floor. As she crested the hill, she eased off the gas. The sedan lurched forward and butted her bumper. Once, then twice. Her reflexes told her to speed up, but that was impossible. She had to slow down or she would never make the curve.
Toni pressed on the brake.
The Audi struck her again, this time retaining contact with her car, pushing her down the hill. The sedan obviously planned to shove her off the road and into the river. She continued to ride the brake, but with the sedan bearing on her, she realized she was still going too fast.
As they neared the bottom of the hill, the Audi swerved into the oncoming lane and plowed into Toni’s side. Her car careened out of control, skidding across the wet pavement. She fought to stay on the road. Through the pelting rain, she saw the curve and the bridge in front of her. Even as she braked, she knew it was too late.
Toni’s car tore through the guardrail and the airbag exploded in her face.
CHAPTER 20
The Audi stopped halfway across the bridge.
With the engine idling, the driver waited and watched Toni’s car sink into the murky waters of the river. The Audi’s dashboard clock counted off the minutes, one, two, and then three, as the BMW floated downstream, spun around, and then descended nose first. By the time six minutes had elapsed, even the faint glow from the car’s headlights had disappeared.
For the driver, there was no thrill in the killing. But like the others that came before, no sadness either. Motivated by self-preservation, it was simply a task that had to be completed.
The driver glanced back at the street. The headlights of an oncoming car flashed through the trees lining the next curve. Shifting the sedan into gear, the driver rolled across the bridge. There was no need to risk drawing attention to the Audi or to the damaged guardrail. And continuing to watch the BMW was unnecessary.
If Toni hadn’t escaped by now, there was no way she could survive.
Mark swiveled around in his chair and stared out the rain-streaked window. From his vantage point on the fourth floor, he had a clear view across the street, crowded with rush-hour traffic, of the historic church on the corner. The high winds from the storm had shattered several of the church’s upper stained-glass windows. A group of men on scaffolding worked in the cold drizzle covering the area of missing panes with plastic sheeting. Above their heads, the steeple stretched upward against the gunmetal sky.
Mark rotated toward his desk and picked up the phone message from Toni. His secretary had scribbled the note, marked urgent, three hours earlier. Since the time he returned to his office, Mark had made several attempts to reach Toni. All he got was her voice mail and answering machine.
He dialed her mobile number one
last time. After hearing the familiar greeting, he decided to leave another message.
“Hi, it’s me again. I’ll be working late tonight so you can call me at the office. Or if you’re free, you can swing by. We can order some take out. Talk to you later.”
He put down the phone, folded the message in half and tapped it against his desk. He hoped Toni wasn’t still upset with him. He remembered the fire that had flashed in her eyes right before she stomped out of his office the previous day.
She would be forever loyal to Scott’s memory and she expected everyone else to be too. She was even afraid to admit to herself that she was angry with him for leaving her. She was unable to place the blame where it belonged, on Scott’s own shoulders.
There was no way she could be objective now. But eventually she would realize Scott wasn’t as perfect as he had seemed.
Mark turned back to the window. With the plastic sheeting in place, the workers across the street had begun to tear down their scaffolding. In a few weeks, they would install new stained glass and the church where Toni had planned to marry Scott would be as beautiful as it had always been.
Mark knew Toni had her own storm to weather. But once it was over, she would emerge stronger than before. She would be able to move on and open up her heart again. But as anxious as he was for that day to come, he had to be careful not to push her. Cultivating a deeper relationship would take time and patience. No doubt several months would pass before she would allow herself to consider anything beyond friendship. It might even take a year or more. It didn’t matter.
Whenever she was ready, he intended to be there.
By the time Toni came to, water had flooded the car all the way to her waist. The icy surge cut through her jeans chilling her to the core. But as her mind cleared, it was the realization of what had happened and exactly where she was that caused her body to tremble. Her BMW had soared off the road and plunged into the river. The silty haze outside the windshield told her the front end of the car was fully submerged.
Everything around her was in silhouette, framed by shadows as dense and murky as the river itself. Even the bright white fabric of the deflated airbag now appeared dingy gray.
Trying to remain calm, she unlatched her seatbelt and then reached for the window control. She jabbed the button, but nothing happened. She tried again, pressing all the buttons. Then she slammed her fist against the controls.
“Dammit, roll down!”
It was no use. The windows remained closed.
She remembered watching part of an accident survival television program a few weeks earlier on the Discovery Channel. The show included instructions on how to escape from a vehicle that was trapped underwater. At the time, she had been half listening and now the details were foggy. If she had known she would some day find herself in the same situation, she would have paid more attention. One thing she did recall was that the water pressure outside the vehicle needed to be equal to that inside before the doors would open.
Although the car had not yet filled with water, she whispered a silent prayer and tried to unlock the door. She struggled with the latch, but the door remained locked. Toni realized the electrical system had shorted out.
There was no way to get the doors open now.
The water continued to rise, rushing in with the sound and force of jets in a whirlpool tub. The deluge brought with it a dank scent that reminded Toni of rotting leaves. Of death and decay.
The river had buried her alive.
She fought the panic that was growing inside her.
“I will not die here. Not like this.”
With the water level now at her chest, Toni braced herself against the driver’s seat and steering wheel and then kicked the passenger’s side window as hard as she could. The sole of her loafers made a dull thud as they contacted with the glass. The window refused to budge.
She kicked the window a second and then a third time, but the glass held firm.
Frustrated, she shed her jacket and crawled between the seats into the rear of the car. The water seemed to be rising faster now. It lapped at her chin, threatening to invade her mouth and nostrils.
She pressed her lips together, but still managed to taste the bitter swill. She swallowed, then pushed her tongue against her teeth and fought the urge to vomit. It wasn’t so much the taste of the dirty river that sickened her. It was the thought of the water forcing its way into her lungs, stealing the life from her body.
Toni shook the image from her mind, and grabbed hold of the passenger’s seat headrest. Pressing her back against the driver’s seat for leverage, she took a deep breath. Trying unsuccessfully to keep her nose above water, she kicked repeatedly at the rear passenger window. The water resistance weakened the thrust of the blows, making her efforts useless.
Tears crept into her eyes. There was no way out. The water had almost completely filled the interior of the car.
Finding an air pocket in the rear corner of the passenger’s side, Toni pushed her face against the roof.
Memories of her childhood streamed through her mind. A Christmas morning before her mother left. Her parents sitting next to her by the tree singing Jingle Bells. The smell of her mother’s perfume. Vanilla with a hint of spice. The time she got lost in the department store when she was five. The agony of feeling all alone, and then the relief that swept through her when at last she ran into her mother’s waiting arms.
There was her first kiss from Bobby Holland. Her sixteenth birthday party and her first prom. Her high school graduation. Her father’s death. And meeting Scott. Finding a love stronger than any she had ever known. And then losing him as well.
Scott’s face drifted before her.
Was it the same for him when he died? Did he think of her in those last few seconds? Or was his fall to the ground too fast for memories? Did he feel pain? Or was he overcome with numbness the way she was now?
Did he curse his killer? Or did he whisper his forgiveness?
Unlike Scott, she had not seen the person responsible for her death. Had Brian been the one driving the car? Or was it someone else? Would she ever know? Did the afterlife allow you the comfort of that knowledge? And here, in this earthly life, would that person go free?
There was no one left to question the reasons for her death. No one who would believe it was anything more than an accident on a rain-slick road. And with Toni gone, there would be no one to bring Scott’s killer to justice.
Brian would live out the rest of his life as if nothing had happened. Using Scott’s money instead of earning his own. He might even end up hurting someone else if they got in his way.
She couldn’t let that happen.
She couldn’t just wait here to die. She had to fight.
She would kick the window again with all her strength. She would keep kicking until there was no air left. If only she had worn heels instead of loafers. Then she would be able to crack the glass.
And then it dawned on her.
That was it! She could use her umbrella.
The end of the small folding umbrella had a metal tip similar to a center punch. Leaving the sanctuary of the air pocket, Toni dove beneath the water. Not wanting to open her eyes, she felt her way between the seats and into the front compartment of the car. The crash had hurled her belongings from the passenger seat. She found the contents of her purse scattered across the floorboard.
She touched the various objects, identifying them in her mind. Her cell phone, useless now. Her wallet and checkbook. A hairbrush. Where was the umbrella? She knew it had been beside her purse before the accident. When she reached under the seat, her fingers closed around the handle.
Her lungs burning, Toni returned to the rear of the car. The air pocket had grown smaller. The river was squeezing out the remaining bits of life. She knew this would be it. Her last chance.
Taking a final breath from the pocket, Toni plunged back into the water. Holding the umbrella with both hands, she rammed the point against the rear
passenger window. The sharp clack of the blow reverberated through the car, but the glass remained intact. Firming her grip on the umbrella, she struck again. This time, the window shattered around her. After knocking out the remaining shards, Toni swam through the opening.
At last, she was free.
CHAPTER 21
With her lungs threatening to explode, Toni broke the surface of the river.
She gulped the fresh air and struggled to keep her head above water as the current pushed her downstream. Where was the driver of the Audi? Was he watching from the riverbank, waiting to finish the job he had started?
Something clawed at her leg.
She kicked hard and spun around, expecting to see a man in a wetsuit ready to clamp his hands around her arms and drag her under. But there was no one there. As the river carried her backward around a bend, she looked up toward the bridge.
The road appeared deserted.
Fighting the current, she swam toward the shore. The river drained her strength. She could feel her body growing weaker by the second. She kept her eyes focused on the bank, praying she would make it.
After several agonizing minutes, her foot struck bottom. The water was no longer over her head. She tried to stand, but the current was too swift. As the river continued to shove her further downstream, she inched closer to the bank.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a tree branch hanging low over the water. She thrust forward, stretched out her arms, and grabbed hold of the limb. The rough bark bit into her wet palms. The pain shot through her hands, but she didn’t dare let go.
Toni clung to the branch for several minutes. The current pounded against her and threatened to knock her loose. She took long deep breaths and tried to summon the strength to pull herself onto the shore, but her arms felt limp and useless.
