by H. L. Wegley
“How can you even think about—just go, Jenn!”
“My right coat pocket.”
He reached in and pulled out Jennifer’s .38. “Where’s the safety?”
“It’s a Smith & Wesson—no safety. Pull the trigger it shoots. I shot twice at the mill.”
He looked at the gun in his hands. “So I have four shots left?”
“Three.”
“A five shooter? This is no time for jokes.”
“Three shots, Lee. Make them count. I forgot to bring my box of ammo. By the way, what’s the plan?”
“We didn’t make one for this contingency.”
She shot him a glance. “Don’t you think we ought to?”
“OK. You drive like crazy towards Forks, and I’ll try to hold them off until we get cell reception.”
“Not good enough. We could get cell reception, get Peterson on the line, and still get killed.”
“OK. Here’s the plan.”
“I’ve heard that line before.”
He ignored the reminder. “You try to stay ahead of them. Don’t let them cut us off. If they get too close, I’ll try to blast out their windshield. If we can hold them off until we contact the Forks police, we’ll be OK.”
“What if they start shooting…like those goons last March?”
The road spray behind them formed a swirling cloud of mist.
“The storm will help us. As much as I’d like to, I probably can’t take out the shooter.”
“Hang on. No telling what I may have to do.”
“I’ve heard that before, too.” He had, but this was different from last March. Much different.
Rain still came down in sheets. It built up on the road surface.
Her SUV slid to the left. Jennifer pulled the wheel to the left. She over-steered. Her vehicle swung like a pendulum from left to right until it reached equilibrium.
“Well, that’s the limit. At fifty miles-per-hour we start hydroplaning. I hope Trader and his goons in that white SUV are having the same problem.”
“They’re keeping up with us. But so far, they’re not sticking any guns out the windows. I’m not sure how to interpret that. “
A short way ahead, the highway turned ninety degrees and ran parallel to the beach.
Jennifer cut to the inside of the sharp turn.
The vehicle skidded out of control. It crossed the centerline and slid sideways into the left lane.
She coaxed her SUV out of the slide, regaining control at the left edge of the roadway, and then eased the vehicle back to the right lane. “Sorry.”
“Are you OK?”
“As good as I can be.”
“You don’t look as panicky as you did seven months ago.”
“It’s called experience. I’m going to try to open up a lead while the road is straight.”
They sailed past Kalaloch at sixty miles-per-hour, on the verge of losing control. The windshield wipers slapped out an allegro tempo, but couldn’t clear the driving rain from the glass.
At the first gap in the trees, a gust of wind pushed them onto the right shoulder.
Jennifer slowed and coaxed the vehicle back into the middle of the lane.
The white SUV took advantage of the wind gust and closed within a few car lengths.
“It’s almost noon. We’re nearing the onset of the hurricane-strength winds,” Lee said. “Watch the gaps. A big gust could push us into the ditch. Maybe flip us.”
“I would drive in the left lane, but I can’t see far enough ahead.”
“Hug the centerline and brace yourself for the gusts. That’s all you can do. I’m watching the guys on our tail. So far they’re just sticking close, not sticking out guns.”
“Please keep the gun ready, Lee. They won’t wait forever.”
A muffled gunshot sounded. The ripping sound of lead tearing through metal came from inches above his head.
“Lee, what’s going on? I don’t see the shooter.”
“Oh, no! They have a sunroof—rather a rain roof. A lot of rain in his face, but he can aim better up there than hanging out a window.”
“I’ll keep him busy,” Jennifer replied. “You take him out.”
Jennifer slowed, but swerved from side to side, trying to spoil the gunman’s aim without losing control. Her tactic seemed to be working.
The gunman hadn’t fired a second burst.
“I’ve got to stop him, or we won’t make it much farther. I’ll try the windshield.”
“Remember, you’ve only got three shots.”
“I’m well aware of that.” He powered his window down, and then leaned out, offering his head as a target. He prayed he was hidden by the heavy spray created by the wheels and the turbulent wake of the vehicle.
The white SUV drew nearer.
Lee aimed for the windshield.
The gunman popped up from the sunroof.
Lee squeezed the trigger. His shot went into the top of the windshield.
The gunman’s hands flew to his face.
The rifle disappeared through the rain, the spray, and the fog.
“I hit the top of the windshield. The glass sprayed his face. I think he dropped his rifle.”
“Good job. But I’ll bet they have other guns.”
“If so, they might only be pistols. They’ll need to get closer to use them, but that gives me a better shot.”
“There’s the Ruby Beach sign. I’ve got an idea. Hang on tight. Really tight.”
What was she up to? A sharp right turn lay directly ahead, and then a hairpin turn angled back the other direction. He waited for her to slow down.
She didn’t.
“Our spray is killing their visibility.” Her gaze darted from the windshield to the side mirror. “I’m going to sucker them into the turn.”
“Jenn, please don’t overdo the sucker part.”
Her SUV flew into the curve on the right edge of the pavement at much too high a speed. She didn’t turn the wheel or slow until she reached the turn. It was a calculated risk, but a clever tactic.
Using the full width of the road, all the way to the far left shoulder, she would gain about fifty yards of paved braking room. At this speed, was that enough?
When she entered the turn, she shifted down to low range, throwing Lee forward in his seat.
Smart girl. No brake lights to warn them.
Jennifer pushed hard on the brakes.
He prayed her vehicle’s tires and its anti-lock braking system were up to the task.
They slowed, and then went into a slide. Jennifer corrected for the slide but over-steered. They skidded back to the other side. One quick correction and Jennifer had them sliding straight again. But the drop-off beyond the left edge of the roadway rushed at them. Jennifer held the wheel straight as they continued to slow.
“Jenn, no!”
She pulled the wheel to the right and hit the gas. With wheels spinning, the rear of the car swung to the left. She pulled her foot from the gas pedal leaving them safe on the inside of the coming hairpin turn.
Behind them, the white SUV spun end-for-end.
Lee lost sight of it before he could tell how it fared.
At best, the thugs would stay on the road, probably facing the wrong direction. At worst, they’d roll down the steep bank.
Jennifer had bought them at least a half-mile lead with twenty-nine miles to reach Forks and twenty-six to reach cell range.
“Good job, sweetheart. Now let’s leave them in the dust.”
“Dust? You’ve got to be kidding.”
He looked at the sheets of windblown rain and the cloud of spray behind them, still wondering about the fate of the white SUV.
11
Lee’s arm hung down to the floorboard like a wet noodle with a revolver hanging on it.
What Jennifer had just accomplished was incredible.
But they would need more than witty heroics to make it to Forks alive.
Jennifer blew out a blast of air. “W
hy do you suppose there was no more gunfire?”
“I’m guessing there were only two people in the car and only one shooter, because he stopped after I shot at him. Maybe I blinded him with shrapnel, or hit him with a ricocheting bullet. Regardless, you need to—”
“I know. Keep our lead all the way to Forks.”
The loud smack of a bullet hitting the back of Jennifer’s SUV drove him down in his seat like a nine-pound sledge. “Make that temporarily blinded him. Tell me when there’s a right turn coming. That’ll give me a good shot.”
“I won’t know until we enter it. I can only see about thirty—we entered it.”
He powered his window down.
The white vehicle was off to his right.
He aimed for the windshield and squeezed off the shot.
The SUV fell back out of sight, obscured by the driving rain and the heavy road spray.
“Where did they go? I can’t see them in my mirror.”
“Dropped back. I hit their windshield, but I think we just slowed them down. We’ve got a bit of lead now.”
“Check the bullets. We can’t afford any one-off errors.”
He pushed the latch and inspected the open cylinder. “There’s only one left.”
“If they get close again, you better use it. We’ve been lucky so far. They haven’t hit anything vital.”
“You mean like us?”
“Or our gas tank, or tires, or—”
“I get the point. I’ll shoot before they do.”
“Please do.”
****
Jennifer concentrated on navigating the wet, winding road for several miles. When they approached the last straight stretch before reaching the Hoh River, a white, ghost-like image of a vehicle appeared in the side mirror. “I think I saw them. I’m guessing they’ll try to stop us on the bridge.”
She would have to reach the narrow bridge before the white vehicle. How hard could she press on the accelerator? Only a slight push and the vehicle hydroplaned. “They’re closer now. But I’ll make sure we beat them to the bridge.”
“Please do. Last bullet, Jenn. Do you want to hit the brakes and let me have a really close shot?”
“I don’t want to do that. They would get a close shot, too, and they’re not leaning out trying to shoot behind them.”
“OK. Let’s pray this one hits right in front of the driver.”
When the white SUV moved within three car lengths, Lee leaned out the window, aimed, and fired. The undulating road bounced, spoiling his aim.
Their pursuers didn’t fall back. Instead, they sped up.
“I missed. They’re still gaining. It’s all up to you now.”
“Thanks. I didn’t need any more pressure.”
“I trust you, Jenn. We both trust God. We need to lose them. So go for it.”
“That’s easy to say from the passenger’s seat.”
The Hoh River Bridge lay in front of them. Jennifer accelerated towards it, but the car fishtailed. She pulled the gear shift down to low range, decelerating as they crossed the narrow bridge.
“The road goes right. Then the big bend back to the left.”
“I know.” She slid safely through the dogleg right, shoved the gear shift back to drive, and hit the gas when they entered the horseshoe bend.
“There’s a passing lane up the hill. They’ll try something there, for sure.”
“I know that, too.”
Partway into the curve, the road began its ascent out of the river gorge.
“Lee, they’re coming around us in the passing lane.”
“Cut him off!”
“I’m trying!”
Her battle for position seemed like a slow-motion final lap in a car race. She was in the lead, but wasn’t at all sure she had the fastest car.
When the road finally straightened, they were still climbing, but the white SUV had pulled alongside. Then, it moved ahead and nudged their car.
She anticipated the maneuver and bumped back.
Neither vehicle won the duel on the first joust.
The white SUV driver completely disregarded the possibility of oncoming traffic and stayed in the left lane after the passing lane ended. His gamble was paying off. Their driver engaged her SUV with its side, steadily shoving them off the right side of the road.
“Hoh Rainforest Road!” She jammed on the brakes.
Her maneuver disengaged the other vehicle. They slid onto the small, paved road that snaked nearly twenty miles into the Hoh Rainforest.
The brake lights of the white SUV disappeared into the rain and road spray as it overshot the turn.
The goons would turn around and pursue them.
Of that, she was certain.
****
They were safe, for the moment.
But Lee knew this road. Where it ended, danger began.
More danger than just a white SUV.
“Jenn, you just picked the rainiest spot in North America.”
“Sorry. I didn’t exactly have a choice.”
“There’s a dead end in eighteen miles.”
“I know. I said I’m sorry.”
Tears welled in her eyes. This smart, tough girl—the one who was all heart—was losing it, and he had only made things worse, like a stupid jerk.
A freaked out jerk, but still a stupid jerk.
“Jennifer.” He draped an arm over her shoulders. “If I could pick anyone in the world to have behind the wheel in this situation, I’d take you. I love you. I’ve seen what you can do. Let’s beat those idiots to the end of the road. If we can hack our way through all of the moss, we’ll run up the trail and lose them on the mountain.”
Jennifer grabbed his hand and kissed it. She gripped the wheel, clenched her jaw, and mashed the accelerator to the floor.
12
Lee ran through several escape scenarios as he watched Jennifer navigate the paved section of the Upper Hoh Rainforest Road.
She skillfully drove through the narrow, winding portion leading to the road’s end at the Hall of Mosses.
A crash and a thump came from behind them. A large, cedar tree now blocked the road, evidence of the arrival of hurricane-strength winds.
Would the tree block the White SUV?
He powered his window down and stuck his head out to survey the situation. “It looks like they can drive around the tree, but it’ll buy us a little more time. Hurry. There’s the exhibit building.”
Jennifer drove to the far end of the parking area and braked. She pulled up the hood of her raincoat and grabbed the keys.
He jumped out of the passenger door and raced to her side. He didn’t want her to face any part of this ordeal alone.
Which branch of the trail followed the Hoh River? He wasn’t sure.
Two hundred yards behind them, a white SUV wove its way through a stand of cedars as it bypassed the fallen tree.
“Let’s go. They’re closer than we thought.”
She took his hand and they loped along the lower fork of the trail.
Louder than the droning of the wind and the splattering of raindrops, a deep, ominous rumble came from the direction of the river.
When they rounded a bend in the trail, the source of the noise lay a few yards down the trail.
Lord, help us.
The deluge dumped on the rainforest by the Pineapple Express tried to obey the law of gravity, using the Hoh River as its conduit. The water tore through the earth and vegetation like Niagara Falls turned on edge.
The trail became a raging torrent fifty yards ahead. The raging torrent became an earth-eating monster, roaring as it devoured a foot of riverbank every few seconds, exposing the roots of the towering Sitka spruce lining the riverbank.
Trees normally yards from the stream swayed in the fierce gusts of wind, and then gave up their claim on the soil when the remaining roots cracked sharply. Overcome by the raw forces at work, the trees fell, accompanied by a cacophonic symphony composed by a demon.
Or maybe, the devil himself.
Jennifer clung to him when the next tree died with a piercing crack. It fell with a deep boom—so deep Lee could feel it reverberate in his chest.
The crown of the tree splashed into the river, spraying water fifty yards to the southwest, into the wind. The howling gale blew it straight back at them.
The water stung his face, but Jennifer’s face was buried in his chest.
Lee stood, staring in wonder at the sheer force of the wind and the roaring water until Jennifer looked up at him and shouted, “What now?”
Lee cupped his hands around his mouth and spoke into her ear. “Losing them on the mountain is out. We’ve got only a minute or so until they arrive with their guns.”
He studied the fall of the next tree. “Jenn, are you willing to gamble your life on my gut feeling as a meteorologist?”
“If I don’t, we’re dead anyway. That’s no gamble. I trust you.”
****
“Only God or a madman could come up with that, Lee.”
Despite their circumstances, her comment struck him as funny. “Well, it’s clear what you think about me.”
She clung to him as if she wanted her body to merge with his. “I know we have to try it. But please stay close, really close, to me. I’m not sure I can do this.”
“I won’t let go. Let’s move behind the bushes so they can’t see us.”
His watch said 1:30.
Another big spruce crashed into the river.
He timed the falling of the tree with his second hand.
The teeth of the windstorm were now biting the Olympic Peninsula.
Noon on Sunday.
So much for my line in the sand.
Whenever Trader or his goons rounded the bend, they would be mesmerized for a few seconds by the fury on display in front of them.
He counted on that brief delay, the difference between life and death for Jennifer and him.
He pulled Jennifer’s hood back, exposing her ear. “When I pull you, we’re going to run behind those bushes. We’ll hide there until the right moment.”
She glanced at the river and her whole body shook. This was her worst fear, a phobia about wild, raging water.
“That’s right beside the river. I can’t do that.”
