Broken Trust

by Shannon Baker

  It wasn’t gear. That was Cole’s green coat. She couldn’t detect any blood but her vantage point wasn’t good. Daniel must have shot him!

  Nora cast around for a weapon. She crawled a few feet to a pile of rocks under the snow. Moving with as much stealth as possible, Nora pushed herself up. With her broken arm hugged to her side, she bent down and picked the biggest rock she could hold. It would have to do.

  Ten minutes ago she’d have stayed hidden in darkness. Now she crept forward in half light. She faced Petal and Daniel in slow motion, praying that Petal wouldn’t give her away when she noticed.

  Petal’s eyes flicked to Nora and widened slightly. She refocused on Daniel and thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice.

  Nora slid another foot forward, arm raised, ready to lunge in and smash the rock on Daniel’s head. It wouldn’t be enough to knock him out but it should throw him off balance so Nora could tackle him to the ground.

  She couldn’t fight him at the Trust with two good arms so she’d need a miracle to stop him now. It all rested on Petal. With any luck, Petal would come to her senses and help. Once they had Daniel contained, Nora could hold the gun on him and see to Cole while Petal disabled Sylvia’s doomsday machine.

  It was a plan. Not a good one, but a plan.

  One more step. She tensed, ready to spring.

  Whether he noticed the slight change in Petal or heard Nora’s movement, Daniel’s instincts kicked in. He glanced over his shoulder.

  Nora didn’t hesitate. She yelled and jumped forward, bringing the rock down with all her strength.

  The blow landed squarely on Daniel’s head, bounced off his ski cap, hit a shoulder of well-padded down, rebounded up, and skidded off his arm. It caused no more damage than if she’d spit at him.

  “What?” he demanded before Nora plowed into him. She screamed at the jolt of fire in her arm.

  He outweighed her and was a whole lot stronger, but she couldn’t back down. Everything depended on her. She crashed into him. They tumbled backward and landed in the snow. The gun sailed behind them.

  Despite ending up beneath her, Daniel gained the advantage. He grabbed her arms and she howled in pain. He held her arms and looked up at her. Desperation lined his face. “Stop. You don’t understand.”

  “You want to destroy the rainforest and kill thousands of people.” She struggled for release, wishing her arm would fall off and stop the torture.

  He held her arms in an iron grip. He bucked her off never losing his hold. He flipped her and planted her on the ground. “You have it wrong!”

  They struggled in the snow, the rocks bruising and scraping her.

  “Petal!” Nora yelled. The girl needed to help her.

  As long as Daniel had hold of her arms, he couldn’t reach for the gun. This might be their only chance. “Petal. Get the gun!”

  Daniel shook his head, panic in his eyes. Obviously he didn’t like it when the tables were turned and he might be hurt. “No! You’re wrong.”

  From the corner of Nora’s eye she saw Petal dive for the gun. The cowboy boots slid on the snow and rocks as Petal scrambled to help.

  “You have to stop her,” Daniel said.

  In the high altitude and with Daniel on top of her, Nora could barely breathe, let alone give a good fight. Hurry, Petal.

  It seemed Petal didn’t feel the urgency but finally she stood over Daniel’s shoulder. Thankfully it wasn’t too late. Nora waited for Petal’s warning for Daniel to stop.

  Daniel knew Petal stood behind him and he tried to swivel around while keeping Nora under control. Nora might be able to take advantage of his distraction and wrench free.

  She threw herself backward and bucked against Daniel.

  “No! Don’t!” He sounded frantic.

  Please, just let Petal do something effective. We might get out of here alive.

  Nora expected Petal to knock Daniel in the head with the gun but she leaned down slowly. She reached toward his back.

  Daniel pulled away. “NO! Nora, stop her!” He started to get to his feet, knocking into Petal and sending her off balance.

  She stumbled backward.

  He whirled around, ready to lunge for the gun. It wouldn’t be hard for Daniel to overpower Petal. Then he’d shoot them both.

  Petal brought the gun up with both hands. Daniel surged forward.

  The bang of the gunshot exploded in Nora’s ears as Daniel’s arms flew out. Down puffed from the blackened hole in his chest, just above his heart. He was airborne momentarily then his full weight crashed onto Nora, knocking the wind out of her.

  The echo of the shot faded and Nora realized the sound ringing in her ears was her own screaming.

  Daniel sprawled on top of her. His head slipped off her shoulder into the snow. Blood gushed from the gaping hole in his left shoulder blade. Petal had aimed for his heart and missed. He groaned. Maybe he wanted to kill them both the way he’d murdered Mark, but this was horrible. Beyond horrible.

  “Stop screaming,” Petal said, dead calm.

  It might have been Petal’s uncharacteristic chill that shocked Nora to silence.

  Nora squeezed out from underneath Daniel, her arm now nearly numb from the pain. His blood gushed over her coat and jeans, leaving a sticky, warm mess.

  Nora’s hands shook as she leaned over Daniel. “We need an ambulance.” She searched for something to use to apply pressure. There was so much blood.

  She wanted to help him but she needed to be with Cole.

  The fresh scent of the mountain and the snow couldn’t wash away the stench of Daniel’s blood. She wanted to vomit to rid herself of the sight, the smell, the memory. Mark, Sylvia, Daniel.

  Heather.

  Petal remained motionless, the gun weighing down her arm. She watched Nora with no expression.

  Nora ran to Cole. He lay on his side, trembling in the snow. She managed to roll him onto his back.

  He opened his eyes, cloudy with shock. “Nora.”

  The jeans covering his right calf were dark and soaked with blood. It stained the snow, so much like the carpet in Sylvia’s bedroom covered in Mark’s blood. “He shot you?”

  Cole shook his head. “Petal …”

  Petal. The tower. Nora twisted to locate Petal watching the point on the horizon where the sun would appear. She shouted at Petal. “Did you dismantle the tower yet?”

  Petal shook her head.

  “We don’t have much time.” Nora yelled.

  Still Petal didn’t move.

  Nora bent toward Cole. “Hang on. I have to go.”

  Cole’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. “No.”

  She pulled from his weak grasp. “I’ll be right back.”

  Nora stumbled and slid over the rocks. She fell to her knees and fought to keep moving. Over the first ridge.

  Petal finally came to life and followed her.

  Nora slipped going down the second ridge and landed on her tailbone. She had to wait until her legs would move again. Petal caught up to her.

  It surprised Nora that Petal still held the gun. She must be more shocked than Nora thought.

  “Go to the tower,” Nora said. “I’ve got to go help Cole. Daniel shot him.”

  “Daniel didn’t shoot Cole.” Petal’s voice held a flat calm that sounded eerie.

  Nora started back to Cole, only paying slight attention to Petal.

  “I did.”

  forty-eight

  Relief flooded Nora. “You did? You dismantled the tower? Before Daniel got here? Good. Let’s go.” She grabbed Petal’s arm.

  Petal shook her off. “No,” Petal said, again with the strange flat voice. Her face didn’t have the typical Petal vulnerability. Instead, her eyes glittered with lethal intent. “I shot Cole.”

  Nora couldn’t comprehend Petal�
�s words. “What?”

  “I shot Cole and if Daniel hadn’t attacked me I would have shot him too. Then I would have killed you.” Petal raised the gun and pointed it at Nora.

  “Petal, no!” Nora didn’t understand.

  Petal’s face contorted in rage. “What a condescending, arrogant bitch you are. You have to take care of helpless Petal. Be big and strong for her, make sure no one hurts her feelings. Do you know how I laughed while I manipulated you to do exactly what I planned?”

  The sky lightened. How long until dawn? Minutes? Seconds? “I thought we were friends.”

  “I needed you to turn Sylvia in for embezzlement and the project would have been mine. As it should have been. Once the missing money was discovered it wouldn’t be hard to pin Darla’s murder on Sylvia.”

  “You stole the money? Sylvia didn’t kill Darla?” She focused on Petal’s gun.

  “Don’t you dare think I enjoyed shooting Darla. It was terrible. But I had to do it. For my mother.”

  Keep her talking. “Does your mother know what you’ve done?”

  Petal’s face reflected a frightening combination of tears and pride. “I’m protecting her. Like she protected Sylvia.”

  How would Nora get to the tower before Petal shot her? “It sounds complicated.”

  “What’s complicated is creating a technology and setting it up to cause a volcanic eruption!” Her voice rose to a shriek and she wiped her sleeve across her runny nose.

  “So you killed Mark?”

  Petal’s eyebrows angled into angry slashes. Her lips drew back in a sneer. “Sylvia did that. I told you, I don’t like killing.”

  “But you’re about to kill thousands and thousands.”

  “I have no choice.” Where the old Petal would have been sobbing, this new monster twisted her mouth into a grimace of hate.

  Nora calculated the distance to Petal. “There’s always a choice.” One more step.

  Petal shoved the gun at Nora. “You can’t stop me.”

  Oh yeah? Nora jumped to the right and zigzagged to fling herself at Petal.

  Petal fired. The bullet struck the rock where Nora had been standing. Petal couldn’t aim again before Nora smashed into her.

  “Uft.” Petal fell back on her butt.

  Nora splayed on top of Petal, driving her into the snow. Petal’s arm flung out but she still gripped the gun. Nora reached for it. How was it that petite Petal had the arms of an ape and Nora couldn’t reach her hand?

  Petal screeched and bucked against Nora, bringing a knee up to smash into Nora’s groin. It might have been an effective move if Nora had alternative anatomy. It hurt, sure, but it didn’t stop Nora from scooting on top of Petal and grabbing the gun.

  She should have been able to pull it easily from Petal’s grasp, but Nora’s fingers were cramped with cold. Petal held on.

  Nora took hold of Petal’s wrist, yanked her arm in the air and smashed it down on the hard ground. Petal’s grip loosened and she dropped the gun.

  Nora struggled to her feet and scooped up the gun and ran to the outcropping of rocks, desperate to reach the tower. But the gun made it hard for her to scramble across the boulders on her hand and feet. She ratcheted her arm back and snapped it forward, sending the gun end over end into the abyss. Slipping and sliding, she finally made it to the top of the rock and located the tower. She would have to climb on the narrow ledge to the fenced enclosure and scale the chain link.

  Her control slipped. A black veil threatened at the edge of her mind. She couldn’t do it. Impossible to force herself to dangle on the lip of the mountain like that.

  Nora dropped to her knees. Her heart threatened to rip through her chest. Her vision blurred. She gulped and choked.

  And there he was. A flash of bright blue in the gray light.

  The kachina.

  He balanced on the ledge next to the fence. Enemy or friend?

  Nora glanced over her shoulder. Petal raced toward her. But she wore Cole’s too-big boots so Nora could outrun her.

  The rocky surface covered with eight inches of new snow threw hidden obstacles in Nora’s path. She stubbed her toes, fell to her knees, and her arm went from numb back to excruciating and then further to debilitating. She kept her focus on the kachina.

  He raised his hatchet with one hand. The other held a fistful of feathers. The blue accent of his sash flashed with brilliance. His fierce mask with the slit eyes and plug nose, the face in her nightmares, seemed to encourage her.

  With the oversized coat and boots, Petal should be falling behind but she gained on Nora.

  Just a few more feet.

  Nora launched herself on the five-foot fence. She hoped to start high enough that she’d be able to throw her good arm around the top on the second lunge.

  But the toes of her boost were too wide for the narrow chain link openings. She fell back. Without hesitating she jumped to her feet to try again. This time, she worked with her momentum and kicked against the fence as soon as she touched it.

  It worked. With the second lurch up, she threw her arm over the top of the fence, knocking the snow from the rail. Her feet kicked and she pulled and finally fell down the other side. “AH!” She screamed at the jarring of her arm.

  The fence clanked as Petal jumped onto it.

  The enclosure left only the barest room to maneuver between the tower and the fence. Nora stared at the tower. How could she destroy it?

  Petal crashed over the fence. She scrambled to her feet. “Stop. Don’t touch it!”

  The thingy. The conductor/transducer/transmitter/inductor. What had Petal called it? The tunable whatever made of two PVC pipes with wire. She needed to find it and pull it out.

  Petal launched herself at Nora. They careened into the fence. It stretched and swayed over the edge of the mountain. The posts at either corner loosened in their anchors.

  Nora shoved back and they rolled to the ground. Petal ended up on top. The heel of Petal’s hand caught Nora on the chin and pressed upward, driving Nora’s head back. With her one arm, Nora knocked Petal’s hand away.

  Petal was little more than fragile bones wrapped in twenty layers of fabric topped with Cole’s coat. Nora shoved Petal off and stood. She lunged toward the tower and bent under the structural supports. She felt along the stem. There it was! Her numb fingers fumbled with a device about the size of a brick, made of two plastic pipes.

  Petal collided with her. She pulled Nora toward the loose fence. Nora’s boots slid on the slick rock and she lurched backward.

  Petal shoved her.

  Nora hit the fence. It creaked.

  One corner post popped from its anchor and tipped outward. Nora screamed. The bend of the wire created a lip in the chain link that would pour her over the side. Her fingers clawed into the openings and she held on. She pushed and pulled herself back to safety.

  Petal stood above her, waiting for Nora to climb to the rock so she could push her over the side.

  Petal’s mouth turned down as if she bit into something sour. Her eyes widened. Her arms flew out just before Nora heard a shot fired.

  Petal screamed. A gaping hole blew through Petal’s chest. Warm blood and tissue smacked Nora’s face and spattered against her coat. Petal crumpled to the ground.

  Nora scurried off the fence a few feet through the snow. She stayed on her belly and turned toward the gunshot.

  The man from the Town Car stared through a scope in a rifle pointed at her. He stood on the tip of a rock pile jutting over the ledge.

  Twenty yards behind the man, Cole advanced, dragging his wounded leg. The fool was trying to save her.

  But Town Car Guy would shoot Nora, turn, and plant a bullet in Cole.

  Nora backed up and squatted on the far edge of the enclosure. She had to get to the tower, but that would give Town Car Guy an easy target. />
  To the east, the outline of Gray’s Peak blackened against the imminent sunrise.

  Nora had one chance. She’d have to spring up and grab the tunable whatever from the tower before Town Car Guy could squeeze off a round and kill her.

  Impossible.

  Nora closed her eyes. She exhaled, opened her eyes, and sprang up.

  A shot pinged the fence, hit a rock, and ricocheted a hair’s width from Nora.

  She dove for the tower, hitting hard rock under the snow. She lay at the base of the tower. Above her, the device sat in the stem. She’d need to grasp it immediately and when Town Car Guy’s bullet ripped into her and she flew backward, her dead fingers would clutch the bundle and dislodge it.

  One more breath in this life. She jumped up. Her fingers closed on the device.

  The metal of the tower rang next to her ear and she heard the gun. He missed.

  She jerked on the device and looked over her shoulder.

  Cole had closed the gap but he wouldn’t make it in time to stop the next shot.

  The gunman held his rifle up, sighting into the scope.

  Nora caught her breath. She tugged on the device and it inched from its slot. One more pull and it fell to the snow. She knew Town Car Guy’s next shot would kill her.

  But it never came. She jerked her head to see him shoot.

  The kachina had appeared behind Town Car Guy. He held his hatchet high.

  The kachina brought it down on the gunman’s back. The shot fired into the air and the man lost his footing. He fought to regain his balance but he slipped to one side. His foot flew in front of him and he fell forward. He hit one boulder and slid off.

  His scream echoed in the morning air.

  epilogue

  The smell of burnt toast wafted up from the kitchen. The tick-tick-tick of wheels sounded as Thomas brought his bike into his office. Fay’s creaky voice greeting him and Bill joined in the morning murmur of voices down the hall from Nora’s office.

  Creak, thump. Creak, thump. Creak, thump.

  Nora smiled at the sound and continued typing the staff memo. Abbey stood and stretched. He wagged his tail while he walked to the door of Nora’s office.