Twisted

by Jo Gibson

  And then Diana remembered something that Hal had said, something that made her know that her suspicions were true. Jay had asked her about the presents they’d found. And Hal had described the contents. He’d told Jay that there were two lines of lyrics inside, one in each package. They’d told Hal about the lyrics, Diana remembered that. But they’d never told him that there were two lines, one in each package!

  Hal. Diana’s mind spun in horrified circles. Hal was the killer, and she was the only one who knew it. She had to get away from him to warn the others. They trusted Hal, and he would kill them!

  Diana began to crawl forward again, taking refuge close to the wall, under the cover of darkness. The door was a dimly lighted rectangle in the distance. It was the best way out of the store, but Hal would be watching and she would be a clear target when she ran out into the light. She had to think of some way to distract him, and get him to turn toward the back of the store. That would give her a chance to dash out the door.

  She felt around behind the counter, searching for something that would make a lot of noise. And her fingers encountered a distinctive object, a shape she immediately recognized. Light bulbs!

  Her fingers were shaking as she picked one up. It was a large-size light bulb, the kind that fit in hanging lamps and looked like a globe. It would make lots of noise when it shattered at the back of the store. Hal would think that she was back there. He’d turn to look, and she could make her break for freedom.

  Diana grabbed two light bulbs and crawled forward as far as she dared, until the door was only a few feet away. Her mind was full of frightening questions. What if the light bulbs didn’t shatter? What if Hal saw her when she threw them? Diana shivered and pushed those thoughts firmly out of her mind. Her plan had to succeed. The alternative was too horrible to contemplate. She had to try. It was her only hope.

  Her knees were shaking as she stood up and threw the light bulbs toward the back of the store. One exploded with a loud pop, and almost instantaneously, the other one shattered. Diana didn’t hang around to hear the tinkling of glass. She just grabbed the bolt-cutters and ran toward the door for her life!

  Twenty-one

  “It’s Diana! Up there!”

  Cindy pointed and they watched Diana as she raced down the second floor walkway toward the escalator. She jumped on and kept right on running, taking the steps so fast she almost fell. There was terror on her face and Jay ran to meet her. And when Diana fell into his arms, she was sobbing.

  “We’ve got to get away! Hal’s the killer! Hurry!”

  Jay didn’t ask any questions. He just grabbed the bolt-cutters she still held clenched in her hand, and helped her run toward the snowmobiles. “Cut the chains, Paul! Cindy! You help me throw the clothes in the snowmobiles! We’ve got to get out of here now!”

  Paul took one look at Diana’s face and he didn’t ask any questions, either. He just cut the chains as fast as he could. They were almost ready to jump in the snowmobiles when Diana looked up at the hardware store and gave a gasp of pure terror. Hal was coming out the door in his Santa suit, and there was a gun in his hand!

  “Oh, my God! He’s got a gun!”

  The words had barely left her mouth, when there was a loud explosion. A bullet whined past the snowmobiles and shattered the plate glass window of the electronics shop. They dove for cover, and huddled behind the snowmobiles as Hal fired another bullet which struck the wall with a solid thunk.

  “He’s got us pinned down.” Cindy’s voice was shaking with fear. “What are we going to do?”

  Another bullet whined past and struck a bench a few feet away, sending splinters of wood flying. Diana winced and turned to Jay. “Is there some way we can sneak up on him?”

  “I don’t see how. He’s got the perfect spot up there. He’ll be able to see us if we move.”

  “I’ve got an idea.” Paul leaned close. “One of the older cameramen told me he covered a sniper on a roof. The guy was completely nuts, but he had an agenda. He was protesting against the city because they’d condemned his house, and he wanted to be on television. He let the cameraman come right out in the open, and while he was strutting around and posing for the camera, the police climbed up the fire escape and captured him.”

  Cindy turned to look at Paul in shock. “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard! You’re not actually going to try a stupid stunt like that . . . are you?”

  “Do you have a better idea?”

  “Not exactly . . .” Cindy frowned. “But you can’t! It’d be suicide!”

  “Maybe not.” Paul looked thoughtful. “I just wish I knew if he had an agenda.”

  Diana nodded. “He does. At least I think he does.”

  They all listened while Diana quickly told them her theory about the mall-related accidents and Hal’s grandparents’ land. When she was finished, Paul nodded. “Did he say anything to you at all? It’d really help if I knew how the next accident was supposed to happen.”

  Diana shook her head. “He didn’t say a word. I could be all wrong about the reason why he’s doing this.”

  “Whatever.” Paul shrugged. And then he outlined his plan. He would offer to tape Hal, and while Hal was busy posing for the camera, they could hop in the nearest snowmobile and make a break for the entrance.

  “But . . . how about you?” Cindy looked very worried. “How are you going to get out?”

  “I won’t. I’ll move around with my camera until I get to some cover. I’m down here and he’s up there. I’ll make a break for it when you start to move and I’ll hide out until you get back with the police.”

  “It might work.” Jay nodded.

  “It will work. Just wait for my cue. When I tell him to turn a little to the left, count to five. Then hop in that snowmobile and hit the gas!”

  Paul leaned close and kissed Cindy. She clung to him tightly, not willing to let him go, but he gently pried her arms loose and pushed her into Jay’s arms. Then he turned to Diana and whispered in her ear. “If anything happens to me, make sure the station gets my tapes.”

  Santa smiled as he watched them huddle behind the snowmobiles. No sense in wasting ammunition. They’d have to make a move eventually, and he had a perfect vantage point. All he had to do was watch and wait. They’d be forced to come out, sooner or later. And when they did, Santa would punish them all.

  The Christmas music was playing softly in the background, and Santa sat down on the bench to wait. Christmas was a time of joy, but only for those who deserved it. He thought of the fear on their faces when they’d seen the gun, and he chuckled in pleasure. It was unusual to see Santa with a gun, but drastic times called for drastic measures.

  He’d found out about the gun the very first night, when he’d gone through the papers in the security office. Any store owner who had a firearm in his store was required to register it with the chief of security. The owner also had to turn over a key to the locked drawer where the gun was kept.

  There were three jewelry stores in the mall, and all of their owners had guns. Santa had the keys for all three drawers, and after Diana had escaped, he’d gone next door to Forever Diamonds, to retrieve the owner’s gun. It was a Smith & Wesson, 9 mm, semi-automatic pistol, and he’d found an extra clip in the drawer. He had thirty shots, and even though Santa had learned to shoot with an old army pistol that dated back to Gramps’s WWII days, the basic design was the same.

  His favorite song started to play on the loudspeakers, and Santa gave a regretful sigh. Too bad he wouldn’t have the chance to deliver his last package. It was for the naughty boy who was hiding in back of the snowmobile. He’d been hiding that day, too, up in a tree, chased there by Gramps’s bull. He’d climbed over the fence, even though it had been very clearly posted as private property, to fish in the river that ran through the farm.

  The bull had been old and ornery, and it hadn’t been easy to drive him into another field. Gramps had been forced to ask several neighbors for help. After it was over and the b
oy had climbed down, the neighbors had told Gramps they didn’t think it was wise to keep such a dangerous bull.

  Gramps and Grandma had talked it over, and they’d decided the bull had to go. He’d never caused any trouble before, but they hadn’t wanted to worry their neighbors. So Gramps had shot the bull, and then he’d had to borrow money from the bank to replace him. None of that would have happened if the boy hadn’t climbed through the fence. It had been a naughty thing to do, and that was why Santa had to punish Jay.

  There was a shout from below, and Santa stood up to get a better look. Something white was fluttering by one of the snowmobiles. They were waving a white flag, and he began to laugh. What in the world were they doing? This wasn’t a war, and Santa didn’t take any prisoners.

  And then Paul stood up, his camera to his shoulder. He was holding the white flag, and Santa frowned. Paul was the only one who didn’t deserve to be punished. But he was with the rest, and that meant he had to share their fate.

  “You should be on tape, Hal.” Paul walked closer as he looked through the camera. “Don’t you think your story deserves to be told?”

  Santa raised the gun, but Paul kept right on taping. And then Santa reconsidered. Paul would have to die, but not yet. It would be good to have a record of what had happened. Santa could watch it over and over, and remember how brilliant he’d been.

  “I’d like to do an interview with you. You’ll do it, won’t you, Hal?”

  Santa nodded, and lowered the gun. “Don’t call me that. I’m not Hal anymore. My name is Santa!”

  “Oh, my God!” Cindy’s eyes widened as she turned to whisper to them. “He’s crazy!”

  Jay nodded and gave Diana’s hand a little squeeze. “Get ready. When Paul gives us the signal, we’re going to get in this snowmobile as fast as we can. I’ll drive.”

  “So will I.” Diana squeezed back. “One snowmobile will be too heavy with the three of us. You and Cindy go first. I’ll be right behind you.”

  Jay began to frown. “But, Diana . . .”

  “Don’t worry. I practically grew up on a snowmobile. When you get to the doors, don’t stop to open them. Just crash right through.”

  Before they could raise any objections, Diana started to crawl around to the second snowmobile. Part of what she’d told Jay was true. She did know how to drive a snowmobile. But the second part had been a lie. She wouldn’t be right behind him.

  Paul could feel his hands start to shake as Hal finished telling the story about Dave. My God! Hal had killed him for being a kid in a hurry on a date! But he didn’t let any of his horror show as he nodded and smiled.

  “That was great, Santa. And I understand why Dave had to be punished. Could you move over in front of the toy store? It’ll be a better background for the camera. And then I want you to tell us about Larry, and why you had to punish him.”

  Hal nodded and moved down the walkway, until he was in front of the toy store. “Larry was a very naughty boy! When he was ten years old, he . . .”

  “Hold it a second!” Paul fiddled with his camera. “I’m sorry, Santa. Could you move just a little closer toward me? The shot’s not quite right with you back so far.”

  “Like this?” Santa moved closer to the rail.

  “Perfect! Now tell us about Larry. And turn just a little to the left.”

  “Go!”

  Jay whispered the word, and they scrambled into the snowmobiles. They started their engines at exactly the same instant, and then they were moving, sliding over the slick surface of the floor with a deafening roar.

  Diana saw Hal whirl around, confused by the noise. And then she parted company with Jay and Cindy’s snowmobile, veering off to drive straight toward Paul.

  “Paul! Hop on!”

  She shouted the words, hoping he’d hear her over the roar of the engine. And Paul grabbed on and jumped into the passenger’s seat as she roared past. But she had to turn around, and that meant that Hal would get another shot at them. Diana gunned the engine and prayed as she turned a tight circle at the end of the mall, to start the return trip.

  He was there, close to the rail, holding the gun. All she could do was pray that he’d miss.

  “Zig-zag!” Paul shouted the words. And then he turned on the bright light on his camera, hoping to throw off Hal’s aim.

  There was the sound of a shot and a bullet whizzed past, barely missing their windshield. Diana turned the wheel sharply back and forth, hoping the snowmobile wouldn’t tip over as they zig-zagged across the floor.

  Hal was aiming again. She could see him out of the corner of her eye, leaning against the rail to steady his hand. It was almost impossible for him to miss at this distance. It was like shooting ducks in a pond.

  But then something happened that made Diana almost lose control of the wheel. Hal leaned out, staring directly into their eyes. And the rail gave way! He fell with a horrible scream, narrowly missing them as they sped past.

  “Oh, my God! What happened?!” Diana almost turned to look. But the door was right ahead of them and they burst through it and into the snowy world outside, skidding dangerously down the steps that led up to the mall. And then they were barreling down the access road as the wind whipped around them. The snow pelted their faces with its icy kiss as they flew over the snow to the main road, and they skidded to a stop when they saw Jay and Cindy waiting for them.

  “Diana! Are you all right?” Jay raced up to the snowmobile, and his mouth dropped open as he saw Paul. “But how did you . . .”

  “Oh, my God! Paul! Are you all right?” Cindy was right behind Jay with an armload of parkas and boots.

  “I’m fine, thanks to Diana. Let’s get into some warm clothes and get out of here!”

  “What happened back there?” Jay helped Diana into her parka. “I almost panicked when I got out here and I saw you weren’t behind us.”

  “I just took a little detour.” Diana’s voice was calm, but she couldn’t seem to stop shaking, now that it was over and they were all safe.

  “How about Hal? Did he try to shoot you?”

  “Oh, yes.” Diana nodded. “But Paul told me to zig-zag so we’d be harder to hit. And then Hal leaned against the rail, and it broke, and . . . I don’t know, Jay. It happened so fast, I’m not really sure what happened. But Paul’s got it all on tape.”

  Jay put his arm around Diana’s shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. Then he turned to Paul. “Can you drive one of these things?”

  “Sure. I can’t keep up with Diana, but I can get us to the nearest police station.”

  “Cindy?” Jay turned to his sister. “You ride with Paul. I’m taking Diana with me.”

  Diana felt numb as Jay led her to the snowmobile and tucked her into the passenger seat. She knew she must be in shock. She was freezing cold, and her body didn’t seem to be moving right.

  “Here, Diana. Give me your hands.” Jay put gloves on her hands, and pulled up the hood of her parka, tying it snugly under her chin. “Ready?’

  Diana nodded again. She seemed incapable of doing anything else. She was shaking so hard, her teeth were rattling.

  “I love you, Diana.” Jay leaned over to touch her cheek. And then he kissed her, and the most amazing thing happened. Diana felt like someone had wrapped her in a warm fluffy quilt, and she was warm again.

  “Better?”

  Jay smiled at her. And Diana smiled back. And then he put the snowmobile in gear and they roared off toward town.

  Epilogue

  It was a warm spring evening and the windows in Jay’s apartment were open to let in the breeze. Diana could hear crickets chirping outside the screens as she carried in a tray of appetizers and set them on the table. She still lived with Cindy, but she spent most of her time here. And Paul spent most of his time with Cindy.

  “Are we ready?” Jay came into the living room, still toweling his hair. He caught sight of Diana and whistled. “Nice dress!”

  “Don’t you remember it?”

&n
bsp; “I know I’ve seen it before. But I can’t remember where I first . . . Elaine’s Boutique! Right?”

  Diana nodded. “Paul told them we wore their dresses, and they gave them to us. Cindy’s wearing hers, too.”

  “Are you nervous about seeing Paul’s film?” Jay slipped his arm around her shoulders.

  “A little. I’m not sure I really want to relive last Christmas. I keep telling myself that it’s just a movie, but I still have nightmares when I think about . . . him.”

  Jay nodded. “And I still have nightmares when I remember looking back, and discovering that you weren’t there.”

  “Is that why you call me on the phone at three in the morning?”

  “Sometimes.” Jay looked a little sheepish. “But other times, I just want to hear your voice.”

  Diana stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him, but before she could do more than brush her lips with his, the doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get it.” Jay sighed. “That’s got to be my bratty kid sister. She’s always had a talent for interrupting me at exactly the wrong time.”

  “Hi, guys!” Cindy breezed in and tossed Jay a bag of chips. “Where’s the dip, Paul?”

  “It’s in here.” Paul lugged in a backpack, and put it on the couch. “Hold on a second. I’ll find it.”

  Diana looked at Cindy in surprise. “You made dip?”

  “I sure did.” Cindy grinned at her. “I found the recipe in a cookbook. You chop up all these things really fine, and then you mix them with sour cream and mayo.”

  “Wait a second.” Paul pulled out a container of dip and frowned. “This dip is from the grocery store. It says so, right on the label.”

  Cindy nodded. “I know. But I did make some dip. It just tasted so awful, I threw it out.”

  “Come on . . . it’s almost time.” Jay glanced at his watch. “Let’s grab some snacks and get ready.”

  They filled their plates with food, and found comfortable places to sit. Then Jay turned on the television, and they all settled down to watch.