Run, run. She had to keep running. There it was again… branches snapping back, but the noise was coming from her right now. Oh, God, he was parallel to her. She understood what he was doing then. He was working his way around to get in front of her.
And then he would stop and wait, and she would turn right into his arms. It was a game to him. All this time she’d thought she was staying ahead of him, outrunning him, and he’d been leisurely toying with her.
She barely slowed as she changed directions. Even in her panic and near hysteria, she was careful not to twist her knee or pivot. She’d drop then, and he’d have her. She leapt over a thorny, dried-up bush and kept going. Then she changed directions again… and again.
Where was everyone? Should she scream in hopes that someone would hear her? No, she shouldn’t do that. Even though she was pretty sure the maniac knew exactly where she was, she couldn’t be positive, and she wasn’t about to give him any help.
She couldn’t keep up this pace much longer. The muscles in her legs were on fire. In another minute or two, they would give out on her and she would collapse.
Oh, God, it was hopeless. No, no, don’t think that way. Don’t give up. Run, just keep running. Her legs were shaking now and burning with pain. The muscle spasm in her calf made her want to cry out, but she kept going. She would not give in. There was too much to live for, and she wasn’t going to let a maniac snatch her future away.
What she needed was a plan to buy her some time. Okay, okay, what could she do? Think… He had a gun. She didn’t. He was obviously in much better shape, and he was stronger. He was also faster.
But she could have one advantage. She could be smarter.
And then it came to her, and she knew exactly what she was going to do. Her plan hinged on her finding her way back to the ravine. She had to keep running. She broke through the bushes onto the path and saw the wall directly ahead of her. Which way should she turn?
The maniac made that decision for her. He was on her left now, and so she ran in the opposite direction. She didn’t dare stay on the open path, though, and so she raced in and out of the trees, keeping the wall in sight.
There. There it was. She could see it up ahead, that huge oak with the branches hanging out over the wall. That had to be the spot she was looking for.
She broke through the brush again. Do it. She had to do it. He was coming up fast, but she didn’t think he could see her yet. She wiped her hands down her sides, and with one final burst of speed, she raced down the path and vaulted over the wall.
Chapter Forty-eight
Eric reached the path and stopped. Where was she? Which way had she gone? He tilted his head and listened, but he didn’t hear a sound. She had vanished.
His disappointment was severe. She had turned the chase into a game of hide-and-seek. He couldn’t hear her, but in the distance someone was shouting her name, and whoever he was, Gage thought he was getting closer.
Gage knew he had to hurry. He didn’t have time for this silly game. She was being foolish. She had to know he was going to find her and kill her. Why was she fighting the inevitable?
He could feel his anger gathering inside him, and with it came a tremendous sadness, for he knew that when he did find her, he would be in a rage, and she would suffer his wrath before she drew her last breath. If she didn’t show herself soon, there wouldn’t even be time for him to explain, to help her understand why she had to die.
He realized then he’d made a mistake. He should have killed her right away. He shouldn’t have let her run. But he’d wanted her to feel that she had some say in her fate. His Nina hadn’t known what was coming. She’d been asleep, curled up in a little ball in the passenger seat, using her jacket for a pillow against the window, oblivious of what was happening. The truck flipping and rolling, the cab sliding down the center of the highway with fiery sparks shooting out on both sides like electrified cables, coming closer and closer. It had all happened in an instant, but in his mind’s eye, it had taken an eternity to strike… and destroy their lives forever.
Another shout came from behind, jarring him. He realized then that the sound was fainter than before.
Gage thought he heard the crunch of gravel underfoot. The sound was coming from up the path, and he bolted in that direction. He rounded the curve and stopped. He recognized where he was now. Full circle, he thought. She’d taken him back to the very spot where she had stood when he’d first fired at her. Yes, she’d stood right there next to that old tree.
He had watched her stare down into the ravine, the palms of her hands flat on top of the stone as she leaned over. She’d looked across the ravine… and then she’d found him, waiting so patiently for her to look up and see him standing between the trees. Oh, yes, this was the very same spot.
But where was Regan hiding? He stood perfectly still and listened. He couldn’t hear her. He turned around and looked behind him? Nothing there. Ah… there it was. A hint. He could hear what sounded like rocks cascading down the ravine.
She’d jumped over the wall and was hiding down below. Clever girl, he thought, but not too clever. He rushed to the wall and looked over. Small stones were skipping over the larger ones. She was down there all right, but where?
He thought he saw something move to the right behind some dead, rotting branches. His reaction was instantaneous. He fired twice, hoping to hit her or spook her into showing herself.
The blast from the gunshots reverberated through the trees, and more rocks showered down the incline. He knew the police had heard the noise and would be closing in on him. It was too late to do anything about that now.
He heard someone shout her name again, knew someone was coming. Gage leaned against the wall, turned, and aimed. Then he waited.
Chapter Forty-nine
Alec heard the shots as his car skidded to a stop. He threw the gear into park and didn’t bother to turn the motor off. He was out on the pavement and running, ignoring the crowd and barriers he knocked down as he raced forward.
Behind him, John Wincott’s car, with sirens blaring, careened to a halt in the parking lot.
Alec spotted Sophie and Cordie across the lot at the same instant they saw him. Cordie ran to intercept him while Sophie shouted, “We can’t find Regan. The police won’t let us look for her, and then there were gunshots…”
Alec grabbed Cordie. “Where did you last see her?”
“At the starting line. She was going to walk two miles so that would be a mile on the path and then a mile back.”
A shot sounded, and before Cordie could say another word, Alec’s expression changed and he was gone.
She had never seen that look on anyone’s face before, and it terrified her. She knew that when Alec caught up with whoever was firing those shots, he would kill him.
Alec was crazed. If anything happened to Regan, if he got there too late… if one of those bullets had already struck her down… No, there was still time to get to her. There had to be. The son of a bitch was going to die and die hard. If he touched one hair on her head, Alec would flay him alive.
Where in God’s name was she? Did Gage already have her? Alec shouted Regan’s name.
Wincott was behind him. Alec could hear him panting as he tried to catch up. He was shouting too.
“Wait, Alec. Don’t go nuts. Let me get ahead of you. Don’t give the bastard a shot. You’re no good to her dead.”
Alec ignored him. He couldn’t think about anything but get-ting to her.
Two more shots were fired. Alec raced toward the sound.