Small Town Justice(57)
“Let me be the judge of that.” He laughed as if enjoying a private joke. “Yeah. I’ll be the judge. And the jury.”
In the background, Jamie heard a woman shout, “Don’t do it! He’ll kill us all. He’s crazy!”
“Shut up,” he roared, and it was followed by the sound of a shot. All Jamie could think of was where that bullet had gone. Who it might have injured. The taste of gall on her tongue was bitter. The notion of another innocent person dying deadened her senses enough to provide the false bravado she needed so desperately.
“Knock it off. If you shoot your hostages you have nothing left to bargain with,” she said, surprised by how intimidating she sounded. “Tell me where you are.”
Another coarse laugh set the hair at the back of her neck prickling and gave her goose bumps on her arms.
“You, of all people, should know, since you almost burned to death out here,” the man said. “Tell Colton to come alone and to make it snappy. I’m not going to wait all night.”
“We’re at Otis Bryce’s right now,” Jamie informed him. “The sheriff and police are running all over the place. There’s no way I’ll be able to tell Shane without everybody else finding out.”
“Then give him this phone. I’ll tell him myself.”
“Okay. Don’t hang up.”
She pushed off the side of the parked truck, hoping and praying her trembling legs would support her. Not only was she steadier than she’d imagined she’d be, she was able to break into a jog.
Passing Harlan without slowing, she plunged through the front door and almost collided with Shane and his stepfather. Otis was being helped to walk and had Useless in his arms as if the two had bonded perfectly.
Breathless, yet functioning via the rush of adrenaline, Jamie thrust the phone at him. “Here. Take this.”
“Who is it?”
“Don’t ask questions. Just take it and listen.”
The expression on Shane’s face changed from wonder to anger to fright in a matter of moments. He nodded. “Yes. I understand.”
During a brief pause, Jamie made her decision. When Shane continued with, “The old Henderson place. Yes. I know it,” she was already backing away.
Fading into the crowd on the porch despite her dog’s whining.
Edging down the steps.
Her brother’s freedom was no longer her most important goal. A different kind of task awaited her, one that might cost her more than she’d bargained for. Still, she didn’t doubt she was doing the right thing.
Jamie felt as if her feet were moving on their own while her heart preceded them. Marsha’s car was blocked in by patrol cars. Some of those were idling and she could easily have taken one, but arriving at her former home in a black-and-white was too dangerous for the hostages.
No, she reasoned. She had to take a vehicle that the kidnapper would be expecting. Shane’s personal pickup. That was also the only way she could be certain of beating him to the farm in time to trade herself for his family.
It was right. It was fair. It was her fault an innocent little boy was in danger and her job to see that no harm came to him. Even if she didn’t manage to free Marsha, as well, at least she’d be able to give Shane’s son back to him.
Sliding behind the wheel, Jamie Lynn had to strain to reach the pedals so she repositioned the seat. The key was in the ignition. She turned it, all the time keeping close watch on the bustle of activity nearer the house.
The headlights came on automatically and illuminated the scene even more. Shane was handing his cell phone to the sheriff. They both froze. Stared in her direction.
Time was up. It was now or never. She threw the truck into Reverse, gunned the engine and backed into the street.
Shane and several officers started running after her. They were going to be too late. They’d use their lights and sirens to try to overtake her but they’d fail.
She merely prayed and resigned herself as best she could to whatever fate awaited.
As she sped through the night, Jamie Lynn realized that up until now she had been operating on the premise she would do the same for any child. Now she knew better. This was a sacrifice she was making for people she loved, a special father and son. She’d started this. She needed to finish it.
Her only real regret was that she might never have a chance to tell them how she felt.
How very much she cared.
* * *
Several times, Jamie was afraid she was losing control of the truck. It was far bigger than the pickup she was used to driving and her haste had caused her to overshoot more than one bend in the road. Thankfully, the ultra alertness brought about by a surge of fight-or-flight brain chemicals was enough to control her body and keep the vehicle on the road despite excessive speed.