SIXTEEN
The blip on the computer screen suddenly stopped moving. John eased the “borrowed” patrol car to a stop and killed the engine so he could listen for distant sounds of human activity. There were none.
Overhead, the sky was rapidly darkening and filling with roiling, black and gray clouds. Not only that, the wind had risen even more, bringing with it a foretaste of the storm to come. Once that arrived he’d be fortunate to hear himself think, let alone pick out voices above the echo of booming thunder.
There was one advantage, however. Although he couldn’t hear as well, Sam’s abductors would also be far less likely to detect his approach. The biggest question was, where had they taken her and how was he going to steal her back?
One last check of the computer confirmed her stationary position. He checked his phone, found they were still in a dead zone and tossed it aside. It had been clever of her to stay connected. Unfortunately, the trick had failed when the mountain ridges had interfered with transmission. Although that problem was a common one in the Ozarks, it added another dimension to John’s distress and made him wish he’d picked a phone service that operated off a satellite feed rather than ground-based towers.
He crouched low beside the sheriff’s car and used the radio to report in.
Chief Kelso was not in the best of moods when he realized who was broadcasting. “Are you nuts, Waltham? If you get one scratch on that car it’ll come out of your wages. Harlan is on the warpath.”
“I have more important things to worry about right now,” John said, cradling the microphone so his voice wouldn’t carry. “The tracking software shows that our bug is no longer moving. I’ll leave this radio on so you can home in on this car. I’m going the rest of the way on foot.”
“No, you’re not. You’re going to stay right there and wait for backup. Adelaide and the others are on their way.”
“Copy. That’s good to hear.”
Kelso’s tone moderated. “Hang in there, okay?”
Thunder crashed and boomed, bouncing off the hills and creating a nearly continuous rumble. A flash of lightning made the radio crackle as the bolt shot to ground nearby.
“Sorry, chief, you’re breaking up.” John grabbed a handful of dry leaves and crumbled them close to his face to add further background noise. “Can’t understand a word you’re saying.”
He tossed the radio microphone back into the car and took a few seconds to check his temporary replacement for the stolen Glock, just as he always did before going into battle. That was exactly what this was, too. They were at war with evil. And he was a soldier on a mission—to rescue at least one special hostage and maybe more.
He wasn’t foolhardy. If the situation appeared to require more than one officer he’d wait for help. Unless he thought that doing so would cost someone’s life. There were times when a man had to do what he knew was right, no matter how great the likelihood he’d die trying.
John had no death wish. Far from it. But he was not about to sit idly by while Sam remained in jeopardy. His mind might insist that that was the smartest thing to do. His heart disagreed.
He followed his heart.
* * *
Samantha could see why these criminals had chosen this particular cabin as their hideout. It was perfect: isolated, hard to reach and impossible to see until you were almost on top of it. Plus, it looked abandoned. If they had brought the car here that they’d used to abduct Danny, they’d hidden it well because she saw nothing to indicate that there was anyone else in the area.
The armed man parked, got out and jerked open the back door. He gestured with the gun. “Out. Both of you. And no tricks.”
Samantha moved slowly, purposefully, while her mind continued to search for some logical means of escape. If she’d had only herself to consider she might have made a break for it in the hopes that the thick forest would have given her refuge.
Since she had both Lindy and Danny to think of, she knew better than to try. Even if she did manage to escape, the kidnappers’ wrath would surely descend on the remaining captives and Samantha was not willing to put anyone in more peril than they already shared.
As if that were possible, she mused, picking her way across the rock-strewn clearing in the near darkness. Not only was the sun below the horizon, storm clouds had gathered and drifted across the face of the moon, casting a shroud of impending doom as if the entire mountain range was caught up in her personal struggle for survival.
A nearby flash of lightning was followed mere seconds later by a boom that made Sam jump and prickled the fine hair on her arms and at the nape of her neck.