Deadly Fate (Krewe of Hunters #19)(95)

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Clara ran...

And ran.

She was afraid to look back and she didn’t do so for the longest time.

Emmy was far shorter than she was—and Clara was a good runner.

But while she could outrun Emmy, she couldn’t outrun a bullet, so she had to dodge her way across the terrain as she headed for the Alaska Hut.

She’d done so once before, run in sheer terror for her life. And now she was doing it again, her footsteps crunching in the snow, her breath a billow before her, body on fire against the cold that curled around her.

She heard a shot; she plowed ahead, leaping over a snowbank, then slammed down to the earth, her heart thundering. She held still for a split second and looked back. The shot had been wide. She found herself counting bullets...

Why? Who the hell knew what kind of a gun Emmy had?

Looking back, she could see that the girl was still far away. And she was looking for her now—she didn’t see her ahead. Emmy might have mapped the island and seen to it that Tate Morley had everything he needed here, but she didn’t seem to be much of a tracker. She wasn’t looking for footprints—she was staring across the distance.

She was halfway, Clara thought. Halfway to the Alaska Hut, where she’d find Justin and Magda. They would help her...they would let her in.

Justin would have a method of defense.

She had to get there; she had to reach it. But, as soon as she rose...

She heard another shot; had Emmy seen her? She crept along, facedown in the snow.

She lifted her head and peered into the distance; Emmy had paused. She seemed to be studying the gun. Clara decided that she had to take the time and run again.

Had the gun jammed? Pray God!

Clara stood and she began to run and run...

The Alaska Hut was just ahead of her.

She was suddenly aware of barking and baying...

Dogs!

“Clara!”

She turned around. Now Emmy was looking backward—looking at the two large huskies bounding at her. Clara could hear someone shouting; she heard a gun go off...

Suddenly, she was running in reverse.

Thor was there; his FBI Glock aimed at Emmy as the dogs raced up to her, barking a warning.

But Emmy raised her gun anyway.

She wasn’t going to shoot; she was going to slam it down on Natasha’s head.

Clara was amazed by her own renewed burst of speed.

Emmy never had a chance to raise the gun against Clara. Clara landed on her in a fury. Natasha went for the woman’s wrist. Emmy let out a scream and released the gun.

And then Thor was there, pulling Clara up against him, reciting something he’d been taught by the FBI to Emmy, who just lay on her back in the snow.

“Shoot me!” Emmy pleaded. “Shoot me—let me be with him!”

They heard another voice. “Shoot her! Shoot the stupid, wretched little bitch!”

It was Amelia Carson, standing there in the snow. The breeze seemed to move her clothing and her hair. She looked so beautiful and so sad.

“Living is the most horrible punishment for her,” Thor said softly.

Boris and Natasha let out their husky howls.

Clara sank down to her knees in the snow. She simply couldn’t stand anymore.





Epilogue

Clara finished her goodbye song to Larry Hepburn. She was gratified that there was a beat after the song ended when no one moved.

She was offstage and could smile when she heard a sniffle from the audience.

Nothing like it.

Well, and then the thunderous applause that followed.

There were another three to four minutes until the play ended; she stood in the wings waiting for the curtain call.

As she did, she thought she heard another sniff—right by her side.

“That was beautiful. Really beautiful,” Amelia Carson told her. Clara could feel the softness of the ghost’s touch on her shoulder.

“Thank you.”

“I mean,” Amelia said, “everyone felt it. The love. The sadness.” Amelia was silent a minute. “No one really loved me. I guess my own fault. I wasn’t looking for love—I wanted to be famous. World famous!”

“I’m sure you were loved.”

“Not like that. Not like you’re loved,” Amelia said, and before she could sound too morose, she quickly added, “not that your kindly nature didn’t almost get you killed—twice!”

“Ah, but you helped save me, you know.”

“I did, didn’t I?”

Clara nodded. “Amelia, I know you’re loved. You have family, gone before you. I know they loved you. And Natalie Fontaine—you two were close, great friends!”

“I have a feeling that I have to leave, and I’m so afraid,” Amelia said. “Talking to you...it’s getting harder and harder. And I feel that I’m fading, that I should be turning... Is all that stuff about walking into the light true?” Amelia asked hopefully.

“I think so,” Clara said.

She heard the sound of applause again; time for their curtain call. She hurried out at the appropriate moment, meeting up with Larry Hepburn, taking his hand.

She received all kinds of beautiful flowers, and she, Larry, Ralph, Simon and Connie all congratulated one another as they headed to their dressing rooms. The director called out her satisfaction regarding the show.