Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six(103)

Trina kept the gun trained on Hannah. And Hannah could see Trina, too—how far gone she was, what she would be willing to do.

Hannah dropped the knife and kicked it toward Trina. It spun over the wood floor, blade glinting. Hannah felt that tension, the one she used to feel on the diving block, before the whistle blew and her body would fly through the air, slice into the water, and she would start to swim with all her strength. She edged forward, knowing that Bruce could feel her. She gave his hand a hard squeeze and he pressed back. They were a team; they both understood what had to happen next. They had to fight. For Gigi.

Josh moved forward and Bruce lifted a hand. His voice sounded like a growl when he spoke. “Stay away from us.”

The lightning flashed, and Hannah saw the great jagged streak of electricity through the window. When the giant crack of thunder sounded, shuddering the whole cabin, Hannah flew, rushing Trina, crashing her body into the other woman.

It didn’t matter who Trina was, or what she wanted, just that Hannah and Bruce got home to Gigi.

As Hannah made hard contact, bone on bone, flesh on flesh, the gun fired—her ears ringing, filling her senses with the smell of cordite. Hannah heard the gun clatter to the floor as they both hit the ground hard. Hannah landed on top of the taller woman, her weight pushing all the air from Trina in a great rush.

Then it was mayhem, with Bruce rushing Joshua as Hannah thought he would, and Cricket screaming. Mako was bent over Liza, holding her and looking on like he was helpless, eyes glassy.

“Mako,” she yelled. “Do something!”

But he didn’t seem to hear her.

The knife. The gun. Where were they?

Hannah could see them both—just out of reach in opposite directions.

The other woman struggled, and Hannah punched her hard in the face. The pain radiated up her arm, skin on her knuckles splitting, burning. She hit the other woman again. Then, Hannah, still on top of Trina, pinning the other woman with her weight, reached over her for the gun.

Just as she almost got it, the other woman grabbed for her, and then Trina was on top, pinning Hannah to the ground, the gun skittering away from Hannah’s grasp. Hannah writhed free to scramble for the knife, with Trina right on top of her, a hard knee in her back.

“Just stop,” Trina said through gritted teeth. “Let me end him.”

Hannah watched Bruce land a solid punch to Joshua’s jaw, just as Trina grabbed Hannah’s hair to keep her from getting closer to the knife.

“Cricket,” Hannah screamed, as Trina brought another painful knee into her ribs. “Get the gun.”

Bruce and Joshua were on the ground now, rolling and punching. Hannah felt herself losing strength. She reached, stretched painfully, for the gleaming knife.

Just one more inch.

Trina was on top of her again, grabbing at her arm.

Hannah felt herself weaken, air being pushed from her lungs. She realized then that she was bleeding, blood gushing from her arm. The pulse of adrenaline kept the pain at bay.

But the room was starting to fade.

No, she thought. Gigi.

Another lightning flash.

Another deafening crack of thunder.

Then two shots rang out. And the world seemed to come to a stuttering stop.





44


Bracken

The Elegant Overlook is empty. He’s been through all the rooms. Their belongings remain, but the guests are nowhere to be found. Some uneaten desserts line the bar; there are towels scattered around the deck, soaking wet in the rain. There are signs of a struggle inside, a lamp knocked over, furniture moved oddly. By the door is a satchel containing ropes, shovels, a hammer, a hunting knife. Some plastic tarps.

Bracken listens to the silence of the night.

But then he hears it, a deep rumble. Something else, a roar from the air.

Then the front foyer floods with light and the rumble is not from thunder but the arrival of five black SUVs.

As they pull to a stop in the circular drive, armed personnel clad in black with big FBI vests exit and fan out.

Bracken feels a drop of dread. Is this about him? His cameras?

He stands speechless, watching, waiting. Will they take him to jail? What about May? What will she think of him now?

Bracken watches as the Feds fan out around the property, moving like wraiths, swallowed by the night as they disappear down the path to the guest cabin. They seem to know where they’re going. How?

He stays frozen, listening.

Bracken thought he knew his guests. But maybe you never really know anyone. Not from their online presence. It only went so deep, and people had so many layers.

He thought about May who was waiting for him, laid bare, offering everything and asking very little.

There were loud voices, shouting. He heard the blades of a helicopter above. In the distance, the whine of sirens.

And then he was alone in the Overlook.

Bracken stood, breathing heavily. Relief washing through him. He had no intention of getting involved in the mess his guests had made.

Bracken set about dismantling his surveillance equipment. He didn’t need to watch anymore. He’d seen enough. Now, maybe, it was time to live.





45


Hannah

The silence in the room expanded; the wind howled outside. That wailing. Were there sirens? Or was that just her ears ringing? The moment seemed frozen, as if time had slowed and warped.