Seconds to Live (Scarlet Falls #3)(97)

But she would fit.

“Boost me in,” Stella said.

“No,” Mac said.

“We don’t have time for this.” She grabbed the edges of the hole.

Jaw tight, Mac put his hands in the water, and Stella stepped into the improvised step. He lifted her. She put her arms and head through the hole, then wiggled until her shoulders passed. Then she slipped from Mac’s grasp into the cell. She slipped under the water and panicked and flailed for a second before her feet found the floor.

Sputtering, she surfaced, tilting her head back to breathe. The water had risen higher. Her toes stretched for the floor. Behind her, she could hear the battering ram hit the door over and over as the men enlarged the opening.

“Gianna!”

Where was she?

Frantic, Stella swam through the water, feeling for a body, panic and the cold water numbing her.

She spotted a swirl of dark hair and reached for it. Grabbing the girl’s shirt, she pulled her above the surface. No! Gianna’s face was gray, her eyes closed. Stella flipped her onto her back and towed her close. As she moved toward the door, she began mouth-to-mouth.

“I have her.” Stella shouted between breaths.

Come on, Gianna.

Stella pushed Gianna through the opening. Mac grabbed her and pulled her through, then passed her to someone behind him.

“Stella, get out of there,” he yelled.

The water was barely a foot from the ceiling. Stella dove through the now-larger hole into Mac’s waiting arms.

He steered them both out of the flood waters as Stella’s lungs bellowed. Ahead, Carl carried Gianna, lifting her out of the water. They went through the torture chamber and up the steps. On the first floor of the house, he set her down on dry ground and began CPR.

Out of breath, he motioned for another cop to take over his resuscitation efforts, but Gianna coughed.

Stella rolled her to her side as water spewed from her mouth. Gianna’s eyes opened. Fear rimmed them with white.

Thank God.

“It’s all right.” Stella’s hands trembled as she smoothed the wet hair from the girl’s forehead. “We’ve got you.”

Gianna grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to her face. “Did you get him?”

“We will.” Stella squeezed her fingers. “They’re going to take you to the hospital. I’ll come see you later.”

Gianna nodded. “Stay safe.”

Mac got to his feet. He tapped Carl on the shoulder. “Which way did Josh run?”

“Don’t know. Didn’t see him.” Carl sat back on his heels and spoke into the radio on his shoulder. “I’m taking her to the ambulance.” He lifted Gianna and carried her toward the door.

Mac turned toward a set of sliding glass doors at the back of the house. Beyond a short patch of woods, rain beat on the lake. The road was blocked with emergency vehicles.

“Where are you going?” Stella asked.

“I’m going after him.” Mac headed for the doors.

“Stop!” Stella followed, determined not to let him out of her sight again. “You can’t go after him alone.”

But Mac was gone.

Stella ran out the door. She spotted him running toward the woods and bolted into the rain after him. Her steps were slowed by driving rain, slick ground, and uneven footing. But Mac bounded through the forest like a wild creature. He disappeared down a path that led toward the lake below.

Angry and scared for Mac, she moved down the slope too fast. Her feet slid out from under her, and she went down hard on her butt. Wiping the rain from her eyes, she put a hand on the ground to push herself upright. By the time she regained her footing, she couldn’t see Mac.

Footsteps slapped wet ground. Stella turned. Grant and Hannah were running toward her.

“Where’s Mac?” Grant yelled.

“He ran this way.” Stella pointed toward the woods and set off in that direction. Hannah kept pace with her. Grant surged ahead, stopping every few minutes to study the ground before taking off again. His pauses kept him from drawing too far ahead. They entered the trees and ran down a narrow trail.

The rain continued to drown the forest. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed. At an intercession of trails, Grant slid to a stop. He turned in a circle. “They’re doubling back toward the lake.”

He made a sharp right turn and set off again. Stella struggled to keep up. Her lungs and legs burned. Her head swam with dizziness. Next to her, Hannah wheezed, also working hard to keep up. Grant pulled ahead. They burst from the trees into three inches of water. The lake had flooded the beach.

Grant pointed. “There’s Mac.”

A football field away, a floating dock extended out over the water. A dark figure sprinted down the length of the boards.

Stella spotted a red canoe slogging through the water. “And there’s Josh!”

“Mac. Stop!” shouted Grant.

But she knew Mac wasn’t stopping until he had Josh. His motions were too focused, too sure. Mac was going after him.

Fresh fear bubbled into her throat as Mac reached the end of the dock, paused to pull off his boots, and dove into the water.





Chapter Forty


You are not getting away, not after all you’ve done.

Mac’s body sliced through the water. That bastard was going down. Ahead, Josh’s canoe moved slowly in the driving rain. The canoe was probably half-filled with water. Mac put his head down and stretched his strokes.