Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (Sunset Cove #3)(80)

Before he could react, Kate leaned over and pressed hard on the horn. The sound made him jump, and he brought the gun around. “Stop it!”

But she pressed the horn again. “Claire, run!”

Her words sounded loud as she threw open the door and screamed, but the rain would muffle them. “The horn will just bring them quicker. Go ahead and blare it. You’re just making sure she gets here faster.”

Kate’s hand fell away from the horn, and she looked past his shoulder. He turned to see what she was looking at, because the voices hadn’t come from that direction. Seconds later the car door squealed, and he flipped back around to see her leap from the passenger side. She stumbled on a tree limb and went down on one knee.

It slowed her just enough for him to dash around the front of the truck and grab her by the arm. As she opened her mouth to scream, he hit her in the head with the butt of his gun, and she collapsed onto the wet ground.

He turned to face the approaching sound of voices. Let the fun begin.





THIRTY-SEVEN


The drizzly rain continued to fall, and mud covered Drake’s boots as he moved through the misty forest with the others. Kevin had found where Kate had hidden until she’d been discovered. The sets of prints had come this way, but the rain was quickly washing away the imprints of their shoes.

Kevin paused and looked toward the tree line. Rain dripped off the edges of his hat. “They can’t be far ahead of us.”

“At least she’s still alive, right?” Claire voiced the question Drake contemplated.

“Looks like it. There’s a woman with him, anyway.”

“Anyone hear from the sheriff?” Luke moved a branch out of the way of Claire’s head. “It was bad luck he believed Kissner had left Folly Shoals.”

“I got a text from him,” Kevin said. “The ferry is down for engine repair. He’s rounding up a boat to get out here on his own, but it’ll be at least an hour before he reaches us.”

“That’s good though,” Drake said. “That the ferry isn’t running. Kissner can’t get her off Folly Shoals that way.”

Luke nodded. “I heard from my team. They found a boat Kissner chartered and have it under surveillance.”

“So they’re still on the island somewhere.” Kevin started forward again. “There’s a clearing ahead where hunters often park. Kissner might be heading for it.”

Drake stopped and listened. “I thought I heard someone yell Claire’s name. Did you hear it?”

“I thought I heard a car horn too,” Claire said. “Was it Kate calling for me?” Her voice was tight, and she leaped forward until Luke grabbed her arm.

“I couldn’t tell.” Drake trotted after Kevin, who had picked up the pace.

“She needs me!” Claire tried to twist out of Luke’s grasp.

“Honey, calm down. We’ve got to be smart about this if we want to make sure no one is hurt.”

At his gentle voice, she stopped struggling and nodded, but tears tracked down her cheeks.

Kevin halted and held up his hand. “There’s a truck in the clearing.” His words were a whisper. “Luke, circle around the other way. Drake, go west and come up on the road side.”

Drake nodded and moved in what felt like the wrong direction. Every instinct told him to rush for the clearing and make sure Kate was all right. He reached the road, then circled back. He crouched under bushes lining the clearing and peeked over the tops. His blood roared in his ears.

Kate lay on the ground with blood covering her forehead.

A rag in his mouth, Kissner sat beside her with his hands bound behind him. A man in his thirties crouched next to Kate with a gun in his hand. He snugged his baseball cap over sandy-brown hair. His tall and lanky frame was outfitted in camouflage hunting gear.

The man rose and coughed weakly. “I know people are out there in all directions. I can hear you. I need help or she’s going to die. Please, I’m shot too. I managed to subdue this guy, but we are both wounded.”

The hunter must have heard Kate scream and saved her. Drake ran toward the clearing.

Claire shot out of the trees and dashed for her sister. She fell to her knees and touched Kate’s head. “Oh, Kate, look at me. Open your eyes.” Luke jogged out to join his wife. He pulled his cell phone out to call for help.

Drake was moments behind Claire and dropped to Kate’s other side. He touched her hand and examined her head. She seemed to be bleeding from a scalp wound. “What happened to her?”

The man coughed again. He looked vaguely familiar to Drake now that he was closer, but he couldn’t put his finger on where he’d seen the guy. “Head wound. That deputy smashed her in the noggin with a rock. We need to get to the hospital. I don’t think you can get a signal in here. I never can.”

Luke shook his head. “No signal. I’ll have to hike out to get one.”

Kevin appeared from the tree line. “I’ll call the sheriff. I know a shortcut to get out. Luke, see what you can do for their injuries. I’ll be right back.” He jogged past them and pushed through the scrub to the road, then disappeared around the bend in the dirt track.

Open your eyes, honey. Drake would give anything to see those big, beautiful eyes smile up at him. The blood pouring out of her head wound terrified him. Her skin was pasty gray and she felt so cold. He wanted to cradle her in his arms, but he was afraid to move her.