The Murder Rule(78)

“I’m not leaving without you, Sam,” Sean said. “Not if you told the truth when you spoke to Hannah. We need you.”

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” Sam said. “You weren’t supposed to just come here, right out in the open.”

“But that’s just it,” Sean said. “It al has to be in the open.

Everything has to be exposed and seen and everyone has to know, otherwise how wil things ever get better?”

Sam wasn’t listening. He was very afraid. Sean could see it in his eyes and his own fear grew. What did Sam know about Pierce that he didn’t? But he couldn’t go. Couldn’t force himself to get in the car and retreat.

“Sam, Pierce knows who real y kil ed your mother. He’s always known.”

Sam’s eyes flew back to Sean’s and locked on.

“It was Derek Rawlings. His brotherin-law. Pierce set Dandridge up to protect Rawlings.”

Sam aged right before him. The fear in his eyes fel away and was replaced by . . . something. Sadness. Disgust. Regret. Suddenly there was nothing boylike about him at al . “How do you know?” he asked.

“Hannah figured it out,” he said. She had. My God, she had. And al by herself. “We haven’t proved it, not yet, but I believe it.”

Sam nodded slowly. Out of the corner of his eye Sean saw movement on the cabin porch. Pierce wasn’t going to al ow them any more time.

“We have to go, Sam. We have to go now.”

“Okay,” Sam said.

“Real y?”

And Sam nodded.

“Just start walking, slowly,” Sean said. “Act like you’re walking me to the car to get rid of me.” The walk was only thirty feet or so, but it felt like it took an hour. As soon as they turned away Sean felt an itch between his shoulder blades, had to fight the urge to look back. But they made it to the car and Sam climbed into the passenger seat and Sean had the car started and moving before anyone on the porch could react. They lost sight of the cabin almost immediately and Sean drove too fast down the track, the little car bouncing and jolting. Sam braced himself against the door but didn’t suggest that they slow down. When they reached the end of the drive and turned left down the narrow, winding road that would take them off the mountain, Sean and Sam let out a simultaneous, audible sigh of relief, looked at each other, and suddenly they were laughing.

“Oh my God,” Sam said. “I’m sorry. None of this is funny, but I was so scared.”

“I wasn’t,” Sean said. “Not until the last minute. I think I lost my mind for a moment.”

“He’s so . . . he scares the shit out of me.”

“Is Pierce real y friends with your grandfather?” Sean asked.

“Since my mom died. Not before. But since then, yeah. They go fishing sometimes. And Granddad won’t hear a word said against him. He’s put him on this pedestal. Like Pierce is this lone guy fighting for justice against the system. Granddad just doesn’t want to hear about anything else.”

Sean drove for a moment, concentrating on the road. Driving down the mountain required even more concentration than driving up had. The steep slopes combined with loose stones on the road meant that the car slipped and skidded a little.

“Thank you for doing this,” he said, eventual y. “It’s brave of you.”

But Sam was distracted. He turned in his seat and looked back up the track. Sean’s eyes went to his rearview mirror but he saw only dust. “What is it?”

“I thought I saw . . . shit.”

And then Sean saw it. A black Dodge Ram coming up fast behind them. “Who is it?” he said, knowing the answer.

“That’s Pierce,” Sam said. “That’s his truck. It was parked behind the cabin. That’s why you didn’t see it.” He turned back to face front.

“You have to drive faster.”

“I can’t,” Sean said. “I won’t be able to control the car.” But he put his foot to the accelerator al the same. Their speed increased but his control slipped away and he had to slow again. The truck was nearly on top of them in moments, crowding them and nudging the little car. Sean and Sam were silent, Sean was doing everything he could to keep control of the car, to keep it on the road. Then the truck fel back by about fifteen feet. Stil too close, but no longer crowding or nudging. Sam glanced back.

“Has he stopped? Maybe he just wanted to scare us.”

Sean shook his head grimly. He was thinking about the precipice that lurked somewhere up ahead; he tried to remember how long it had taken him to reach the cabin after he had passed it. “Does Pierce know this road wel ?” he asked.

“I guess so,” Sam said. “He’s been up here, fishing, with my grandfather.”

Sean shook his head. He was trying to think about what he could do. He couldn’t just stop driving. There was nothing to stop Pierce coming after them with a gun. On this lonely road they would be easy targets. Jesus, with a truck like that Pierce could tow the little car down one of the firebreaks, come back later to dispose of them more permanently. Was this his imagination getting away from him?

But Sam was afraid too, that was very clear. And Pierce was a kil er.

Sean knew it in his bones. So he kept driving.

“There’s a cliff, just up ahead,” said Sean. “Can you remember where, exactly?”