Run to Me (34 page)

‘You should’ve believed in her, Mr Linnell.’

Chase closed the phone and bowed his head. Never had he felt such a sense of relief, nor vindication that his intuitive faith in a person had been justified. Now, with the information he’d gained, he might finally unlock some of the mysteries surrounding Shyler.

First and foremost, she hadn’t killed her son. Yet, like her ex-husband, she could very well blame herself for what happened,
a common reaction in people who’d experienced such trauma as she had.

Unlike
others, however, Shyler had had no support in coping. Her husband had left, her father was dead, she was estranged from her mother. And, if she followed the pattern of most PTSD sufferers, she’d withdrawn from friends.

Slowly her behaviour began to make sense. Her overriding goal in everything she did would have been
to avoid any situation that triggered memories of her ordeal. And if she were forced into such a scenario – like crossing the ravine – she could well be expected to experience symptoms. Like seeing the men who’d killed her son hiding in the bushes on the other side.

Surely, for Shyler, the greatest threat of triggering bad memories
would arise from contact with children. Zack’s presence around
her cabin would have placed her under enormous stress. She might have dealt with it for a time by denying his presence, blocking him out. Which she’d managed to do, according to Zack, by simply ignoring him. But when Nolan showed up and tried to kill him that would have tipped her over the edge.

At that point everything would have changed for her. Forced to take action in a situation far too
similar to her original trauma, her denial would have shifted – from not seeing Zack at all to seeing him as Jesse. The son she would give her life to protect.

Chase looked down at the phone in his hand. He still had a signal. Just one more call to make. There was no reason not to any more. Shyler’s fear of the police clearly stemmed from their treatment of her in regard to Jesse’s death. If
she were thinking clearly now he had no doubt she’d agree to letting him contact them.

Entering nine-one-one, he waited. He didn’t know their exact location but the police would hopefully be able to triangulate –

A scream from the darkness stopped his heart.

Dropping the phone he ran for the cliff edge.

The others had found them! That was all Chase could think as he raced towards the sound.
At the wood’s edge he stopped. The cliff beyond was littered with rocks. He snatched one up, drew back to throw it, then froze with his hand above his head.

Only one silhouette stood in the moonlight. Shyler. Still screaming, rifle forgotten. In the throes of a nightmare? She’d fallen asleep? Stumbling perilously close to the edge!

Rushing forward, he pulled her against him and slid his free
hand over her mouth. If the others were near enough to hear her screams –

Shyler grew frantic. She kicked and flailed.

He pressed his lips to the side of her face. ‘It’s okay, it’s me. There’s no one else here. You’re all right, you’re safe.’

Still she swung at him, straining to reach around and claw his face.

Chase took a chance. From what he now knew of her ordeal he could guess what her
nightmare had been about.

‘Listen to me. They’re all gone. Fish Hook? Puppet? They’ve all run off. You drove them away.’

Her struggles stopped but her body was rigid within his arms.

‘You hear me, Shyler? They’re gone, every one. Snake. Scarecrow. All of them. Gone.’

When she still didn’t move, he slowly slid his hand from her mouth.

‘Jesse?’ she hissed, between ragged breaths.

‘He’s fine.
See.’ He turned her slightly and pointed through the trees. ‘He’s asleep, just there. Safe and sound.’

Her tension eased down another notch. ‘Fish Hook. The others. They’re really gone?’

‘Yes, they’re really gone.’
And one day they’ll be gone for good, I promise
. Closing his eyes, Chase breathed the leafy scent of her hair. He brushed his lips across her brow, pressed a light kiss to her temple.

Without warning she turned in his arms. ‘Chase?’

‘Shyler.’ He brushed a stray lock out of her face.

‘I . . . I’m not . . . I don’t think . . .’

She was trembling now. He wrapped his arms around her again. ‘Easy, it’s all right.’

‘You have to promise. If something happens to me, you’ll take care of Jesse.’

He held her closer. ‘Nothing’s going to happen to you.’
I won’t let it
.

‘I don’t just
mean if I should get hurt. I mean . . . If you see that I’m unable . . . If I’m not doing what’s best for him . . .’

‘When have you ever –’

‘Promise me anyway!’

He took her face in both his hands. ‘All right, I promise.’

Vanessa blundered as far as she dared through the murky shadows. The woman’s screams had given her a bearing. Frustratingly brief, but enough to guide her through the forest
a good quarter mile closer to their quarry.

She stopped and listened. Nothing but the wind. If they heard no more screams they’d have to wait till the sun came up to move again. But that was fine. At least she knew now she’d made the right call. They were close. Very close.

She settled down against a tree. The crunch of dry leaves a short way off told her Tragg was doing the same. She smiled
to herself. He would never admit she’d been right in climbing back up the slope, yet the fact he wasn’t questioning her decision to stop again said it all.

Leaning her head back she laid the Weatherby across her thighs. She would rest for now, but remain alert to the slightest sound. If the screams came again she’d be ready to run.

She smiled as she closed her eyes. The bitch had been smart,
changing direction, but not smart enough. Clearly, she’d under-estimated her opponent. And tomorrow, at first light, Vanessa would show her just how wrong she’d been.

Zack stretched his legs, feeling a familiar presence beside him. When a hand touched his cheek he opened his eyes to see Shyler’s sweet face gazing down at him.

‘Morning, Sunshine. How are you feeling?’

He nodded, then reached from beneath the blanket to take her hand. She’d been with him all night, allaying his fears and transforming a simple pile of leaves to a warm, secure bed.
And now, though he knew they had to leave, he didn’t want the feeling to end. He let out a sigh and watched the silvery plume of his breath dissipate in the pre-dawn light.

Shyler smiled. ‘We should get going.’

‘Ready when you are,’ came an answering voice.

Zack looked around to see Chase sitting propped against the nearest tree, holding the rifle. Had he been there all night, watching over
them? Shyler must have decided he could be trusted if she’d given him the gun.

Zack eyed the man with a curious feeling. It was weird, the three of them together like this. If it wasn’t for the constant sense of fear, they could almost be on a camping trip. A vacation or something. As though they were . . .

He swallowed a sudden tightening in his throat. A family. That’s what it was like, a
family. He shoved the thought away and got up.

Shyler rose as well and started away from them. ‘I just want to take a quick look from the cliff before we leave.’

‘Here, take this.’ Chase handed over the rifle as she passed then pushed to his feet.

He walked a few paces in the opposite direction, then started searching around on the ground. ‘How’s the leg this morning?’

‘Yeah, okay.’ Watching
the man’s movements, Zack pulled the blanket tighter around him. ‘What are you doing?’

‘Looking for my phone.’

Zack stood blinking. Had he heard the man right? ‘You’ve got a mobile?’

‘Couldn’t get a signal before last night. Then afterwards I dropped it and couldn’t find it again in the dark.’

‘Afterwards? You mean you used it! Who’d you call?’

‘Shyler’s ex.’

Zack felt his stomach relax
a bit. ‘What did he say? Did she or didn’t she?’ The doc would surely know what he meant.

‘No. I’m convinced Shyler didn’t kill her son.’

‘Told ya!’ Smiling, Zack began scanning the ground with him. ‘So if you already talked to him why do you need to find your phone?’

‘To call the police.’

He froze. ‘You can’t.’

‘Zack, our only way out of this is to get some help.’

‘You don’t understand.
They’ll send me back!’

Chase stepped towards him. ‘Zack, whatever happens I give you my word you’ll never end up in a place like the Learys’ ever again.’

‘How do you know?’

‘Because I’ll make sure of it.’

Zack stared up at him. Make sure how? Was he saying he would foster him himself? It wouldn’t be bad living with the doctor as long as Shyler was there too, but – No, that was crazy. What
was he thinking? They’d never do that.

‘Bastard! You’re just like every other grown-up! You think it’s okay to lie to kids to get what you want!’

‘Zack, I swear to you –’

‘Everybody says that! Everyone promises! And no one’s ever kept them but
her!’

Chase took his shoulders. ‘Listen to me –’

‘No, lemme go! I’m staying with Shyler!’ Zack twisted free and stumbled away. His heart was already
clubbing his ribs but the next sound made it leap in his chest – a gunshot echoing along the cliff.

From the very direction Shyler had gone.

Blinding terror seared through his veins. ‘Mom!’ he screamed. Before Chase could grab him he was running for the cliff.

Shyler dragged herself behind a boulder. The shot had come from the woods beyond. Her arm was screaming where she’d been hit. Worst of all, she’d dropped the rifle and couldn’t see it anywhere. How was she going to protect Jesse!

Bracing her good hand against the rock, she tried to push up. Pain swamped her senses. Darkness encroached at the sides of her vision and she slumped back
down.
Don’t pass out. Damn it, don’t faint!

She opened her eyes. The rising sun was spreading long shadows across the cliff top. By the burgeoning light she opened her jacket and had a look. The bullet appeared to have passed right through but a good chunk of flesh had been ripped from her arm. Even if she didn’t faint from blood loss, shock and pain would take their toll.

She choked back a
sob. She had to try again. Now, while she could, while she still had the strength. She had to get up, had to reach him, had to –

Oh, God. Jesse, no!

Panic overrode her pain. He was running towards her out of the woods. Breaking cover.

‘No! Get down!’

Another shot echoed along the cliff top. He dived for cover behind a rock not much bigger than his own little body. Twenty feet away from her.

He might just as well have been at the ends of the earth.

Vanessa stalked slowly towards the cliff. She had little to fear. Her first shot hadn’t just hit the bitch; it had sent her rifle flying over the edge. With their only weapon now beyond reach, the remaining two targets were completely defenceless.

Still, she had to be careful. The boy was unharmed and could still make a run for it. If
he reached the woods he might get away. Tragg would have heard her shots and be running to join her, but she couldn’t count on him stopping the kid.

Besides, she wanted to finish this herself.

Slipping from the trees, she started out across the ledge. Rocks to her left gave limited cover. She raised the Weatherby, stepped around and smiled at the terrified boy crouched behind them. With the
drop-off less than six feet away he had nowhere to run but over the edge.

So here it was, her moment of truth. When Tragg had told her – whether as punishment or because he’d sensed her weakness, her conflict – that the job of killing the boys would be hers, at first she’d despaired. But the closer she’d got in tracking their prey the more she’d seen what he was offering. This was her test, her
initiation. The act that would ultimately earn her a place among Lazaro’s favoured.

Zack’s eyes widened as she levelled the barrel. In a useless gesture he threw up his hands. But the last thing she saw before squeezing the trigger was a dark shape darting across from the side.

Vanessa jumped back.

The body that sprawled across the granite wasn’t the boy’s. With an unexpected stab of regret
she stared down at the doctor’s face. Blood was spreading from beneath his head, already forming a little pool in a hollow of rock.

‘You killed him!’ Zack shrieked.

She clutched the rifle as again her weakness fought to the surface. Pity? Remorse? Tragg would never have suffered such doubts. Damn this kid for making her feel them!

‘No, Zack,
you
did, just like the others. That bitch who was
helping you. Reece and Corey. They’re all dead now and it’s all your fault.’

Zack felt the blow in the middle of his gut.

‘You just couldn’t keep your mouth shut, could you? Had to drag strangers into it. Had to tell your little brothers everything. Boy, you really took care of them, didn’t you?’

‘No! You’re lying! They aren’t dead!’

Vanessa smiled and raised the rifle. ‘Don’t worry, you’re
not going to miss them for long.’

Even as her finger curled round the trigger, a second, much smaller figure sprang from the rocks. Never slowing, Shyler slammed into her, driving her the last few steps towards the edge.

And vanished with her over the side.

Zack stood rigid, too horrified to move or even cry out. When the scream from the drop-off finally faded, his paralysis broke and he ran towards the edge.

Shyler was there, four feet below, sprawled on a small ledge jutting from the cliff face. She sat up weakly and reached for a handhold. He grabbed her sleeve and helped her climb up.

The instant they fell back onto the summit a
volley of gunfire exploded from the woods. They rolled behind rocks. With Shyler’s good arm around his shoulder, he pushed them both up. They took off shambling along the cliff top.

The initial shock from her wound was wearing off. She was moving faster now, nearly running. Leafy fingers snatched at their hair, vines writhed up to ensnare their feet. Clutching Jesse’s hand, Shyler stumbled through
the forest.