Page 44 of Forgotten Girls

“Okay.” Callie bent and fiddled with the manacles and then held them up in triumph. “We’ll get our coats.”

Soon they were running along a dirt road into the dark forest, the small flashlight bobbing ahead of them. They’d been moving for a few minutes when they heard a roar from behind them. Evan had discovered them missing and was as mad as hell. His voice boomed through the forest, making wildlife scatter. The sound of a shotgun blasted, followed by more cursing. Terrified, Shiloh turned to the others. “He’s going to kill us. We need to find a place to hide.”

“There’s not many thick bushes but follow me.” Callie turned into the forest, winding through tree trunks, her tiny flashlight hardly visible in the tangle of trees.

A door slammed and an engine roared. Headlights lit up the darkness as Evan’s truck headed along the road straight for them. Panic gripped Shiloh. “He’s coming.”

Running after Callie with Bonnie close behind, terror had Shiloh by the throat and she gasped in each breath. Frightened of the dark, and with spiderwebs hanging down all over, created her worst nightmare. Underfoot, roots and dead vines littered the underbrush. She tripped and ran into trees. She could hardly make out Callie running ahead of her. Dead bushes reached out like long witch’s nails to claw at her clothes and legs. Branches whipped across her face and tangled in her hair. Behind her she could hear Bonnie’s labored breath and staggering footsteps. Powerful beams lit up the forest as Evan turned the corner and they were trapped in the headlights like deer. The truck screeched to a stop, a door slammed, and he ran toward them. His flashlight lighting up the forest with every step. Panting, Shiloh kept running, but Evan was faster and fitter than she’d believed possible. He came crashing through the forest like a bull elephant screaming his arrival.

Shiloh increased her pace, catching up to Callie. “Run faster.”

“I see the river.” Callie veered off to the left. “Come on, it will be easier to run along the sand.”

Legs aching, Shiloh grasped the back of Callie’s coat, as the terrain sloped down toward the glistening river not far ahead. Behind her, Evan was still yelling obscenities at them. A scream pierced the darkness. Evan had caught Bonnie and she was fighting for her life. Evan’s flashlight beam moved erratically up and down. As Bonnie screamed, thuds echoed through the forest. “He’s beating her with the flashlight. Change direction and run.”

Nausea swam over Shiloh and she tugged at Callie’s coat as they reached the river. “Turn off your flashlight. He won’t be able to see us down here. There’s enough moonlight for us to find our way in the dark along the riverbank. Head upstream. That’s the direction of the road. It must lead to a town eventually. Most towns out this way are by rivers.”

“Okay.” Callie slipped down the riverbank, climbing over boulders, and turned right.

Following, Shiloh tripped and fell, rolling down almost into the river. From the forest, the sound of Evan’s bellowing was getting closer. She scrambled to her feet. Ahead, she made out Callie hiding behind a boulder and ran to her side. A wide bright beam hit the river and Shiloh made herself as small as possible. She cupped her hand to Callie’s ear. “Don’t make a sound. He’s right above us.”

FORTY-NINE

After leaving Cash and TJ parked on the road to prevent Shoebridge from escaping, Beth followed behind Styles, Carter, and Jo on foot along a dirt road. The house where they expected to find the man they knew as Shoebridge was two hundred yards or so ahead. A scream echoed through the forest, sending an icy chill walking up her spine. She tapped her comm. “That must be one of the girls. Something is going down.”

Beth’s night-vision goggles made the forest glow an eerie green and her team resembled aliens from outer space with big green eyes. Styles and Carter dived into the forest with the dogs, and she followed with Jo close behind. When Styles’ hand came up, they stopped running and went to his side. A lump lying between the trees looked like a body. In her earbud she could hear Styles’ voice.

“Keep to the trees. I’m going to see what that is across the trail.” Styles moved toward the lump and dropped to his knees. “Female, approximately sixteen, head injuries but alive.”

The sound of someone yelling obscenities came on the wind. Beth tapped her comm. “There’s someone up ahead running through the forest and yelling.”

“Yeah, I can hear him.” Carter moved to her side, his voice loud in her comm. “Stay here with the girl. We’ll go after Shoebridge. It has to be him.”

Shaking her head, Beth went to Styles’ side. She bent and felt for a pulse. “Take off her backpack and roll her into the recovery position.” She grabbed the backpack and placed it under the girl’s head.

Beside her, Jo had removed her backpack and was kneeling beside her, pulling out a first aid kit. She turned to her. “Can you stay with her? Listen to that maniac. He’s hunting someone. I bet it’s Shiloh. We need to stop him. Will you call Cash? He’ll get the paramedics rolling. They’ll be a while.”

“Yeah, I’m fine and armed.” Jo covered the girl with a foil blanket. “Anyone who comes through that forest who isn’t wearing an FBI jacket is going down.”

Relieved, Beth stood and tugged at Styles’ arm. “He’s getting away. Let’s get this SOB.”

With a nod, Styles pushed his way through the forest, cutting a path. The pace of the men was frantic and Beth’s ribs still ached. Sucking in freezing air didn’t help, but she kept running and jumping over obstacles along the way. To her surprise, Bear ran along beside her as if he sensed her injuries and was watching out for her. Ahead, she made out a bright LED flashlight and Styles’ voice came through her comm.

“Carter, the missing girl must be ahead. The river is through those trees. Go around and see if you can come in upstream. She’ll see your FBI jacket and know you’re a friendly. We’ll take down Shoebridge. The girl’s safety is our priority.”

“Copy that.” Carter ran parallel to the river, weaving in and out of trees.

Beth turned off her comm and pulled on Styles’ arm. His big green luminous eyes turned slowly to look down at her. She lifted her chin. “Don’t throw your life away on this scum, Styles.”

Why she’d become Mother Teresa, she had no idea. She wanted the monster dead, but she figured Styles was a better person than she’d ever be. He needed to be on the right side of the law. If anyone was going to kill Shoebridge, it would be her. When he shrugged and took off running toward the screams of a madman, Beth ran after him. It was difficult to see the way ahead behind Styles’ large frame, but the sound of the angry man was getting closer. Suddenly without warning, Styles took off running so fast Beth had no chance of keeping up with him.

As the river came into view, Styles flew through the air, tackling the man with the flashlight. They rolled across the ground. Bear’s barks echoed through the forest along with thumps and punches. Tree branches cracked as both men struggled on the forest floor. She arrived and gasped as Shoebridge swung the flashlight down hard on Styles’ head. The man rose slowly and came straight for Beth. Her hand went to her weapon.

“Don’t shoot him.” Styles’ voice came through her comm as he staggered to his feet. “I haven’t finished with him yet.” He was on his feet running toward him.

The man was bigger than Beth had expected and she ducked behind a tree. As he ran past, she stuck out her boot and he crashed to the floor, the flashlight spilling from his hands. Styles was on him in seconds, dragging him up and tossing him into a tree. Beth ran toward him. “That’s enough.”

“Do you forget what he did to my sister?” Styles waited for the man to stagger to his feet and punched him in the stomach. “Men like you don’t deserve to exist in our world.”

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