Page 84 of Remember Her Name

“Josie,” he said, managing to infuse a myriad of emotions into her name. The tortured look in his hazel eyes told her he wasn’t comfortable risking the life of an innocent teenage girl either.

“I can do it,” she said. “I’ve climbed it in the dark before. I climbed it with Ray tons of times in high school.”

Bell’s voice rose to a shout in Josie’s ear. “You don’t believe me? Let me give you a little more incentive, then. Her death doesn’t have to be fast.”

They watched in horror as Bell yanked Juliet back from the edge. He straddled her prone body. One of his arms reached for something at his side. The video wasn’t crisp enough for them to see what it was but as his hand rose up over his head and then swooped down toward the girl, Josie knew exactly what he was doing.

One stab. Bell’s voice vibrated with anger. “If you’re not up here in five minutes, I’ll keep going.”

“I’m coming. Right now.” Josie hung up and ripped her wrist away from Noah. She sprinted toward the base of the Overlook. Just as her feet touched stone, strong hands wrapped around her upper arms. She fought against them but it was useless. Noah spun her to face him.

“Josie, you promised to always come home to me.”

His reference to their wedding vows sent a little stab of fear right into her heart. Still, her body strained against his grip. Every inch of her skin heated with adrenaline and panic. What was he doing? He knew her. Better than any person alive. He knew she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she didn’t try to save Juliet Bowen, even if it meant losing her job, her entire career, maybe even her life. “You promised to always run toward the danger with me,” she said.

He nodded. “I did.”

Then he let her go, giving her a short lead before scrambling up after her.

SIXTY-THREE

There was a flashlight on her belt, but Josie needed her hands and feet to maneuver the narrow incline in the dark. As a teenager, Josie and her late husband Ray had become acquainted with almost all the rock formations in Denton, particularly the ones in remote areas. No adults to tell them what to do or not do. There was a weird sort of privacy being alone in the middle of the woods on top of a stone formation, especially the Overlook. It hadn’t taken long for them to become adept at climbing it. It was one of their favorites because not many kids their age could climb it or had the courage to climb it—at least not more than once. Josie and Ray had lived childhoods that stamped the fear of death out of them—at least back then. They’d been invincible, never once considering how dangerous it was to repeatedly visit the top of the Overlook.

Now, muscle memory took over, just as it had when Josie climbed to the top for the Lucy Ross case. Her feet moved nimbly, staying in the center of the path. As they got closer to the summit, it got steeper. She leaned into it, walking with her hands and feet, concentrating on the feel of the cool stone under her palms so she didn’t think about how high they were or the fact that any movement too far to the left or too far to the right wouldsend her plummeting to her death. She focused on the sound of Noah’s breathing just behind her. He’d also grown up in Denton. Had gone to the same high school as her and Ray. He’d likely climbed this thing at least once before.

As confident as she was in her ability to handle the Overlook, her body still reacted to the threat of falling. Her palms were clammy. An uncomfortable pressure built in her chest as she labored to draw breath. Blood rushed in her ears. Her scalp prickled.

“Drones,” Noah said.

As they came within a few feet of the top, two small devices covered in lights whizzed over their heads. They hovered in the sky, casting an eerie glow. “Thank God,” she mumbled. Finally, they reached the top. Josie threw herself over the lip of the plateau, landing on her knees. “I’m here! I’m here!”

Staggering to her feet, she drew her Glock. Bell stood less than twenty feet away. He had dragged Juliet upright and wrapped an arm around her neck. Josie could see the strain it took to keep her on her feet in the way the muscles of his forearm corded. Juliet’s wrists and feet were bound with zip ties. Bell pressed the tip of the stained knife blade against her side. Blood spread across her white T-shirt. The wound was to her abdomen. She would still bleed out without medical attention, but a chest wound would have been much worse. If the blade had nicked her heart, she’d have a lot less time. Her eyes were closed but Josie could see the tear stains on her cheeks. Her long, dark hair was matted with dirt and leaves.

Over the buzz of the drones above them and her own labored breathing, Josie heard Noah moving just below her. He stayed out of sight, but she knew he was there, at the ready. Keeping her pistol in a low ready position, Josie sidestepped, trying to get a better angle on Bell, one that would give her the best chance of not hitting Juliet in the event that she needed to shoot him. Inresponse, he backed up, tugging Juliet’s sagging body along with him, closer to the edge.

“Please,” the girl whispered. “Get me out of here.”

Josie took a step toward him, trying to block out the fear that scattered goosebumps all over her skin. Even with her feet planted solidly on the ground, it was hard to fight the feeling of vertigo. The hovering drones gave off a fair amount of light. It was the pitch-black beyond the dome of that light that threatened Josie’s sense of balance. Free fall in every direction. “Put her down, Roger.”

He shuffled closer to the edge. Juliet moaned in pain. Her body tried to curl in on itself, but Bell wrenched her upward.

“I thought you wanted to talk, Roger.” Josie tried to keep track of where her body was in relation to the drop-off, but looking away from Bell and Juliet for even a second felt dizzying. “Put Juliet down.”

“So you can shoot me before we’ve had a chance to get things straight? I don’t think so.”

Her arms ached. “I’ll put my gun away if you lower Juliet to the ground.”

“I’m not stupid, Detective. You’ll have to go first.”

Noah was still hidden. He might have a shot if Josie could get Bell away from Juliet. Slowly, Josie holstered her weapon. Bell loosened his grip on the girl and lowered her to the ground. She curled onto her side, the edge of the cliff only inches from her knees. Roger stood nearby, knife still dangling from his hand. He was still close enough to push or even kick her over. Josie considered negotiating further to get Juliet into a less precarious position, but Bell was too smart to make himself vulnerable, not while she had a gun.

“You don’t have to do this,” Josie said. “You don’t have to hurt Juliet—any more than you already have.”

“Oh, but I do. There’s really no choice at this point, is there?”

The pale skin of his face was shiny with sweat. His blond hair glistened. Josie wondered if he’d dyed it all these years. Faint silvery lines striped his neck where the snake tattoo had been. There was a strange gleam in his eyes, excited and predatory. His body remained still and relaxed, other than his white-knuckle grip on the knife. He was trapped. Out of options. He knew it. He’d gone to great lengths to create this very situation and yet, he seemed oddly happy.

Anticipation. That’s what Josie saw in his eyes.

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