Page 48 of The Sheriff & the Nurse

Fourteen

Lily couldn’t stopher hands from shaking. Her stomach twisted with nausea and her breath came in fast pants. She knew what was going to happen to her if Clint didn’t find them soon, but the horror of Jacob blowing up her parents’ home and killing them was more terrifying.

He’d thrown her purse out of the car not from the hospital so nobody could track her phone. She could only pray the listening device was working and Clint was hearing her location hints. She’d asked Jacob if he’d ever been to the Church at Creston as they passed it, and he’d just looked at her strangely. If Clint was listening, he’d know they were headed south, passing through the small town of Creston.

For the most part, Jacob was quiet, watching the road behind them as much as in front. Was someone following them? She prayed for that but had heard no sirens and seen no flashing lights. How could she fight her way free, especially if it meant her parents would die?

“Please,” she said, not seeing any landmarks to report. “I came with you. Can you disable the device to bomb my parents’ home?”

“How would I get you to do what I want then?” he asked, casting a smile her way.

“Jacob. This isn’t like you. Please. You don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“You don’t even know me, Lily. My name isn’t Jacob. It’s Landon.”

Her insides froze. She’d known it was true, but hearing him admit it chilled her. Jacob was Landon. The man who’d raped and murdered the nurse Mary, exploding the innocent lady’s parents. She clutched the door, trying to inch farther away from him but with nowhere to go.

“Why did you become Jacob?” She chose her words carefully.

“I lost someone I loved,” he said wistfully. “And decided to make a new life for myself.”

Her gut churned. Lost someone he loved or murdered her?

“I had a friend who was a plastic surgeon. He changed my nose. I prescribed myself Wegovy and lost weight, grew my beard out, then dyed my hair and got green contacts.” He smiled. “All I had to do then was take care of the real Jacob Wildman and accept the job offer in Kalispell.”

“What?” she gasped. He’d killed more than Mary and her parents.

“Nothing for you to worry about.” He patted her arm and smiled. “You look just like my lost love.”

She yanked her arm away, and he frowned. He was insane. Her eyes darted around. She had to focus on giving Clint clues. It was at least something to focus on other than the terror.

Please let him be listening. Please let him find me. Please keep my parents safe.

Her prayers were desperate and lacking faith. Jacob had murdered at least four people, and she and her parents were next.

“Are we going to Bigfork?” she asked, trying to act calm and conversational, but her shaky voice and hands betrayed her. “My friend has a cabin near the lake. It’s beautiful.”

His grip tightened on the steering wheel. “It doesn’t matter to you where we go.”

“Can we stop at Dairy Queen? I’m starving.” She tried to smile but could bet it wasn’t convincing.

“No,” he roared. “There’s food at the cabin. Stop talking so I can concentrate.”

They turned off the highway, headed west, just past the Dairy Queen. “So your cabin is west of Bigfork? Is it on the lake or the river?”

“Stop talking!” He held up the detonator.

She froze. What could she do? The only idea she had was to pray.

They drove through a neighborhood and then hit thick pine trees and a quiet, barely paved road. It went on for miles. He turned off onto a dirt road. Her heart thudded faster and faster.

“It’s a bumpy ride,” she managed, praying for a way to lead Clint to her.

“Shut up,” he yelled.

Lily tried to swallow, but her throat was too dry.

Jacob pulled the SUV into the gravel drive of an older cabin, parking in an alcove not visible from the dirt road. She couldn’t see the lake from here. The trees were thick, and dusk was fast approaching.

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