Page 104 of Pied Sniper

Keeping to half-height, bending at the waist to minimize myself but still poised to run, I took off, trying to follow a path as best I could. I didn’t want to draw any attention by crashing through the brush. After running for a few minutes, a bullet hit the tree closest to my left, only a couple of feet from my path. I squeaked and increased my pace, risking a glance over my right shoulder.Where the hell were they?

Another shot rang out, the bullet whistling past me. How long could my luck hold that the gunman was a terrible shot? I increased my pace, aiming for a thicket of young fir trees. I rounded them and skidded across a clutch of twigs, holding my arms out to stay upright.

“There! Behind the trees!” came a shout.

Dammit!There were two, or maybe all three of them were chasing me! Either they checked the cabin super quick or they held back in case I was hiding. That was smart. They wanted me to feel safe enough to emerge from my hiding place.

The man shouted again but his voice was lost to another crack of thunder. I needed to hurry faster before the rain rolled in and made my progress more difficult. With the thick firs behind me, and a guess at the direction, I pushed on, running as fast as I could and wishing that I had joined Lily at the gym more often. If I got out of this, that’s what I planned to do. I would go to the gym every single day, even on the days I didn’t want to. I would emerge like a butterfly, toned, faster, ready to…Yikes! Bullet!I ducked again and my lungs were burning. I ran hard, taking less care about my route or the noise I made.

Overhead, an owl screeched and rain began to fall, first in thick drops, then faster until it quickly became torrential, plastering my hair to my head and soaking my clothes. I pushed my hair back with a wet hand, wincing as I grazed the growing bump on my head. I sincerely hoped the rain made it too difficult to get a clear shot at me. Then all of a sudden, I burst onto a wide, clear trail. I stopped, suddenly unsure which way to go. Right probably took me to the north side of the park, closer to the cabin. Left had to be south. There was a bend ahead and the road forked but I could make out a signpost. Sticking close to the tree line, I ran as hard as I could south, my sneakers sticking and getting sucked like a vacuum in the muddied grass as I lifted my feet.

The sign was as I guessed and the fork suggested I take the right path for a two-mile trail to the ranger’s station and café. The left fork was a four-mile trail that went directly to the parking lot. Behind me were three miles to the ranger’s north cabin. Underneath someone etched:permanently closed.

Did I really run close to three miles already? I didn’t have time to choose my trail. My pursuers would follow my tracks and assume I’d head south to the ranger’s station for rescue. Yes, that’s exactly what I wanted them to think! I made sure my footsteps were visible as I stomped towards the two-mile trail and dragged my feet on the path. I ran forwards, then took a running jump into the undergrowth, aiming to cut across to the four-mile trail. Yes, it was longer, but I could get to the parking lot where I knew there was a traffic booth with a phone inside. I’d have to break in but that was justified since these assholes were willing to shoot me! The cabin and the booth were far enough away from each other that they might be occupied waiting for me at the cabin, not realizing I’d slipped away.

I hurtled forwards, then found a thick copse to crouch in. If my plan worked, I didn’t want them catching sight of me running in a different direction. I knew they couldn’t be far behind and I wanted them to think I was on the shorter trail so they had to hurry to catch me. Pushing some of the brush apart, I squinted through the heavy rain towards the open trail. A moment later, I saw them emerging from the other side of the forest, a man and a woman together. She had a rain jacket on, and the hood pulled up but it was Tiffany, I was sure. They paused and he inspected the ground. The man said something and pointed, then got to his feet and followed my footsteps onto the trail. Tiffany was right behind him, shouting something that was lost in the rain, then she turned and yelled something and waved. Another man joined them, then they took off, fanning out across the two-mile trail and jogging onwards. I couldn’t be sure, but from the way both men extended their right hands, I assumed they were armed.

A noise had me freeze. A rolling purr. More thunder? I shook off the creeping fear I felt and counted to sixty, then turned and headed for the other trail, away from the trio. I didn’t dare risk running on the trail itself in case they realized their mistake and doubled back. I stuck close to the trail, running at a light pace so I could rest my lungs a little and didn’t fatigue too fast. My head still throbbed although the rain and cold seemed to be easing some of the pain.

As I jogged, I tried to envisage a hot chocolate, a roaring fire, and sticks with marshmallows on the ends for toasting. I sang silly songs in my head and I thought about Solomon who had no idea I was out here. He probably thought I was home in my stupid patterned pajamas, warm and toasty, while he addressed the tip line issue. I thought about my parents and how upset they’d be to hear I disappeared. I also thought how no one could ever find my body in this big, stupid forest. As soon as I thought it, I scrapped it from my mind. No one was murdering me tonight, or any other night, and my body would definitely be found because I was getting out of here. I would tell everyone how duplicitous Tiffany was. Clearly, she was no victim. I suspected she orchestrated most of it. Kidnapped live on air for maximum panic might have been her cousins’ idea but pressing Abigail and Davy for money was hers. Of course she didn’t go to Jonathan or her own family! She went for easy targets instead. I was surprised she didn’t tap Flavia. She, no doubt, had it all planned out, how she would dramatically escape or be rescued, looking pale and unresponsive. A hospital stay with doctors and nurses to suck into her fabricated story and then all the talk show bookings, the book deal and the movie based on her “ordeal,” not to mention, all the cash. I wondered if she’d split it with Cal and Huey or did she fully intend to double-cross them too? Not if I had anything to do with it!

The rain drizzled to a stop and it felt like I’d been running for a couple of miles when I heard a soft purr of thunder close to me, then a snarl. Wait… thunder didn’t snarl. I stopped, and glanced behind me but there wasn’t anything there. I shivered, cold and sodden, and forced my feet to squelch on. I couldn’t risk stopping even if my head injury was making me hear things. Or maybe it was my own panic. Sure, I could potentially hide out until first light but that was hours away. And yes, I could remain hidden until I saw hikers on the trails, but with the trio with guns searching the woods, I didn’t want to risk anyone getting hurt. “Keep going, Lexi,” I muttered to myself. “You’re nearly there.”

As I rounded the bend, the trail opened onto the parking lot, the broad path barricaded by a padlocked metal gate to stop any vehicles other than the rangers’ trucks. From memory, I would have to cross the lot to get to the traffic booth and there was a grove of trees and then a playground separating the lot from the ranger’s cabin. The lot would be empty but if I followed the shadowy treeline as far as I could go, I would have to risk running across the wide, open space. However, I had no choice. There was no other way. It was a risk I had to take.

I headed forwards, so relieved to see the parking lot that I couldn’t stop smiling.

“Not so fast!” yelled a voice. “Stop!”

I glanced behind me, and panicked. A man stood in the middle of the trail, his legs hip-width apart. He was raising his arms and he aimed. It was the man I saw in the cabin, not the one who punched me in the face. Although whether this man was Cal or Huey was still unknown and I didn’t care as long as he didn’t shoot me.

I leapt forwards, zig-zagging as I ran to make it harder for him to train his sights on me. A bullet slammed into the tree only inches from my head as I neared the treeline and I squealed. Something roared. I squealed louder, darting to my right and sliding under the gate. I bent backwards until I landed, then I skidded on my butt. It wasn’t particularly elegant, but fast and effective. As I came to a stop, I scrambled onto my feet, my backside covered in mud and gravel.

“Stop or I’ll shoot!” yelled my pursuer.

“Stop orI’llshoot!” yelled someone else, stepping into view.

I stuck my hands in the air as I squinted. “Maddox?”

“Lexi?”

“I’m not armed!” I yelled.

“What the hell are you doing out here?”

I pushed a thick clump of wet hair behind my ear. “Help!” I gasped, almost entirely out of breath. “He’s trying to shoot me.”

“What?”

I thumbed behind me, hoping he could pick out the guy despite the falling rain. Maddox’s eyes widened and he raised his gun. “Stay very still,” he said.

“No problem!”

“I mean it. Don’t move a muscle.”

“Sure!”

“And don’t talk.”

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