Page 54 of Elsie's Strong Shelter

But if she stayed quiet and formed a plan, he’d deliver her straight to Mila. Without that, they may never find her. Justin might be a violent asshole who’d end her life, but he was the only chance she had to find her best friend.

She needed a weapon. Something she could use against her captor if he came after her. If he chose to shoot her, she was screwed, but he spoke as if she’d be reunited with Mila. Meaning he’d keep her alive long enough to get to where he kept her.

Her body rigid, she used her peripheral vision to study the inside of the car. Nothing but a dirty mat and crumpled fast food bags laid at her feet. Her fingers itched to open the glove compartment, but no way she could do that without Justin noticing. The back seat was small, and unless she grew eyes in the back of her head, she’d never see what was back there.

Hopelessness pressed down on her chest, but she refused to succumb to it. She needed to stay strong, use her wits, and find a way to survive.

Justin turned off the two-lane road and the car bumped along an uneven lane. The road narrowed and outstretched limbs scraped against the car. The canopy of leaves blocked the sun and darkened the sky. Unable to drive further into the cluster of trees, Justin stopped and shut off the engine. “We’re getting out now. Don’t make me shoot you.”

Her heart jumped to her throat as she stepped out of the car. Twigs and dead leaves crunched under her feet. She studied the forest. They’d ventured far enough into the woods that the foliage swallowed any sounds coming from the road behind them. The path they’d driven on narrowed until it disappeared, leaving no trails.

“Where are we?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Justin stomped to her side and trained the gun at her. “Walk.”

Instinct demanded she run, dart through the woods and use the towering trees as cover. She was quick and might find help before a bullet from Justin’s gun dug into her flesh.

But if he killed her, Mila would never be found.

Okay. Time to form a new plan. Walk beside this bastard until she knew exactly where Mila was. She dragged her feet with each step. Dean would know she was missing by now. If he’d moved fast enough, he might be on his way to find her. She might not know exactly where Justin had taken her, but she’d give anyone who came looking for her every best chance to find her.

They approached a moss-covered rockface. Weeds and grass overtook a path that led to a cavernous opening in the middle of the mountain. Dilapidated boards stretched across parts of the makeshift entrance. Wind whistled through the opening.

Justin moved one of the boards, creating enough space for someone to crawl through. “In you go.”

She took a step backward. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Does it look like I’m joking? Move. Now.” He waved his gun toward the cave.

Saliva pooled in her mouth. No way she’d go inside the mountain. If she did, she’d never make it out.

The board Justin had moved caught her eye. It hung down from the rockface. Summoning all her courage, she sucked in a large breath and walked to the opening.

She stopped beside Justin and stared up at him with widened eyes. “Please don’t do this. I won’t tell anyone what you did. I promise. You can get in your car and drive. Get away from here. Start over.” As she spoke, she braced her arm against the hard rock as if preparing to duck and step inside.

“I can’t. Things have gone too far. I have to clean up this mess. You should have left things alone. I didn’t want any of this to happen, but now I have to look out for me.” He closed his eyes on a long sigh.

Elsie yanked on the board, freeing it from the rock, and swung it against the side of his head.

He stumbled back, falling to the ground as he screamed. “Sonofabitch!”

She leapt over him and ran as fast as she could toward the cover of trees. She had to put as much distance as she could between them. Had to get help and bring someone back to search for Mila. Her lungs burned. Her body vibrated with each slap of her foot against the hard ground. Low hanging branches snagged her hair and whipped it across her face, but she kept moving, kept running.

The car came into view, and relief seeped into her bones. The road was close. She could stay hidden in the shrubs and weeds until someone drove by. She’d done it. She’d escaped her captor and freedom was moments away.

Bang!

A burning pain erupted in her leg and sent her flying to the ground. Stones embedded themselves in the palms of her hands. She whimpered and tried to stand, but the agony was too intense. Too brutal.

No, no, no!

Hurried footsteps came her way. She dug her fingertips into the ground and crawled toward an oak tree. Dread curdled in her stomach. She leaned against the tree, using all her strength to pull herself to her feet. She had to get away. Couldn’t be hunted down like injured prey.

Justin appeared in her sightline, blood trailing down the side of his face. He stalked toward her, his gun pointed at her head. “I told you not to do anything stupid.”

He brought the butt of the gun down on her temple.

She crumpled to the ground, regret in his eyes the last thing she saw before her world went black.

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