Page 63 of Among the Innocent

“Your officer almost had me,” he whispered. John didn’t appear to be concerned about Dalton. “Can you imagine a rookie like him capturing me?” He laughed as if the thought were hilarious. “I should have killed him. Like I did the former chief.”

Her legs failed her, but John caught her and propped her up. “Such a pompous person. Thinking he could control me.”

“Thinking he could control me”?Had John spoken to Ellis?

Her mind struggled to push through the fear so she could remember everything he said.

“Should I kill him now or would you prefer to wait until our special day?” he said, as if sensing her concern for Dalton.

Leah shook her head frantically. She couldn’t bear the thought of John hurting Dalton.

“No?” His laugh sent chills through her. It sounded unhinged. He nuzzled her cheek. “Well, if not him, then someone else must die. Can you guess who?”

She fought to free herself, but his grip tightened.

“You and I both know it’s not our time yet. I’ll be seeing you real soon, Leah.” Her heart thundered in her chest as he kissed her cheek. “I think I’ll go ahead and kill him after all.”

No. Please no. John retrieved the Taser. Before she had time to think, he held it against her side then let her go. The voltage shot through her body, and Leah dropped to her knees. She tried to scream, but it came out as a whimper. Another jolt crumpled her against the ground. Her last thought was for Dalton.Please don’t let him die.

Fourteen

Whoosh! The strange noise pulled Dalton out of the darkness. He struggled to open his eyes. From somewhere close by, car tires squealed as they sped down the road. He rose to his knees. Pain shot through his head as he stumbled to his feet. All he could think about was Leah.

When his vision cleared, he saw the SUV engulfed in flames. Leah! Was she in the vehicle?

Dalton ran toward it, battling the heat and flames to get close enough to confirm the vehicle was empty. He fought to keep from losing it. Had the killer taken her? “Leah!” he called out before he hit the radio and quickly explained what had happened. Dalton gave their location. “Leah is missing.” Those words were the hardest to say.

“Backup is on its way, Chief,” Sylvia said. “We’ll find her.”

Engine noise disappeared down the road. He was without a way to give chase. Dalton ran a hand over his eyes and searched around the wooded place. “I need your help, Lord. I can’t lose her.” At the edge of the trees, something grabbed his attention. It was Leah. He kept his legs beneath him and ran.

“Leah.” Dalton dropped down beside her and shook her. Leah moaned. She was alive.

Her eyes shot open. When she saw him, she sat up quickly and hugged him close. “I was so worried. He told me he would kill you. Are you okay?”

John had been close enough to taunt her, but he hadn’t wanted her dead yet.

“I’m fine. It’s just a little bump,” he said, even though he felt far from it. “You’re hurt.”

“He Tased me. We need help, Dalton. He’s getting away.” She stumbled to her feet and started walking. When she saw the fire, she stopped short.

A siren raced down the road and reached the house. Ethan bailed from the cruiser and ran toward them.

“Tribal police cruisers are trying to cut him off before he escapes,” Ethan told them.

“They won’t reach him in time. We have to go after him. Where does the road lead?” Dalton asked Ethan.

“It loops back to the main road a little closer into town.”

The three jumped into the cruiser. Ethan jerked the car out onto the road and sped down the direction the car had taken.

They reached a fork in the road. “Now what?” Dalton asked as he looked both directions.

“Is that smoke?” Ethan pointed to where a gray plume billowed up to the clear sky.

“It is.” Dalton had a bad feeling that any evidence in the car had been destroyed by fire. Ethan hit the siren and raced toward the blaze. As they neared, Dalton spotted a car almost completely engulfed in fire.

Ethan slowed to a stop near the car. “From what I can see, it fits the description.”

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