Page 19 of Gage

He screamed, collapsing onto one knee.

“You must think I’m playing,” I said coldly. “Where. Is. Lori?”

“I don’t know!”

I fired at his other foot, and he howled in pain.

Before I could press further, a dog burst into the yard, barking frantically. It ran circles around us, refusing to stop.

“He wants us to follow him,” Raven said, his voice sharp.

Without hesitation, we jumped into our vehicles, leaving the injured man in the hands of the police. The dog sprinted ahead, leading the way.

When we reached a clearing, we saw her.

“Is that her?” Eddie, Lori’s dad, asked, his voice trembling.

We both bolted out of the truck. Eddie fell to his knees, sobbing. My chest tightened, but then I saw her hand move.

“Lori, sweetheart, can you hear me?” I asked, crouching beside her.

“Yes,” she whispered weakly.

“Thank you, dear Lord,” Brian murmured behind me.

Everyone started shouting at once.

“Call an ambulance!” I ordered. “Let’s get her off these rocks!”

Jasper, the dog, licked her face.

“You’re a good boy, Jasper,” she murmured. “If I don’t make it, can someone take care of him?”

“You’re going to make it,” Eddie said firmly, his voice breaking. “You hear me? You’re going to be just fine.”

“Dad,” she whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

“Let me check her,” I said, kneeling beside her. My hands trembled as I touched her skin—too hot. Fever was setting in.

“Hey, Sugar,” I said softly, “I’m going to cut your shirt up the back. Do you know if the bullet went through?”

“We didn’t get our date,” she murmured faintly. “And no, it didn’t. It’s still in there. I hurt... everywhere.”

She paused, taking shallow breaths. “There’s another man—shot, down the hill. That bastard leader shot him. He killed his wife, too. She had red hair. He said he pulled it all out before killing her. I think he’s a serial killer. You should dig up his yard.”

Her words hit me like a gut punch, but I kept my voice calm. “We’re going to move you off these rocks now, okay?”

“Thank you,” she whispered. “They’re sticking me everywhere. I dragged myself here so someone would see me.”

She screamed in pain as we lifted her gently.

“I’ll put my jacket under her,” I said.

“Take mine,” Eddie insisted.

“Take mine too,” Brian added, handing it over.

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