Page 86 of Legacy of Lies
Forty-five minutes later, he pulled the truck onto the shoulder of a county road and turned on her cell phone and his.
“Two bars. Just enough for what we need to do.” He put a finger to his lips and winked as he dialed a number. “Hey, asshole.” She recognized Garrison’s voice through Hank’s phone. “How are things on the ranch? Extra crispy?”
Panic hit her full force and her vision grayed for a moment. She barely registered Hank’s nasty voice as he threatened Zach. He turned his phone off with a satisfied flourish.
Hank wanted to mortally wound Garrison, and she was a pawn in his scheme.
Sweat beaded her forehead. She needed to get out of here, but even assuming she escaped Hank, they were miles from town. It was snowing. She’d die before she reached help. Besides, she had to hang in here long enough to help Zach.
Hank chuckled and handed her the phone. “Here’s what you do. Call lover boy and tell him that you two are over. You’ve decided your life is better off without him in it.”
She dropped her jaw. “I can’t do that. And not after what you just told him about Zach.”
“You can. I will hurt that boy if you don’t do as I say.”
Damn Hank to hell. Awkward with her taped hands, she dialed Garrison’s number. After five rings, it went to voice mail, thank God. Also odd, considering Hank had just talked with Garrison. After his terse greeting, she left a message. “Garrison, it’s Sara. I ... I thought about it, and I can’t be with you. My life plan doesn’t involve Copper River.” At Hank’s circling “go on” motion, she added, “Or your family. Or the ranch.”
She froze as he repeated the gesture. Hank wanted her to say more? Damn it, she had to sell this or Zach might suffer. She swallowed. “And frankly, my life is better off without you in it.”
As she gave a choked sob, he turned off her phone, got out of the truck, and threw the phone into the woods. He turned off his own phone and chucked it out the window as well.
He slammed the truck door closed, put the vehicle in drive, and traveled another few minutes before turning on an unmarked dirt road that led into the forest. The terrain continued to worsen as they bumped along the road up into the mountains. With the snow falling heavily now, their tracks would be covered within an hour.
Night began to fall, and the truck’s lights against the narrow road became a tunnel leading to her doom. Everything about him scared the hell out of her. His intense calm, his nonsense chatter as he maneuvered the truck deeper into the forest, his random giggles.
Goose bumps rose on her arms as they pulled into a clearing and parked next to another old truck. She spied a light deep in the woods to the right.
When he opened her door, he stepped from one foot to the other. “I’m waiting,” he rasped.
She wanted to scrub her ears with alcohol.
All the air left her lungs as she stepped down into a deep patch of snow.
Forcing her heavy legs to move, she struggled to follow Hank. The last place she wanted to go was anywhere with him. At least he cut through the duct tape so she wouldn’t do a face-plant every time she stumbled. The snow melted in her shoes, and the bottom of her slacks became soaked. Soon her hair became damp. She shivered but pressed forward.
When she knew she couldn’t take another step, they reached a structure. The glow of light filtered from the cracked and dirt-smeared windows of a trapper shack.
She stopped dead in her tracks. What would she find inside? Her heart pounded.
Hank stopped and crossed his arms.
“Ladies first.”
The last thing she wanted to do was enter what could realistically become her coffin.
But she had to go inside for Zach.
God knew what Hank would do to them.
God knew what he’d already done.
Her slacks froze against her ankles. With trembling fingers, she touched the rough wood door. Could she hear anything inside?
No.
The door gave a harsh creak as she pushed it inward. Blinking against the relative brightness inside, she saw exactly what she dreaded.
Zach.
