Page 9 of Scent of Evil
The problem was that Decker still held the gun. She would have to run past him to get outside, giving him ample time to shoot her in the back.
At this close range, she doubted he’d miss.
Still holding the rock, Ginny tucked her hands beneath her armpits, hugging herself for warmth. When he fired the gun, two shots in rapid succession, she jumped and nearly squealed in alarm.
As before, the sound was painfully loud, so much so that she clapped her hands over her ears. She wanted to beg him to stop, fearing he might kill her aunt Raine before she could get there, but she managed to remain quiet as ordered.
Better for her if he forgot she was there.
Not that she truly believed he would. His evil gaze had raked over her enough to make her sick to her stomach. She stared at him, mentally reviewing the moves she’d make if he so much as tried to touch her.
She’d strike his swollen knee with her foot and then kick him hard in the groin, while swinging the rock in her hand at his temple. Or maybe digging it into his eye. The thought filled her with satisfaction.
If using the sharp rock didn’t work, she could use the palm of her hand to strike his nose in an upward thrust like Aunt Raine had taught her. Either way, once she’d knocked him off balance, she’d run and get lost in the trees of the forest.
It sounded easier than it would be in real life, she knew. But Aunt Raine had told her that practicing would make the moves instinctive. The moment Decker gave her the right opening, she’d take advantage of it, using all the strength she could muster to get away.
His having a gun was the only thing holding her back. If not for the weapon, she’d have made a run for it long ago.
As she watched him scouring the mountainside below, she tried to imagine how much it would hurt to be shot by a bullet. Worse than when she’d fallen off her bike, that’s for sure.
Better that, she thought grimly, than suffering whatever Decker would do to her when he had the chance.
* * *
At the crack of gunfire,Raine gasped in alarm when Timber danced away from Justin’s rearing horse. She tightened her knees and gripped the reins tightly, praying the animal wouldn’t make a mad-dash run into the woods. Raine wasn’t sure she had the strength to control the horse and could easily imagine being knocked to the ground by a low-hanging tree branch.
By some miracle, Justin remained in his seat, his low voice soothing his mount. Impressed with his riding skill and gracefulness, she was doubly glad Justin Sullivan was there to guide her on this mission. He and his K9 partner Stone were amazing.
She’d be lost without them. In more ways than one.
Once Justin had calmed Blaze, he dismounted and led the horse to a thick grove of trees. Then he turned and gestured for her to head that way too.
Realizing he was worried about one of them being shot by Decker, she quickly complied. Thankfully, Timber was more than willing to join Blaze, moving forward without her having to do much.
Justin held the horse steady while she slid off. This time her knees didn’t hold up, and she sank to the wet ground. Her abrupt and awkward fall scared Timber, who sidestepped away from her.
“Are you okay?” Instantly, Justin was there to haul her upright. His strength surprised her, although it shouldn’t have. She’d been secretly admiring his lean muscular figure astride his horse for what seemed like forever.
“Sorry.” She tried not to be distracted by his warm arms holding her close. It wasn’t in her nature to lean on anyone, much less a man, but she didn’t have much of a choice. Hunting Decker on horseback was pushing her beyond her normal limits. “I haven’t ridden in years. I’m a little rusty.”
“You need a little oil on those joints of yours, like the Tin Man in theWizard of Oz.” His teasing tone was no doubt meant to lighten the mood. Under different circumstances, she’d have smiled at the joke.
But not today. Not in the middle of a storm following an escaped convict who had taken her niece hostage with the sole intent to hurt her.
Then likely killing Ginny when Decker had no more use for her. The very idea of that filled her with dread, but she pushed it away. This wasn’t the time to let her imagination run wild.
“Yeah. That would be nice.” She blushed at her clumsiness and eased away from Justin’s strong grasp, determined to stand on her own two feet. She was a highly trained US Marshal, not a damsel in distress.
When her knees cooperated by holding her upright, she straightened her poncho, noticing the rain had lightened up some. Stone trotted over and proceeded to shake his body again, ridding his fur of excess water, adding to the rain falling from the sky. Not that it mattered, she couldn’t get any wetter than she already was.
Pushing drenched hair from her eyes, she looked around. “Any idea where Decker is holed up?”
“Not really.” Justin scanned the rocky mountainside. “There are dozens of possibilities. And he has the advantage of being on higher ground.”
“I don’t hear any more gunfire.” She kept her voice low, even though the steady pattering of rain along with occasional rumbles of thunder muffled their voices.
Justin frowned. “I don’t either. But even if we did, we can’t let him keep us from moving forward.” He bent to rest his hand on his dog’s head. “Stone was on the scent when he fired at us, making me think we were getting close.”
