Page 76 of Final Escape
Soon, he would be rid of the final witness who could identify him. There would be a certain, satisfying poetic justice in how it was done. A perfect circle of events, and then he would be completely free of the past.
If scavengers didn’t consume everything but the bones, there’d still be no way anyone could tie him to the death.
It would look like an accident by some poor, foolish boy.
Or maybe, like the grief-stricken kid had chosen to take his own life by ending it all right where his mother had died.Perfect.
And as with the deaths of Sheryl and the fool cowboy who had overheard a little too much, there would be pieces of handy evidence left to shape the investigation. It was only a matter of time before Logan Bradley was collared and brought to justice.
He laughed, enjoying the irony of how well things had come together. In a few weeks, it would all be over.
And no one would ever think to look any further for the killer than Logan Bradley.
* * *
CARRIE’S EYES BURNEDwith tears as she turned to head back down the trail toward her SUV.Poor Noah.He’d lost so much. Suffered so much. And then no one had rescued him in time.
From far ahead on the trail came the sound of a twig snapping. Then another, coming closer. She held her breath, listening, her heartbeat tripping over itself. There were grizzlies everywhere, outnumbering the local human residents three to one. The browns were an even larger version of the grizzlies, and neither would be impressed with her half-used can of bear spray.
But she had matches.
She slipped off her backpack and pawed through the contents until she found the box of matches and the bear spray, then she shouldered the backpack once more and searched for kindling.
Everything up here was wet with mist.
She spun around, surveying the options. The path seemed to end here. She had to go back, toward the sounds—at least until she could find something to burn. She hurried down the path, around the bend, and through the thick underbrush as silently as she could, praying every step of the way.
The pinecones and twigs underfoot crunched. She spun around, gathering some up, and broke small, dead branches from the nearby pine trees.
She brushed against a steep rock wall rising at her left shoulder, and peered upward.
A bear could scramble up it as well as she could, but...was that a small cave way up there? Would it be enough protection, if she crawled inside and started a fire at its mouth?
The sounds were coming closer.
She shoved the bear spray in her inner jacket pocket and stuffed the kindling into her backpack, then turned and scrambled up the rock, feeling in the dark for handholds and outcroppings for her feet. The first ledge was just eight feet off the ground. The second looked to be about twenty feet higher. She poised for the next ascent.
And then she heard a voice.
Afamiliarvoice.
Her first, illogical thought was that he’d come to help.
Her second slammed into her with the force of a fist to her stomach. This was no guardian coming to her aid. His harsh voice was more distinct now. Growling orders, demanding that someone move faster,faster.
Dante had been right.
Itwasn’tsafe to trust the ones you ought to...at least where Deputy Vance Munson was concerned.
But she suddenly knew, with a wild leap of hope and relief in her heart, that he had Noah. There was still time.
And, by the grace of God, she’d inadvertently placed herself in the only position where she’d have any advantage over a tall, powerful man.Thank You, Lord.
“Move it, kid...or I’m going to knock your teeth in. Got it?”
Noah came into view, stumbling and whimpering, a small, hunched gray figure in the darkness, his jerky, panicked movements telegraphing his sheer terror. Five feet behind, his captor followed.
Carrie froze and held her breath.
