Page 77 of Final Escape
Waited.
Waited.
Now.
Snaking out her hand, she blasted the bear spray in front of the man’s face.
Choking, gasping, he swung wildly with his arms, clawing at his face as a litany of curses erupted from his mouth.
The gun in his hand clattered to the rocky ground as he staggered several feet and then dropped to his knees, struggling to breathe, his eyes streaming with tears.
Noah stared at her, his eyes wide with fear as she dropped to the ground and hurried to him. “It’s me—Ms. Randall,” she said. “And we’ve got to run, honey.”
She glanced back at the groaning man writhing on the ground. “Let’s put a little distance between us, then I’ll cut the tape, okay?” Noah nodded.
She started down the trail behind him, then looked back at the gun at the base of the cliff. If she left it, they’d still be in danger, even if Munson couldn’t catch up. She had no choice.
“Keep going, honey...don’t stop, no matter what. I’ll be right behind you.”
He wavered, frightened, until she gave him a gentle push. “Hurry!”
She doubled back. Munson stumbled to his feet, wheezing, still choking on the bear-strength Mace. He fell again, then blindly clawed at a nearby branch to haul himself back up, his eyes still streaming tears.
Giving him a wide berth, she flew toward the gun, glanced back at him, then scooped up the weapon and spun around to race for the path.
But he was on her, one burly arm clamped around her throat, while the other wrenched the gun out of her hand. She fought back a cough at the peppery odor clinging to his flesh.
“Every officer carries a backup, sweetheart.” His hot, fetid breath exhaled next to her ear on a low, satisfied laugh that ended in a spasm of coughing. “Now, we’re going to follow that kid, and you’re going to call him back. Understand? Or the first bullet is going through your shoulder, and the second will be through your heart. Don’t think you’re protecting him, because you can’t. Either way, that boy is going to die.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Every step forwardwas painful with her left arm wrenched high behind her back. Munson pushed her on, tightening his grip when she slipped and stumbled on the slippery path.
“Call Noah’s namenow.I’ll bet he didn’t go far. He’s probably waiting close by, afraid to go on.”
She felt the hard, cold barrel of his revolver jam into her right shoulder.
