Page 124 of Spooked

The helicopter was way ahead of us now, a black silhouette against the purple sky. Stars twinkled, and as it passed in front of the full moon, it would have made a spectacular picture if not for the fact that a sadistic son of a bitch was escaping. Would anyone be able to find him again? Alexa? Jerry? The police?

The five of us were thrown forward as Chase braked sharply, and Brax grabbed my arm to stop me from falling off the seat. Dammit, I should have worn a seat belt. Having seen the aftermath of more car crashes than I cared to remember, I was always lecturing people about that.

“What’s happening?” Brax asked Chase.

“If you have a phone, turn it off.”

“Why?”

“We’re going dark. You have an analogue watch?”

“Yes, but—”

“Count me two minutes.”

“But…” Brax decided against asking questions. “Okay.”

It was too dark to see the hands of Brax’s watch, but he held it up to his ear, close enough for me to hear the quiet ticking. The only other sounds were Elsa’s sobbing, an owl hooting outside, and the distant rotors of Cass’s helicopter.

Then…then the rotors changed in pitch.

The helicopter began to lose altitude.

“Two minutes,” Brax said. “What the hell happened?”

“It’s in the Lord’s hands now.”

“The helicopter’s going to crash?”

“Maybe. Once they lose power, they can auto-rotate down if the pilot’s good enough.”

Chase turned his phone back on, then started the car again. The helicopter kept going, but it was getting lower and lower, and I couldn’t hear the engine anymore. A vehicle sped past us, another SUV, but Chase didn’t seem alarmed.

“Friend or foe?” Brax asked.

“Friend. In a minute or two, I need to assist with a search. It shouldn’t take long—we have approximate coordinates.”

“A search for what?”

“A dead drone.”

“Is that something to do with the issue the helicopter appears to be having?”

“No comment.”

This time, our pace was more sedate, and for the first time since the walk to the main house, I was able to breathe properly. The worst was over. Meera was alive. Brax was still with me, and I hoped he knew what to do next because my brain had turned to mush.

“Is anyone physically hurt?” Chase asked. “Do we need a doctor?”

I was a freaking doctor, but I could barely tell my gluteus maximus from my iliac crest at that moment.

“Elsa needs to go to a hospital. She has a leg injury. Meera, are you okay? I mean, I know you’re not, but…”

“No doctor. I can’t… I don’t want anyone touching me.”

A month ago, if someone had told me that people like Jerry and Tulsa existed, women who did questionable things while giving the legal system the finger, I’d have been appalled. But now? Now, if they’d handed me a pair of scissors, preferably blunt ones, I’d have removed Cass’s genitals myself and taken pleasure in it. My beautiful, vivacious friend had been stolen and replaced with a shell of her former self.

The car stopped again, this time near a pasture, and Chase climbed out.

---