Colby spun the wheel as the engine caught. He sent the little Mazda rocketing out of the parking area and onto River Road. He didn’t switch on the lights until he was a hundred feet away from the parking lot near the falls.
Then he glanced in his rearview mirror and realized the other car was following. The black Corvette was right on his bumper.
5.
“Colby, whats wrong? What are you doing? Why are we slowing down?“ Diana turned in her seat to stare at the dark shape of the car that was following closely behind them. She could see nothing beyond the glare of its headlights.
“I’m trying to tell whoever that is behind us that I’m not in the mood for a race.“
“You think it’s some kid who’s trying to goad you into a drag race?“
“Some things don’t change, especially in small towns like Fulbrook Corners.“
“Does it bring back old memories?“ Diana asked lightly.
“It makes me goddamned mad, is what it does.“
“He’s not going around us.“ Diana drew a startled breath. “Colby, he’s coming closer. He’s right on top of us. He’s going to hit us if he’s not careful.“
“I see him.“ Colby’s voice was suddenly very cold. “Turn around and tighten your seat belt.“
“But, Colby, I think…“
“Do it,“ he snapped, his eyes on the side mirror. His foot eased down on the accelerator. The Mazda pulled quickly away from the heavy monster behind it.
Diana didn’t argue. Something was very wrong, and Colby had decided they were in real trouble. She wanted to ask him what he intended to do, but it occurred to her that this was not a good time to distract him.
The Mazda was moving very swiftly down the lonely, narrow road now. But the car behind it was picking up speed with the eagerness of a hawk swooping down on its prey.
“Whoever it is, he’s spoiling for either a race or a fight,“ Colby observed dispassionately.
“I take it we’re going to give him the race?“ Diana held her breath as Colby downshifted for a tight turn.
“I'm not about to stop and invite the alternative. Not when I have no way of knowing how many people are in that car, or if the driver’s carrying a gun. Lots of crazies around these days.“
Diana closed her eyes as the Mazda whipped out of the turn in a controlled skid and accelerated rapidly. She opened them again as she heard the engine growl in preparation for another curve.
“How well do you remember this road, Colby?“ she asked, trying to sound calm and collected.
“Like the back of my hand.“
“That’s very reassuring.“ She gripped the dash with both hands as Colby sent the responsive car plunging into another curve. They came roaring out of the turn a few seconds later with the monster still on their heels.
“He had a little trouble with the last curve,“ Colby observed, his gaze flicking briefly to the side mirror. “He’s got a lot under the hood but he isn’t in complete control of it.“
“I see.“ Diana carefully kept all inflection out of her voice. She was getting scared, very scared. She thought about all the times Colby had raced down this road for wild thrills and hard cash, and then she reflected on the number of times she herself had ever driven even five miles over the speed limit. She could count them on one hand.
She really had led a sheltered life.
“Remember I told you I could usually lose the competition on the turn near the bridge?“ Colby asked.
“I remember.“
“I’m going to try it now. It’s a little tricky, though. Hang on tight and don’t panic.“
“Right.“ She couldn’t possibly panic. She was beyond panic. The hairpin turn near the bridge was coming up swiftly in the headlights and Colby was taking it with what seemed far too much speed.
They were going to wind up in the river. Diana knew it as surely as she knew her own name. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her stomach. In that moment all she could think about was the baby. It was the first time she had ever visualized the growing being within her as a distinct and viable entity. But suddenly it was very real and her overwhelming urge was to protect it.
There was a sharp squeal of tires, and the shriek of rubber on blacktop seemed to go on forever. Diana waited for the inevitable impact but nothing happened. The Mazda slammed out of the hairpin turn unscathed. From behind them came the nerve-shattering sound of brakes being frantically applied.
“Lost ‘em,“ Colby said with calm satisfaction as he checked the rearview mirror. “Or he lost his nerve, to be more precise. Thought he could take that ‘vette into the turn the same way I took the Mazda and realized at the last second he couldn’t. Just as well. If he’d gone into the turn fast enough to catch us, he’d have gone into the river.“
“Is it over?“
“Yeah. He’s not following us.“ Gradually Colby eased off the pedal.
Diana took several deep breaths. She looked over at Colby’s grim profile. He flashed her a quick, reassuring grin and she closed her eyes again.
“You enjoyed that. I was scared to death and you enjoyed it,“ she accused softly.
“No I didn’t. I’m just glad it’s over. What’s wrong with your stomach?“
“Nothing.“ She realized she still had her arms folded around herself protectively. “I was just… when we started into that last turn, all I could think about was… was…“ She floundered.
“The baby?“ he asked gently. “Is that what you were thinking about?“
“For the first time it seemed real, somehow. I was frightened something would happen.“
“I was, too,“ Colby said grimly. “Scared something might happen to you and the baby. That’s why I decided to try outrunning whoever was in that car. Twenty years ago it wouldn’t have been a problem. I’d have known who was in the car and the worst thing that might have happened would have been a fistfight with the other driver. You would have been safe enough. But these days you never know what kind of weirdos are out playing tricks in the middle of the night. It was safer to outrun the ‘vette than stop and risk finding ourselves facing a psycho.“
Diana swallowed. “You’re right. Colby, we should report this.“
“Ill check into it tomorrow. Ill talk to Gil and maybe the new man, Roy Barnes, who took his place.“
“Good idea.“ Diana clasped her hands between her knees to stop them from shaking.