But then the cry came again, echoing up to him.
A scream.
Thomas whirled around. Aaron had already taken off, running toward the scream. Other deputies were scrambling to follow. “Be careful!” Thomas bellowed. “He likes his traps!” Thomas didn’t doubt for an instant the man would use human bait to pull them into another one of his hunts.
He glanced back toward the cabin. Noelle had just run outside. Her eyes were wide and desperate as she hurried after him.
They both knew that scream belonged to Sarah Finway, and the fact they didn’t hear any other cries...
We’re coming, Sarah. Just hold on.
* * *
HE LIKED THE way the snow turned red. That was always a bonus he got when he hunted in the colder climates. Sarah had gotten farther than he’d expected. Probably because she knew the area nearly as well as he did. She’d used some shortcuts that he just had to admire.
A gurgle came from her lips.
He wiped the knife on his coat. The blood smeared. “It’s okay. You just stay here and try to breathe, nice and slow. That will help you survive longer.” He needed her to live for a few more minutes. He put the knife in its sheath. Then he drew out his gun.
Her eyes widened. Another frantic gurgle broke from her lips.
“Shh...” He aimed the gun at her head.
Tears leaked from her eyes.
“This isn’t for you. Don’t worry.” He’d heard the sound of those engines. They’d been coming closer as he hunted. If he hadn’t taken Sarah down when he had, she just might have made it to safety.
Yes, she’d been much better prey than he’d expected. “This gun is for the ones coming to save you.” Because he wasn’t going out of this battle quietly. It was time everyone knew about him.
No more shadows. No more secrets.
He already knew Jenny had spent the night at the sheriff’s station. The storm had kept her there, so she would’ve had the whole night to talk about him—to tell the authorities what he looked like.
So he figured he had two choices—keep running...or go out fighting. Go out by showing them all exactly who they were dealing with in this battle.
For years, no one had known of his existence.
Soon, no one would ever forget him.
He just wished he had his rifle with him, but the handgun would have to do. He slipped back into the shadows cast by the snow-covered trees, and he waited.
* * *
“SARAH FINWAY!” SHERIFF HODGES called as he raced to keep up with the pack searching for Sarah. “Sarah!”
Thomas saw the sheriff had his gun out, and Hodges was sweeping to the left and the right. They’d tracked that dying scream out here, but there was no sound now.
Other than the frantic cries from the sheriff and his deputies.
Aaron’s shoulder brushed against Thomas’s. “I don’t like this.” His voice was low.
Thomas didn’t like this situation, either. They were surrounded by trees, so there were dozens of places for a perp to hide. The sheriff and his men were making enough noise to wake the dead.
“Footprints!” One of the deputies called out. “Here! I’ve got her!”
He had her only if those were Sarah’s footprints.
Thomas’s instincts screamed at him. Noelle started to follow the others. He grabbed her arm and barked out, “Stop!”
But it was too late. He heard the sharp thunder of gunfire. One blast. Two. Three.
Yells and screams filled the air.
“Damn it,” Aaron growled. “It’s like sheep to the slaughter!”
Thomas took cover, with Noelle right at his side. The deputies were firing back, but they seemed to be shooting wildly in all directions. They needed to calm down and focus.
“Where is he?” Thomas heard one deputy demand, voice breaking.
They didn’t see their attacker, but they were still shooting?
“Stop firing!” Thomas shouted. He couldn’t figure out anything with the chaos around him.
After a few moments, they did stop.
“The sheriff,” Noelle whispered, horror in her voice.
Thomas peered around his cover. He cursed when he saw the sight before him. The sheriff was on the ground, a bloom of red on his body. And the woman—had to be Sarah Finway—she was just a few feet away from him.
It looked like the sheriff’s chest was still rising and falling. Thomas wasn’t so sure about Sarah.
Noelle lunged forward.
Thomas yanked her right back.
“Let me go!” she fiercely fought his grip, but her voice was whisper soft. “I have to help them!”
“Don’t you see what he’s doing? The sick freak is using them as bait. He’ll shoot whoever goes out there next.”
“They need help.” She shook her head. “I can’t stay here and watch them die! I won’t!”
Thomas tightened his hold on her. He studied the sheriff’s body, trying to figure out the angle of entry. The trajectory of the bullet. The wind.
His gaze darted to the right. To the trees located there. Higher land. Best elevation. Perfect hunting zone.
He motioned toward Aaron, indicating the target zone. Aaron slipped back and, keeping to cover, began to advance to the right.
“Thomas...he’s dying.”
Yes, the sheriff was, but Thomas couldn’t let her die, too. None of the deputies were going to help because they were too worried about getting shot.
“Give me cover,” Thomas growled to her. “To the northwest.”
“What? Thomas, no, I meant for me—”
He was already gone. He rushed out, kept his body low and dove toward the sheriff.
Gunfire blasted right near his face, missing him by about two inches.
“No!” He heard Noelle scream. Then she was firing back, giving Thomas the cover he so desperately needed. He grabbed the sheriff’s arm and pulled the guy toward the trees. The bullet had sunk into the sheriff’s stomach, and he was bleeding heavily.
“Get him...” the sheriff wheezed. “Shoot the...S...O...B.”
The woman was still lying out there. Sarah Finway. Thomas knew more bullets would fly his way, but he braced himself, lifted his gun and went back toward her.
Gunfire erupted. There was a rough, choked cry.
Thomas used his body to try and cover the woman, but Sarah—
She’s gone.
He couldn’t find her pulse.
“I’ve got him!”
Thomas’s head whipped up at Aaron’s yell. And, sure enough, Aaron was standing with a bloody man in front of him. Aaron’s gun was at the guy’s temple.