with long,
black hair tied in a ponytail. He had a hooked nose just like that owl that
nested in our attic last year. He acted just as mean, too. Had a great big
scowl on his face.”
Toni inhaled a sharp breath. Viola
had described the gunman who’d shot at her last night. “What kind of car were
they driving?”
“That’s the thing. They had two
different vehicles. They talked for a few minutes outside, but I didn’t hear
any of that conversation. When they left, the freckled man got in a blue car
and drove out of town. The ponytail man drove a white jeep, but I didn’t see
where he went.”
Interesting.
“And what did the freckled man say
on the phone?” Mac prodded.
Viola stared at the ceiling as she
recited from memory. “Let’s see…he said, don’t worry, I’m taking care of the
problem. I’ll be in Vegas before noon.”
Relief settled over Toni. Thank
goodness her family was safe, but an inner voice warned that she was part of
the problem he planned to take care of. The thought caused butterflies to swarm
in her stomach.
“That’s it?”
Viola shrugged. “He wasn’t much on
conversation. I tried to find out more, but he just walked right past me and
out the door. Such a rude man.”
“Thanks, Viola.” Mac hugged her,
then turned to take Toni’s arm before leading her to the door.
“You come on back when you can stay
and chat longer, you hear?” Viola called after them.
Toni waved and flashed her
brightest smile. “I’ll look forward to it.”
They returned to the diner and
picked up their food, then got in the truck and Mac started the engine.
“Put on your seatbelt, hon.” Mac
glanced at her. “And stop worrying.”
She complied while Mac drove out of
town. After putting a straw in his drink, she dug into the white sack for their
food. She unwrapped his cheeseburger and handed it to him. Holding it with one
hand, he drove with the other and took a big bite, chewing with relish. She
watched his lean jaws work, unable to prevent a satisfied smile from curving
her lips. His presence helped her feel closer to Eric and she could almost forget
the circumstances surrounding her brother’s death.
Almost.
Mac glanced in his rearview mirror
and frowned. “Don’t look now, but I think someone’s following us.”
Toni turned and saw a white jeep
behind them, gaining fast. It soon snuggled close against their rear bumper and
she tensed, remembering the day before when the gunman had tailgated her car,
then chased her through the forest. Dust billowed up around them and she
couldn’t make out the driver’s face.
“Hey, man! Slow down.” Mac ignored
his fries and gripped the steering wheel with both hands.
A bad feeling blanketed Toni. “Slow
down and see if he’ll pass by.”
Mac pressed the brake when the jeep
rammed their bumper. They jerked forward and fries tumbled across the front
seat.
Oh, no! Not again.
“Hey!” Mac gestured at the other
driver to back off.
Bam!
The driver hit them again. Toni’s
head snapped back from the impact. She stared wide-eyed and her breath caught
in her throat.
“Mac, it’s him. The same man who
shot at me on Thorne Mountain.” Terror scorched her with the memory as she
stared out the back window.
Mac pressed the accelerator. His
old truck pulled ahead, but not for long. The engine wasn’t what it used to be
and the jeep hit them again.
Toni studied the man’s hostile
expression. “I think he’s yelling at us. I’ve never seen a total stranger look
at me with such hatred before.”
“Well, I’m not stopping to chat.”
Mac floored the accelerator.
Dust billowed through the air
vents. Toni coughed as she gripped the arm rest on her door.
The jeep zoomed forward, driving
neck-and-neck beside them along the narrow road.
Toni stared out her window at the
jagged rocks below and began to pray.
Please help us, Heavenly Father.
Get us out of here safely.
The jeep smashed against the side
of Mac’s truck, trying to force
black hair tied in a ponytail. He had a hooked nose just like that owl that
nested in our attic last year. He acted just as mean, too. Had a great big
scowl on his face.”
Toni inhaled a sharp breath. Viola
had described the gunman who’d shot at her last night. “What kind of car were
they driving?”
“That’s the thing. They had two
different vehicles. They talked for a few minutes outside, but I didn’t hear
any of that conversation. When they left, the freckled man got in a blue car
and drove out of town. The ponytail man drove a white jeep, but I didn’t see
where he went.”
Interesting.
“And what did the freckled man say
on the phone?” Mac prodded.
Viola stared at the ceiling as she
recited from memory. “Let’s see…he said, don’t worry, I’m taking care of the
problem. I’ll be in Vegas before noon.”
Relief settled over Toni. Thank
goodness her family was safe, but an inner voice warned that she was part of
the problem he planned to take care of. The thought caused butterflies to swarm
in her stomach.
“That’s it?”
Viola shrugged. “He wasn’t much on
conversation. I tried to find out more, but he just walked right past me and
out the door. Such a rude man.”
“Thanks, Viola.” Mac hugged her,
then turned to take Toni’s arm before leading her to the door.
“You come on back when you can stay
and chat longer, you hear?” Viola called after them.
Toni waved and flashed her
brightest smile. “I’ll look forward to it.”
They returned to the diner and
picked up their food, then got in the truck and Mac started the engine.
“Put on your seatbelt, hon.” Mac
glanced at her. “And stop worrying.”
She complied while Mac drove out of
town. After putting a straw in his drink, she dug into the white sack for their
food. She unwrapped his cheeseburger and handed it to him. Holding it with one
hand, he drove with the other and took a big bite, chewing with relish. She
watched his lean jaws work, unable to prevent a satisfied smile from curving
her lips. His presence helped her feel closer to Eric and she could almost forget
the circumstances surrounding her brother’s death.
Almost.
Mac glanced in his rearview mirror
and frowned. “Don’t look now, but I think someone’s following us.”
Toni turned and saw a white jeep
behind them, gaining fast. It soon snuggled close against their rear bumper and
she tensed, remembering the day before when the gunman had tailgated her car,
then chased her through the forest. Dust billowed up around them and she
couldn’t make out the driver’s face.
“Hey, man! Slow down.” Mac ignored
his fries and gripped the steering wheel with both hands.
A bad feeling blanketed Toni. “Slow
down and see if he’ll pass by.”
Mac pressed the brake when the jeep
rammed their bumper. They jerked forward and fries tumbled across the front
seat.
Oh, no! Not again.
“Hey!” Mac gestured at the other
driver to back off.
Bam!
The driver hit them again. Toni’s
head snapped back from the impact. She stared wide-eyed and her breath caught
in her throat.
“Mac, it’s him. The same man who
shot at me on Thorne Mountain.” Terror scorched her with the memory as she
stared out the back window.
Mac pressed the accelerator. His
old truck pulled ahead, but not for long. The engine wasn’t what it used to be
and the jeep hit them again.
Toni studied the man’s hostile
expression. “I think he’s yelling at us. I’ve never seen a total stranger look
at me with such hatred before.”
“Well, I’m not stopping to chat.”
Mac floored the accelerator.
Dust billowed through the air
vents. Toni coughed as she gripped the arm rest on her door.
The jeep zoomed forward, driving
neck-and-neck beside them along the narrow road.
Toni stared out her window at the
jagged rocks below and began to pray.
Please help us, Heavenly Father.
Get us out of here safely.
The jeep smashed against the side
of Mac’s truck, trying to force
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