***
Alexander sped out of town and headed east, one hand was rested on his lap and holding a gun pointed in her general direction. The windows were tinted and the door wouldn’t open.
“Where are we going?”
“You think I’m going to tell you?”
“What am I going to do?” Cora snapped. “Send a telepathic message out? I don’t have a phone and you’ve got a gun.”
“Aren’t you feisty today?” Alexander smirked at her. “I like it. Okay, fine. I might as well tell you. After all, what are you going to do about it?” While speaking, he pulled his gun up and smelled it, smelled it. He slowly turned his head to see the look of horror on her face. He smiled at her. “My Taurus Tracker, this little baby’s been through a lot with me.”
Cora did not want to hear about any of it. The awful feeling in her stomach had turned into real nausea.
“I have to go with plan B since I don’t have my million dollars.” He shook his head, tisking at her. “You only hurt yourself by turning that money over to Keith. I was saving it for you, but we still have a small house outside a tiny town. A nice, quiet place.”
It was possible Jerry that knew about it. Someone might. She had to believe there was still hope in order to keep her sanity intact.
“So what about Angela?” she asked, suddenly remembering his possible affair. “Just leaving her in the dust?”
“She served her purpose, and now I no longer need her.”
Cora stared at him with such revulsion that he couldn’t ignore her glare. When he glanced her way, however, he merely shrugged.
“And what happens to me once I’ve served my purpose?” As the words left her mouth, she suddenly shivered, wondering why on earth she had asked in the first place.
“Oh, I’m keeping you.” His voice dropped so low and quiet, it seemed to vibrate in the car. She shivered again, her stomach churning. He drove on a curvy country road, and she started to feel sicker. Maybe she’d get her wish and puke all over him. Cora focused on that thought, trying not to feel how afraid she was, trying not to picture where Nick was. She pulled in deep breath after breath, but it didn’t help. Sweat broke out all over her. Her vision narrowed to a pinpoint of light.
She was so sick that Alexander noticed. “There’s a small campground up the road. I’ll stop for you.”
The car pulled in and she stumbled out, leaning with both hands on the car and breathing in the country air. Please, please, don’t hurl in front of him.
He kept his eyes on her like a hungry hyena waiting for its turn to eat. Her knees tried to give out, making her realize she had to pull it together. Remember Jerry. Remember Nick. Alexander was smart, cunning, and evil, but she could do this, somehow.
He pulled out a cigar and lit it as she brought her face up in disbelief. He laughed, but walked back a few steps to finish his smoke.
A few minutes passed and his sickening smoke hadn’t come her way. Leaning over, she put her forehead on the cool surface of the car roof. Okay, she wasn’t going to throw up. There wasn’t anything in her stomach, to tell the truth. She closed her eyes and listened, but she didn’t hear a river. The only sound around was the light wind teasing the oak trees in the park. Not even the noise of an engine.
She opened her eyes to look around. There was a green outhouse off in the trees.
“Do you mind if I go to the bathroom?”
“You don’t want to go in there.”
No, she didn’t. That was the last place on the planet anyone would want to be sick, but she had a plan. “Please, I don’t want you to see me sick.” Still somewhat ill, she hoped she looked sick enough to gain his pity.
“I won’t watch, but you’re not going in there.”
“Fine.” She kept her head down, waiting. Her entire chest thumped with each forceful heartbeat. Her vision blackened slightly but she pushed back. Go, go, go! Shoving herself off the car, she sprang into a full speed sprint toward the trees.
The park’s low branches were cleared, but she went straight for the brush and let the twigs whip and cut her.
“CORA!”
She stumbled several times over sticks, but didn’t slow down. Logs turned into hurdles from her races in high school. She flew, not caring when her feet landed awkwardly and pain jolted her ankles.
“I’ll shoot!” His yell was a ways back.
The ground rose and she turned to follow it, watching as a gorge appeared to her right. The dried riverbed grew deeper and wider. It was about five feet across, maybe ten or twelve as it widened. She used to jump that, and farther, in track. She could do it.
She veered left to put some space between her and the gorge, but only for a few seconds. He yelled behind her. She turned sharply, faced the gorge, and raced toward it.
She leapt, willed herself across, kept her limbs back, snapped her legs and arms in front of her in perfect long jump form, and then crashed onto the ground on the other side. Scampering on all fours, she hugged the dirt to avoid the bullets overhead while she scrambled away.
“CORA! CORA!”
She weaved through the trees, keeping up her speed. She was almost certain that Alexander couldn’t jump the gorge without stopping and backing up. She risked one glance back. Dust flew up where he was skirting down the side.
The noise of air rushing in and out of her lungs filled her ears. She kept her direction straight until she reached a patch of blackberry briars, where she then steered to the right. Another small hill sloped upward and when she reached the top she fell to her knees. She tried to control her breath as much as possible while she hid in the Scotch Broom bushes.
She didn’t hear anything. There were endless trees blocking any possible view of a road. She’d made it away from him!
Then she heard a noise.
Alexander?
Cora held her breath, listening, and she realized the noise was growing louder. A motor? A log truck; she heard a logging truck! Springing to her feet, she bolted down the hill, dodged more trees, and ran toward the noise. The trees cleared as she neared the road, and she saw the semi truck roaring toward her.
She waved her arms, jumping, and heard the tires trying to stop in the gravel. Alexander could be coming so she ran to the other side of the road, to the passenger side of the truck, and waited while the truck slowed down the rest of the way. The trailer almost fishtailed at the sudden stop. The door swung open as the driver stepped half way out and began cussing and yelling.
Still dragging in gulps of air, she yelled back, “I need your help, please. Stay inside and shut the door!”
Instead of waiting for an answer, she climbed up into the cab. “A man is chasing me. I think I lost him, but I need to get out of here. Please.”
“No need to plead.” He got the truck going as quickly as possible while she tried to get her breath back. She half expected to see Alexander run out of the trees or shoot at them but nothing happened.
“What’s your name?”
“Cora Evans. I’ve been missing for a week.”
“Let me call for help.” He picked up his CB and put out a message. “This is a 911 call.”
Her body hadn’t been prepared for that jump or crazy run, and now she felt the pain in her muscles and ankles, and the burning scratches on her face, arms, and legs. The man pulled out a tissue for her, and she saw in the mirror that several cuts were bleeding.
“Are you hurt other than those cuts?” he asked.
“I don’t think so.” She wasn’t sure, and her mind was busy contemplating whether or not Alexander could be behind them.
The truck driver gently patted her hand. “You’re all right. We’re only thirty minutes out of town, you weren’t too far out. It’ll be okay.”
It’ll be okay. Half an hour wasn’t close enough for Cora, but she didn’t spot Alexander’s car anywhere. Finally, the town appeared around the corner and four police cars were waiting in the small parking lot of a convenience store. The
truck barely had room to maneuver onto the side of the road. Several officers hurried to her door and helped her down.
“Medic!” One called, as Cora saw the ambulance parked near the side of the store. She grabbed one of the police officers when her ankle didn’t hold her weight, and he eased her arms over his shoulders to help her.
She looked back to the driver, who nodded at her silent thank you. An officer approached her and asked, “Remember me?” The man looked familiar. “Officer Nickels?” He prompted.
“Oh, yes, from the hospital.”
“If you’re okay, we’d like to take you back to Eugene.”
While she nodded, Cora watched a fire red Mustang screech to a stop on the side of the road. Nickels followed her gaze and spotted Nick sprinting across the pavement towards them.
He ignored everyone while he ran to her and pulled her up into his arms. Nick. He was alive, safe, and holding her. Just as quickly as he had scooped her up, he gently set her down, asking, “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head without speaking. She stared into his eyes for a minute before laying her head against him, breathing in his scent and feeling his strength all around her. She’d stay right here forever. His strong, yet gentle, hands carefully held her arms as he inspected her cuts. She just wanted to be held and tried to pull her arm back.
“Wait…what is this from?”
She looked down at a scratch that wasn’t fresh like the others. “It’s nothing. It’ll go away in a few days.”
“I’m talking about the bump right here. Feel. It’s not much, but it feels like something in your skin.” He was bent over looking at it.
Nickels stood close by, but he stepped even closer. “Let me see.” He looked up at Cora’s face and then quickly to Nick’s. “You didn’t know about this GPS chip?”
They looked at each other as her mouth fell open. That clued Nickels in. He explained, “It’s just like the chips some pet owners use to track down their dogs.”
Cora immediately began scratching at it. Both Nick and the officer said, “Hey!” Nick grabbed her hand while Nickels called a paramedic over.
“You want it out, right?”
The paramedic numbed the area and removed it, although Cora didn’t want to wait for it to numb. She just wanted it gone. So it hadn’t been some evil magic that helped Alexander find her. She met Nick’s eyes and tried to hide her fear. It was over, but… Alexander was still out there.
“I will keep you safe, I swear.” Nick kissed the top of her head and her forehead, and then he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Cora thought she felt him shaking and realized he was choked up with tears.
“I’m okay,” she breathed into his ear, tears now streaming down her own face. She couldn’t believe how much she needed him. This had started as overwhelming mental, emotional, and physical attraction, but it had grown into love. It was lightning fast but it was real nonetheless.
“Cora,” Nick said to her. “Everything worked out. There’s a warrant out for Keith’s arrest for his drug trafficking. Alexander will be charged with attempted murder and kidnapping as soon as he’s brought in. The FBI cleared us of any charges. It’s going to be okay.”
Chapter Seventeen