Branches shattered and the girl cried out and took off in a different direction. The young woman was over one hundred yards away. Jenna waved her hands. “This way, run this way.”
She caught sight of the girl’s wide frightened eyes as she tripped and fell, sliding over the icy ground. Terrified the gunman had a clear shot, Jenna broke cover and zig-zagged through the forest, to draw fire. It worked.
Boom!
A branch crashed down so close to her that lumps of snow prickly with pine needles bombarded her. She ducked behind a thick tree to catch her breath and drew her weapon but the girl was bounding away from her.
Boom!
The pine tree beside Jenna shattered, peppering her cheek with splinters. She peeked around the tree and then dashed through the forest, chasing the girl.
“Jenna, I’m coming in on your right.” Wolfe’s voice came through Jenna’s earpiece. “Wait for me. I’d be able to take him down from here but you’re in my line of fire.”
“Sorry, Shane. If you miss, he’ll kill her. Hold your fire. If I can get to her position, with any luck, he’ll be distracted and break cover. Kane will have a clear shot.” Jenna took off in the girl’s direction putting her body between herself and the gunman. She hit her mic again as she ran. “He’s not killing another girl on my watch. Jenna out.”
Sixty
Sobbing with fear, Ava crawled into the bushes. She’d seen a woman, waving her arms but at first, her brain had failed to register the bright yellow sheriff’s logo on the woman’s shirt. She’d been yelling something but the pounding in her ears had blocked out everything. Panting, she peered through the leaves. The sheriff was zig-zagging through the trees toward her, her shirt like a bright target in the dim forest. Ava wanted to scream out a warning but fear had closed her throat. Preacher was fifty yards from her and had stopped moving, his attention fixed on the sheriff. She watched in horror as he raised his rifle and aimed.
Boom! The tree where the sheriff had been standing exploded and woodchips flew out in a cloud of sawdust and pine needles. The sound of footsteps crunched on the snow, and she caught sight of Preacher moving with purpose but in no hurry through the trees like a hunter stalking his prey. Bushes moved and the sheriff darted toward her.
“This is the sheriff. Put down your weapon. We have you surrounded.” The sheriff poked her head around the tree.
Boom!
The sound came like the roar of a dragon and the pine tree beside the sheriff blew apart but the brave woman kept on moving closer to her. Terror held Ava in a vicelike grip as she crawled on hands and knees toward her. If she could get ten yards farther, she’d get to her. “Help me! He’s trying to kill me.” She pushed her voice out of her parched throat. “He killed my friend. He’s killed tons of women. I’ve been his prisoner. Help me… Pleeeeease.”
“Stay down.” The sheriff stared at her and then flattened her back against a pine, her weapon held chest high. “Take cover. I’ll try and get closer, hang on.” She dashed from tree to tree.
Boom! Boom!
Ava rolled away seconds before a bush exploded beside her sending a plume of ice and dead twigs high in the air. She poked her head around the trunk and caught sight of movement in the trees. She gasped in terror as Preacher advanced on the sheriff.
Boom!
Branches shattered all around the sheriff and the smell of gun smoke filled the air. Ava wanted to cover her ears to block the relentless crunch, crunch, crunch of footsteps as Preacher kept on coming. He was so close and wouldn’t miss next time. Teeth chattering with fear, Ava watched in horror as the sheriff dashed between an opening and slid to her side. The woman stood over her like a bear protecting its cub.
“Stay down.” The sheriff glanced at her. “I won’t let him hurt you. Keep nice and quiet.”
Panic gripped Ava as she took in the determined woman. It was hopeless. Preacher would kill them without mercy. “God help us, he’s coming.”
Sixty-One
Pressing a finger to her lips, Jenna indicated to the girl to be quiet. She made out a man moving through the trees. He was being cautious but had the rifle aimed at her. She pressed her mic. “Shooter in sight. He’s in the cover of trees. Do you copy, Kane?”
“Roger that.” Kane’s voice came through her earpiece. “Waiting for a clear shot.”
Jenna bit her bottom lip. “I’ll try and get him into the clearing.”
Boom! Boom!
A massive chunk of wood vanished from the tree in a hail of woodchips. Sharp pain pierced Jenna’s thigh. She glanced down at the blood oozing from her leg onto the pristine white ground. Lightheaded, she swayed a little and tightened her grip on her Glock as the shooter came through the trees and stopped just before a small clearing. At her feet the girl sobbed but Jenna lifted her chin. “Sheriff’s department. Lower your weapon, put your hands on your head.”
“I don’t think so.” Keeping in the cover of the trees, the man pressed his back to a tall pine and a smile crossed his lips. “Bleeding pretty bad there, huh sheriff?’ He chuckled. “Head dizzy? You’re bleeding out and won’t last more than a minute or so. All I have to do is wait you out.” He slowly pulled a Glock from under his jacket and rested the rifle against the tree. “Then I’ll take Delores and skin her alive and maybe hang her in a tree close by for people to admire.” He pulled down his scarf and wiped the sweat from his brow.
Astonished, Jenna recognized him at once. “You didn’t fool me, Josiah.” In an effort to make him step into the clearing and give Kane a clear shot, she moved from behind the safety of the tree. “That’s why I’m here. I know about the second cabin at Snowberry Way. I know you’re The Sculptor.”
Ignoring the agony in her thigh, she held her Glock in trembling fingers aiming for him. Dizzy and bleeding heavily, she could feel the warmth of her own life’s blood running into her boot. If she took the shot and missed, they’d both die. She needed to hang on for a few more seconds. Her team had him surrounded and all Kane needed was Josiah to take one more step. Come on, move out of the trees.
“Finding it hard to focus, Sheriff?” Josiah Brock dropped his Glock to his side and straightened. “You couldn’t hit me if you tried. Your hands are shaking. You remind me of a sick dog, maybe I’ll put you out of your misery.” He raised the Glock and moved toward her out of the cover of the trees.
“Noooooo!” Ava’s voice split the silence.
The second before Jenna squeezed the trigger, she heard the zing of a bullet. Her discharging weapon sounded loud in the still forest but her attention was fixed on Josiah. His smile had faded into a puzzled expression as the Glock slipped from his fingers and he staggered a few steps. Kane’s bullet had gone through his neck and a crimson patch bloomed on his chest from her own shot. In an almost graceful collapse, The Sculptor fell face down in the snow and didn’t move. He hadn’t made a sound. Unable to stand a second longer, Jenna slid down the trunk of the tree and sat in the snow beside the trembling girl. Blood soaked Jenna’s jeans and cold seeped through her clothes. Lightheaded, she swayed a little and tightened her grip on her Glock keeping it aimed at Josiah Brock. The girl beside her had covered her face and cried silently. Shivering, she pressed her mic. “Kane, the target is down.”