Is Anyone Listening?

Chapter 25 #2

Then a branch snapped. Our hands were still linked, and we squeezed our fingers together. I wished I could see what was happening, who was coming. I desperately wanted to hear Finn say we were safe, but it wasn't his voice that broke the quiet.

"I know you're here, Jessica," Tyler said. "I want to help you. There are people coming to look for you, people who will say they are here to save you, but they're lying."

Jessica bit down on her lip as she looked at me. I gazed back into her eyes, willing her to believe me. Thankfully, she seemed to understand that she had to trust me. She had to stay silent.

"Marcus confessed last week," Tyler continued. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. It's time to come back. The company wants to thank you for your honesty and your courage."

Tyler was good. He sounded believable, almost trustworthy. If I didn't know better, I might have thought he was telling the truth.

I heard more footsteps. Tyler was circling…hunting…

I could see him now through the underbrush—a shadow moving between the trees, gun in hand. He was sweeping the area methodically, professionally.

He was also getting closer to our hiding spot. Another few steps, and he'd see us. And once he saw me, he would know he couldn't keep lying.

Tyler stopped about ten feet away, scanning the forest. Then his eyes landed on our hiding spot, and a cold smile spread across his face.

"There you are. Ah, you have a new friend, Jessica. Isn't that interesting..."

He raised his gun, pointing it directly at us.

"Stand up. Both of you. Slowly." He paused. "Or I can shoot you now."

We had to buy time until Finn could find us. Jessica and I exchanged another look and then rose to our feet.

Tyler met my gaze. "Impressive, Cassidy. I thought I was way ahead of you. How did you find out?"

"Nathan woke up and told Finn about his conversation with you. You tried to kill Nathan, didn't you?"

"It was easy enough to spike his drink with all the drugs he had lying about. It's a pity he didn't die, but I didn't have time to waste making sure that happened." Tyler paused. "But Nathan didn't know where Jessica was. I had to track her here. How did you figure it out?"

"Ellen told me."

"Really? So, grandma knew all along, and she came through for you," he drawled.

"Yes. I also know you're not Marcus's brother, Tyler. You're also not an architect. Those drawings in the house—you didn't do them, did you?"

"The real Tyler did."

"Why go to such lengths to pretend you were an architect?"

"It was a good cover. And I kind of liked being an architect for a while. You should understand why I did it; you had your own cover story."

"It wasn't as far from the truth as yours.

You lied to me. About everything. And the worst lie was that you wanted to bring Jessica back safely so she could help your brother when you never had any intention of doing that.

" I could hardly believe I'd once trusted this man, once thought about spending the night at his house.

Thank God I hadn't done that. "Why did you pretend to work with me?

Why warn me about the inn? Why get involved with me at all? "

"You were asking a lot of questions. I wanted to stay close in case you found a lead to Jessica before I did. "

"Did you run me off the road?"

"Why would I do that? You were helping me. That was Finn."

"No. Finn saved me. It must have been Jeff." I paused. "Jeff Holloway killed Natalie Warren. Did you know that?"

"No idea," he said casually. "But I never cared about her."

"Or about me. I thought we were friends."

"I cared enough not to kill you," he pointed out in a cold, pragmatic voice.

"Because I was useful."

"And because you weren't my target; Jessica was. But sadly, you'll have to die now, too. I can't afford to leave any loose ends. You really are too nosy for your own good, Cassidy."

I couldn't believe someone was once again threatening my life, and now I had to save not only myself but Jessica, too.

I heard another snap of a branch, followed by Finn's voice as he came from the trees behind Tyler. "Drop it," he ordered, his gun fixed on Tyler.

Tyler didn't bother to turn around or lower his weapon. "You can't kill me before I kill them, and you've already lost the element of surprise."

"You might get a shot off, but I can kill you after," Finn said. "Either way, you're dead."

"So are they. You won't risk their lives. You have a conscience; I don't."

"You don't know anything about my conscience," Finn retorted.

I saw the gleam in Tyler's eyes. He wasn't going to listen. He was going to kill us.

Before he could squeeze the trigger, a shot shattered the air.

Tyler's body jerked, his gun falling from his hand as he crumpled to the ground.

I gasped in shock. Finn's gun was still raised, unfired.

And then I heard someone come through the trees to our left. Tom Holloway stepped into the clearing, weapon in hand, satisfaction on his face. He was followed closely by my grandmother.

I couldn't believe they were here, but I was thrilled they'd come.

As Tom walked forward to check on Tyler, Ellen moved toward Jessica and me, stopping a few feet away, her gaze raking my face, then Jessica's.

"Are either of you hurt?" she asked.

"We're okay," I said. "You all got here just in time." I still couldn't quite believe Tom Holloway had saved my life when his brother had tried to take it only a few hours ago.

Finn put his gun back in his waistband as he came forward. "Nice shot, Tom."

"Thanks for the assist," Tom said. "Your distraction allowed me to get into position."

"You two worked together?" I asked in surprise.

"I ran into Tom and Ellen in the woods," Finn said. "We wanted to make sure one of us had a good shot."

"Thankfully, I got the pleasure," Tom said.

"How did you get here so fast?" I asked my grandmother.

"Finn isn't the only one who knows how to find a helicopter ride,” Ellen said. "As soon as you left, I knew I had to follow. I started all this, and I had to finish it."

"So did I," Tom said heavily, his gaze seeking mine. "I'm sorry about what my brother did to you, Cassidy."

"Then you believe me?"

"I wish I didn't," he said heavily. "But I do. I had no idea Jeff was capable of…" He shook his head, his jaw tight. "I had no idea," he repeated. Clearing his throat, he added, "The local police are on their way. I'm going to go back to the cabin and meet them, bring them down here."

As Tom left, Finn stood guard over Tyler's motionless body.

"Jessica sprained her ankle," I told my grandmother. "Can you support her for a moment?"

"Of course." My grandmother moved closer and put her arm around Jessica.

I let go of Jessica's hand and moved next to Finn, needing to take a closer look at the man on the ground. Tyler was on his stomach, a bullet hole in the back of his head, with blood pooling all around him. I couldn't see his face, which was buried in the dirt, and maybe that was a good thing.

"He was going to kill us," I murmured. "Jessica was his target, but he couldn't afford a witness. I can't believe I was friends with him. I am a terrible judge of character."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You only knew him a few days. And I'm sure he played into what you needed to hear."

"He backed up all my suspicions about Natalie, and for a while, it seemed like he was the only one who believed there was something going on. But he didn’t care about Natalie or Anna or any of the others.

He was only interested because it gave him a reason to talk to me, to find out if I was getting closer to Jessica, if I could help him find her.

And I was trying to do just that. I was bringing Jessica's killer right to her. "

"You had no idea about any of this. And Jessica is alive because of you," Finn pointed out.

"You got her away from the cabin. You helped her hide when she got hurt.

And you stood next to her when she was facing a killer.

You are one hell of a strong person, Cassidy.

After everything you went through earlier, you faced death for a woman you don't even know. "

"I don't know her, but she shares my blood. And that means a lot to me." I paused as I heard voices and saw the police following Tom down the path. As they got close, we backed away from Tyler to give them room to examine the body and secure the scene.

"Let's go back to the house," Ellen suggested. "They don't need us out here. Finn, Jessica could use your help."

"No problem," Finn said, putting his weapon away. "I'll carry you back."

"I'm kind of heavy," Jessica said.

"I don't think it will be a problem," he told her with a smile as he picked her up and carried her down the path.

I fell into step with my grandmother. "Thank you for coming," I said. "You and Tom saved our lives."

"I'm glad it worked out that way." She paused, looking me in the eye. "I didn't want to lose you, Cassidy, not like this, not because of anything I'd done."

"Why would you care if you lost me or not?"

"Because I do," she said with a shrug. "Believe it or not."

"I'd like to believe it." I gave her a long, thoughtful look, realizing what a complicated person she was, and someone I still didn't understand. But maybe over time, I could change that.

"Do you still have questions?" Ellen asked.

"Many," I said. "But one I would like answered now. Anna Franklin."

"She's fine," Ellen said. "I checked after I heard about Jeff. Anna made it to her next check-in, and she's safe. Jeff didn't hurt her."

"I'm very glad about that. And the blood on her carpet…"

"Just what I told you before. She was having a panic attack, and she knocked the desk lamp into the window, breaking not only the lamp, but also the window, and cutting herself in the process. Ray really did take the carpet to the cleaners."

I finally believed her. "Ray has been helping you with the network?"

"Yes. He's a good man. He made mistakes. He paid for them. And he changed his life. I believe in second chances."