Chapter 11
Eleven
Mackenzie’s stomach dropped. The ATV advanced slowly as Gideon retreated until he’d rejoined her. The vehicle continued toward them. When it was only a few yards away, wheels churning up mud and small rocks, Gideon shoved Mackenzie behind him. “Run,” he told her. “I’ll try to slow him down.”
But the ATV shuddered to a stop and the door was flung open.
Her jaw dropped as Kevin climbed out. His face was sweat-streaked and there was a rip in the knee of his jeans.
He was wearing the waterproof jacket and hat he’d been in when they’d driven to the stables, but he was haggard, dark circles under his eyes, his lips trembling.
“I’ve been looking for you all night. Thank God you’re okay.” He pressed a hand to his heart. “Thought those guys got you at the stables.”
“We thought the same,” Gideon said. “And we figured you’d led us right into a trap.”
“I didn’t.”
“Really? What happened to you after we stole the truck?” Mackenzie asked.
“Soon as they took off after you, I beat it out of there right behind Cordelia and her trailer.”
Mackenzie studied him. Friend or foe? She hadn’t decided. “If you weren’t helping them, how’d they know we were coming?”
“I dunno. Cordelia maybe?”
“Is she loyal to Bullseye?”
He blinked. “Who’s that?”
She frowned. “The drug runner who owns everyone in this town, according to local legend.”
“Never heard that name before.”
He didn’t quite meet her eyes. “Well, what name have you heard, Kevin?”
“What do you mean?”
Gideon took over. “Small town, like you said. Who’s the power player in these parts? You must know.”
Kevin shrugged. “Nah. I stick to myself and that keeps me out of trouble, but you got somebody mad at you and that’s the truth.
Made me feel horrible to think of you two wandering around with no help or shelter, and I decided I’d try to find you if I could.
Honestly, though, I was just about to cut bait and get out of town, but I figured I’d wait another hour and see if you showed up here.
” He smiled. “I knew you’d come back to get your Jeep. You said as much.”
Mackenzie decided to try a different approach. “Did you know my brother, Aaron Bardine?”
Kevin rubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw. “Your brother? I don’t think so. Why would I?”
She could detect no tell that Kevin was lying. “He visited here.”
“Hmm. Like I said, I stick to myself. If he was a young fella, probably popped into the tavern where there’s live music, but I wouldn’t have seen him there.
” He laughed. “My wife wouldn’t cotton to me hanging out in a place like that.
” He looked them over. “You two haven’t had an easy time of it since you left, have you? ”
“No.” Gideon was still scanning warily. “We’ve narrowly avoided a few ambushes like we did at the stables.”
Kevin whistled. “Hard to believe.”
“It certainly is.” Mackenzie glowered at him. “The people trying to kill us seem to be one step ahead. You sure you didn’t have anything to do with that?”
“What are you accusing me of?”
“That you know full well the guy who owns this town and you’ve been doing your best to help him catch us,” she snapped.
Kevin puffed up, stabbing a thick pointer finger in her direction.
“Like I said, I only have one priority and that’s my family, okay?
I shared our home and our meal with you and came here to give you a ride out of town because you’re gonna get yourself killed one way or the other.
If you don’t want my help, so be it. At least I can sleep tonight knowing I tried.
” He spun on his heel and stalked back to the ATV.
Gideon looked at Mackenzie. She knew what he was asking. The same question they’d considered before. Was Kevin a man to be trusted or not? They required additional information, but more than that, they desperately needed a ride.
“Wait,” Mackenzie said.
Kevin stopped and turned, his expression stony.
“I’m sorry for accusing you. We’ve had a very bad couple of days. We’d appreciate it if you could give us a ride to the bridge.”
Kevin hesitated for a minute. “All right. Get in.”
“Thank you,” Mackenzie said.
“I’ll take the back seat.” Gideon followed her to Kevin’s ATV and clasped her forearm. His pressure told the story. Don’t let your guard down.
A ride to the bridge and they’d separate. It was a risk worth taking, she’d decided, a way to save them arduous hiking.
She climbed into the front and Gideon behind the driver. Her heart pounded against her ribs.
Kevin looked profoundly relieved once he fired up the engine.
“I can’t believe I found you. I’ve been trying to track you since we got separated at the stables.” He laughed, which ended in a wheeze. “You’ve covered some miles, I’ll give you that.”
Gideon cocked his head. “How did you know where and when to intercept us?”
“It wasn’t easy. Cordelia called me to make sure I’d gotten away from those two thugs.”
Suspicion threaded Gideon’s reply. “Do you know who they are?”
“Uh-uh. Maybe hired help from out of town? You made somebody real mad around here.”
Gideon prompted him to continue. “So you and Cordelia talked?”
He grinned. “Mostly I listened. She was steaming mad about the attack near her horses. Probably she’d take it harder if a horse got hurt than a human.
Anyway, she took a guess which direction you took.
I had to get the ATV because I didn’t think my rig could take the terrain, so I lost time.
Found a disabled white truck though. Your handiwork? ”
“Possibly,” Gideon said. “You caught our trail?”
“No. You did a good job concealing your direction, and let’s face it, I’m no bloodhound.
You said you were heading to town, and of course you’d go for your vehicle.
I figured that was the best way to find you.
Found it sitting right where you left it, and I’ve been up on the bluff with my binoculars where I could see the whole approach on and off for two days.
I headed for high ground when they released some water, and man, it almost swallowed up the bridge for a minute, but those engineers know what they’re doing.
I figured I’d give it until afternoon and then assume you’d drowned somewhere along the way. ”
Mackenzie was relieved to hear that Gideon’s Jeep hadn’t been moved. The idea of traveling the rest of the journey in a vehicle tantalized her. She was ready to suggest they push the speed before a helicopter showed up, but Gideon wasn’t finished with his line of questioning.
“I’ve never been married, but I can imagine a wife would be pressuring her husband to evacuate,” Gideon said.
Kevin’s mouth tightened. “My wife is everything to me. She understands what I have to do.”
Rain began to drizzle again, but the steel sky promised it would turn into a deluge shortly.
Kevin shot a look at the clouds. “You done with the questions? Want a lift to the bridge still? If the answer’s no, I’m out of here.”
Mackenzie replied with a nod.
The ATV seats were unpadded, and every bump and rock jarred her bones, but the progress was encouraging. From her passenger seat, she watched Kevin white-knuckle the steering wheel, tackling each steep hairpin turn with care. Sweat beaded his brow.
“Haven’t driven this kind of terrain since I was a teen.”
“You’re doing great,” Mackenzie said, but Kevin looked more nervous with every moment. When Gideon put a hand on his shoulder, he jumped.
“Stop,” Gideon said. “I’m going to take a look before we clear these last trees.”
“Man, rain’s gonna let loose properly in a second. You don’t really want to do that, do you?”
“Yes, Kevin. I do.”
“I can’t stop here.” Kevin removed one hand from the steering wheel and edged it toward his pocket.
Gideon dove forward and wrapped his arms around Kevin’s neck, while Mackenzie grabbed Kevin’s hand, snatching a gun he’d been reaching for.
Reflexively, Kevin clawed at Gideon’s hold. Mackenzie quickly took the wheel, guided them to the side, and killed the engine. “A handgun, huh?”
“Can’t be too careful. You two are fugitives, after all. Even if you hadn’t come clean, I didn’t miss the orange jumpsuit.”
Mackenzie quickly checked the gun’s magazine. “It’s not loaded,” she said in surprise.
“Lynn never wanted loaded guns in the house. Shotgun in the trailer isn’t loaded either. Didn’t have time to go out and buy bullets.” His tone was sullen.
“Why don’t you want us to see what’s down that road?” Gideon said without relaxing his hold on Kevin’s neck.
Kevin’s eyes were wide. “This is the thanks I get for helping you? Should have just let you fight your own battles.”
“But you didn’t,” Gideon said. “You stuck close, even though you knew we had targets on our backs. Why would you do that instead of letting the police know and then going on to meet your family? Why, Kevin?”
Mackenzie tried to read Kevin’s expression. Fear, certainly, and something else? Guilt?
“You’re wrong about me.”
“We’ll find out soon enough.” Gideon hauled him from the vehicle. Mackenzie turned and joined him.
“Go take a look, Zee, while I watch out for Kevin. I’ll see that he doesn’t make any noise, or message a friend.”
“Ingrates,” Kevin said. “What did I do to deserve this?”
“If I’m wrong, I’ll owe you a humble apology, but considering the couple of days we’ve had here in your happy little town, I’m willing to risk offending. Go, Zee.”
She pulled on her hood and hunched down, jogging over the sticky trail until she rounded the turn. Sticking in the periphery where the branches provided some concealment, she crept forward until she had a vantage point and pulled out the binoculars.
Below the plummeting trail, the bridge looked as if it were floating atop the raging river.
The tumbling waves were so swollen they brushed the lower edge of the driving surface.
Homing in, she located the break where the van had gone over, then backtracked until she saw Gideon’s Jeep, parked at an awkward angle to the side of the roadbed, twenty feet from the breach.