Chapter Twenty-Three
“We’re losing track of the area where the shot was fired,” Rochelle said to Benny.
“At least we stopped moving in circles,” he said. “I haven’t seen anything familiar in the last five minutes since we started heading this way.”
They’d began moving in the direction of the gun blast seconds after hearing it.
Rochelle couldn’t go in her mind to a situation where Camden was lying in a ravine somewhere.
She couldn’t let herself believe he was gone before she got a chance to tell him how she really felt.
It would be a shame to have to hold that in for the rest of her life.
The thought of losing another person she loved pierced her in the center of her chest.
Those thoughts, looping around in her head, fueled her to keep moving despite the pain in the bottom of her right foot. At least the boot gave her more mobility. Either way, she was making a beeline toward the sound.
She was keenly aware of the fact she had to be careful not to make too much noise as they neared the area where Asher Foley had to be. It had to be him. They were close. Lives beyond Camden’s were still on the line. At least she prayed Justina was still alive.
Deep breaths.
Moving swiftly through the woods as branches slapped at her face, she realized the sun was beginning its descent. Night would fall soon, making finding anyone or a way out even more difficult.
Dammit.
Not to mention, they’d been in the woods for what felt like hours without running into anyone else.
Rochelle stopped. “Are we even on the right track anymore?”
Benny shook his head. “I have no idea.”
And then she heard a noise. An animal?
“Did you hear that?” she asked, but Benny had already turned toward the sound.
The trees were thick in this area, but light peeked in ten yards away.
“Over there.” She turned toward the light and aimed her weapon as she methodically stepped toward the noise.
If it was, in fact, a wounded animal, she would do the right thing and put it out of its misery if there was no way to save it.
If this was some kind of trick to catch her off guard, she would deal with that too. Heart pounding, she made it to the small clearing.
The noises intensified. But this time, she recognized them as human.
“Cover me,” she said to Benny as she focused on finding the source. Walking straight into the light, she stepped on a wood plank.
Rochelle looked down. “I found something.”
Benny kept his gaze focused on skimming the area for any signs of movement while she checked for a trap. She found a trapdoor instead with a small gym lock on it.
“Hello?” she said into the slats. “Is there anyone down there?” She identified herself as law enforcement as muffled wails came from the other side of that door.
She crouched down beside the door and checked the lock. “I need something to break this open.”
Benny bent down while keeping focus on the woods, ran his hand along the ground until he found a rock and tossed it over. “It isn’t much.”
“Might work, though,” she said, using the rock to slam into the cheap device. The sounds from below intensified. “I’m not here to hurt you,” she reassured. “We’re here to get you out.”
There was more than one person down here.
The thought she might have just found Justina gave her even more resolve to break this lock and get the people below to safety.
She had no idea what condition either person would be in, so she steeled herself as she smashed the rock a third time. Turned out, three was her lucky number.
Immediately, she pulled the metal hood off the door lock. And then, she opened the door. The stench of urine and sweat slammed into her full force as she lifted the wooden barrier. Light filled the eight-foot-deep concrete hole.
Two women.
“Justina, I’m going to get you out of here and to safety, okay,” she reassured the women, who clung to each other as though for dear life. Dirty, tear-soaked faces stared up at her, drawing back from the light as though their eyes couldn’t take it.
Arms and legs bound, mouths gagged, they couldn’t make the climb as they sat huddled together. They looked weak, pitiful, but they were alive. They were safe.
Lifting them wasn’t an option for Rochelle. “Let’s trade places, Benny. You’re going to have to pull them out. I can’t.”
Rochelle stood up in time to see a figure dart behind a tree. She bit back a curse. Asher? He was the only one who would hide.
“Did you see that?” she asked Benny.
“I sure did,” he stated, moving to a nearby tree trunk to put some mass in between him and person hiding.
“It’s Kage,” the person shouted.
What the hell?
“Step out from behind the tree and let me see you, hands up,” Rochelle demanded, moving to a tree on the opposite side of the door.
She and Benny exchanged a look that said they weren’t moving.
These ladies deserved protection, and Rochelle would have to be forcibly removed from this sight before she would willingly abandon them.
“Hang in there,” she said to them, hoping it was enough reassurance to tide them over.
“Don’t shoot,” he said.
From this distance, it looked like Kage. Sounded like Kage. But he had an identical twin.
“How do I know it’s you?” she asked out of desperation.
“We’ve been down this road before,” he said, and then whistled the tune.
He was wearing a blue flannel shirt and jeans earlier. This was Kage.
“Come toward us but keep your hands where we can see them,” she said. At this point, she had to risk trusting him. She turned toward Benny while keeping her gaze fixed on the man walking toward them. “Help the ladies, please.”
“Okay,” Benny said as he went to work.
She had no idea how the ladies would react to seeing a man. “My partner is going to help you out of here. I trust him and you can too.”
Kage approached as Benny struggled.
“Let me help,” Kage said.
“No,” Rochelle stated. “I need you to keep watch for your brother while I do it.”
He shot her a look.
“A man who looks just like you kidnapped these ladies,” she said to Kage. “I have no idea how they’ll react to seeing your face.”
His lips formed a thin, angry line but he nodded. It must be hell to be in his position. The man deserved sympathy.
Right now, though, she needed to focus on saving the ladies.
The minute her face came into view, both ladies relaxed a little bit.
“I’m going to have to jump in with you in order to hoist you up to my partner, okay?” Benny asked.
Two pairs of frightened eyes shifted to Rochelle.
“It’s okay,” Rochelle reassured. “He’ll help you.”
When they gave the okay, Benny jumped down and quickly removed their mouth coverings. He then freed them from the tape binding their arms and legs before hoisting them up, one by one.
Justina came out first, rolling onto her side. Her gaze landed hard on Kage.
“It’s a twin,” Rochelle immediately said. But Justina scooted as far away from Kage as possible, much like a wounded animal escaping a predator.
In her condition, she couldn’t get far. Plus, there was one more lady to bring out. Once the second was free, she had the same reaction.
Benny came out next. “We have to figure a way to get everyone out of here before he finds us.”
Traveling with two seriously wounded women was going to be a challenge. Not to mention Rochelle wasn’t up to her usual strength. It had taken everything just to lift them to safety.
But they weren’t out of the woods yet.
Deputy Lee lost more blood than he wanted to let on. A puddle had formed on the ground next to him before he successfully stopped the bleeding. His face paled and his lips tinted blue. Not good signs.
Camden was caught between a rock and a hard place.
He had to be vigilant against the shooter in case he returned, and Lee needed medical attention.
Considering Camden had no idea where they were, he could end up walking around for hours and still not make it out of the woods.
Then, there was the fact he refused to leave here without finding Rochelle first.
The buzz of a drone overhead gave him the first sign of hope.
Wary of the shooter being nearby, biding his time for another opportunity to shoot, Camden had to risk it to get the drone operator’s attention. With a sharp sigh, he quickly maneuvered toward the noise.
Every step meant exposing himself to Asher.
The drone neared. Camden bolted toward it faster than a deer in a hunter’s sights seeking safety.
Finding a small clearing, he made himself visible from the canopy and then waved his arms wildly.
The device stopped overhead. Camden turned his face toward it as he heard sounds coming from his right.
He scrambled away from the area before he ended up shot.
He needed to get back to Lee in case Asher returned and got to the deputy first. Since Camden had lost visual of Lee, he had no idea what might be going on.
The second break came when he found Lee right where he left him. Lee had enough energy to sit up against a tree trunk. That was another good sign. He hoped to keep them rolling as he realized help might be too late.
The drone didn’t follow. Instead, it resumed activity in the area not far away. Could it find Asher?
And then what?
“He’s still here,” Camden said to Lee. “Can you keep pressure on the wound with your left hand?”
A twig snapped nearby. Camden turned to the noise, leading with his weapon. He waited, finger hovering over the trigger mechanism.
The face he most wanted to see emerged.
“Rochelle,” he said. “Look out. Asher might still be around here.”
She came bolting toward him as he met her halfway. After a quick embrace, she said, “I headed this way after hearing a shot but we got lost until I saw the drone hovering. I hoped it was you, but I couldn’t be sure.”
“You found me,” he said as a tsunami of relief washed over him. “Deputy Lee has been shot.”
She took in a deep breath and then moved toward the deputy. “Help is here.”
“Good timing,” he said. “My family will be expecting me to come home.”
“And you will,” she said before turning to Camden with a look that sent a wave of panic rushing through him. She moved a few steps away and then lowered her voice. “We found the victims.”
“And?”
“They’re alive but weak,” she said. “Benny and Kage—”
“Did you just say—”
“That’s right,” she said. “He found us and is helping carry one of the victims because they’re too weak to walk.”
Camden nodded. “I can carry Lee if you want to guide us to safety.”
“I’m turned around,” she admitted. “And I need to run back to tell the others that I found you. They’re slowly making their way but we’re an easy target.”
“A caravan moving through the woods will be hard to miss,” he agreed.
“What about the drone? Did it see you?”
“I think so,” he said.
“What if we stay here until help arrives?” she asked. “Do you think Lee will make it?”
“He lost a lot of blood, so I’m not sure,” he whispered. “We could be here overnight if we wait for a search-and-rescue team.”
“True,” she said.
“Plus, Asher is still out there,” he added.
“And we took what he believes to be his,” she said. “The concrete cellar he kept them in isn’t far.”
“Then we should get on the move,” Camden said.
“Can we risk it?”
“Do we have a choice?” he asked.
Rochelle bit down on her bottom lip. “I guess not.”
Camden’s gaze shot down to her boot. “How badly are you injured?”
“Me? I’ll live.”
“What about your mobility?” he asked.
“I’ll do whatever I have to,” she said. “We have to get these people to safety, Camden. I can’t let them die. Not after everything they’ve been through.”
“I know,” he said.
“We might not make it out of here, but I have to keep fighting,” she said. “I can’t let this bastard win by giving up.”
“Then, let’s not waste any more time,” he said. They were losing sunlight. This place might be confusing during the day, but it would only get worse at night.
“Hey, guys,” Lee said. They turned to catch him staring at his phone. “I have half a bar.”
“Can you send out an SOS?” Rochelle asked.
Lee cursed. “Just lost it.”
“Try anyway,” Camden said. “Let the sheriff know that we just saw a drone, have the victims and multiple injuries. Tell him that we’re heading back to the crime scene.”
The message may or may not go through, but Rochelle was right. They had to try.