Cold Silence (A High Stakes Thriller) (40 page)

"Stay strong," she whispered, willing him to keep quiet.

Oskar laughed and the urge to ram him sprinted through her. A red light caught her eye and she scanned the dashboard on her snowmobile. She squinted at the red shape, but she knew what it was even before she made out a small flaming gas tank.

"Shit."

She tried not to press down on the gas so much, but she knew her time was growing short. She had to push Oskar to make a move.

She willed herself to stay calm though she felt the prick of tears against her eyelids. She could do this. She had to. Ryan was counting on her. And she was not going to let him down.

She punched the gas and moved up on Kirov until she was almost beside him.

He spun right and stopped. Before she could stop, she'd sped by. She looped a bigger circle and came up behind him again.

She could make out the details on Ryan's face. He was almost close enough to touch.

"Finally, Megan Riggs wants to play," Kirov said, gaining speed.

"Mommy," Ryan called.

Cody's voice caught in her throat.

Ryan reached out to her.

Cody reached back. "It's okay, baby."

Oskar hit his brakes and Cody flew by them again. She turned hard, skidding in the snow as she did. Tears fell down her cheeks, burning against her frozen face.

Cody came up beside them again, but Oskar was moving faster and she could see his dashboard. His red light wasn't on. She would be out of gas first.

She reached for Ryan again.

Oskar snaked his arm around Ryan's waist. "Get too close and I'll throw him into a tree," he warned.

Ryan whimpered.

Cody pulled her hand back. "This won't do you any good, Kirov."

He didn't respond. He kept moving in circles, and she realized they were actually making their way back toward the cabin.

She scanned the darkness for signs of someone else, but saw nothing. What was he doing? What was his plan?

He curved left and she lost him again. She hit her brakes and turned hard, slipping across a patch of ice as she started up again.

Her engine sputtered and died.

"Mommy!" Ryan called.

She jammed the key in the ignition and felt the engine vibrate below her. She pushed the gas and moved forward. The trees blocked the moonlight and all she saw was a patch of blackness.

"Ryan," she screamed. "Call to me."

"Mom!" he called back, but his voice was muffled and she couldn't be certain if it was because Kirov was holding him or if they'd already gotten that far away.

She felt panic seize her and she pushed the gas harder, calling again.

There was no response.

"Ryan!" she screamed, her throat burning.

"Mommy." His voice was right in front of her. She switched the headlight on and spotted them immediately. They were down the hill, and Kirov moved in a straight path.

She sped up.

Kirov had stopped. He was completely still. Ryan appeared to be struggling, but he couldn't seem to free himself.

Cody thought maybe something had happened. Maybe Kirov had suffered a heart attack. She prayed it was that.

She was within ten feet of him when she saw Kirov's face light up. There was a log between them and Kirov had a clear path. If she went for Ryan, she was sure he'd get away.

She saw the red light glaring up from her machine. How much longer could she go?

"Say good-bye," he said.

She scanned the area for another person, but there was no one. She looked at his hands for a weapon of some sort, but one hand held Ryan's chest and the other was planted firmly on the handlebar.

She looked out in the darkness again.

What was she missing?

"Kirov, there's no one here. No one can help you."

"That's true," he agreed.

She frowned.

His smile grew. "But no one can help you, either." His accent seemed thicker and she watched him pull something silver from his jacket.

She reached for her gun, but Kirov laughed. "You won't shoot little Ryan, will you?"

Ryan's eyes widened.

"You're fine, baby," she said.

Kirov pulled out a flask and put it to his mouth.

She pulled her gun up and aimed it at him. She could make this shot. She would not hit Ryan. She could free them both right now.

"Mommy," Ryan said, watching her.

"It's okay," she whispered. "Don't move." She cocked her gun.

In a lash of his arm, Kirov threw the flask at her. Startled, Cody ducked.

She heard the rev of an engine.

Ryan screamed.

Kirov's snowmobile gunned straight ahead. She pressed on the gas but the engine was dead. She turned the ignition off and then cranked the key. Nothing happened.

"Come on." She cursed, trying it again.

The engine made a sputtering noise, then died.

Kirov's engine whined louder.

She turned her headlight off and tried again. Still, the engine didn't turn over. She was out of gas. Panic clogged her throat. Think. Flipping on the headlight again, she squinted into the night.

Her heart racing, she jumped off the snowmobile and ran toward them, tucking the gun down the front of her pants. Gravity helped propel her. She fought to keep up.

Ryan screamed out again.

Oskar paused as though to tease her.

Cody sprinted toward them, the snow thick and heavy like weights around her ankles.

"I think we're even now—a son for a son. Goodbye, Megan Riggs."

She pumped her arms and ran toward them. "Ryan!" she screamed, her legs moving faster than she could control them.

Kirov revved his engine again and she could see Ryan's arm reaching for her.

"I'm coming."

"Too late," Kirov said when she was almost ten yards from them.

He hit the accelerator and the snowmobile took off.

Cody kept running, trying to focus on what was in front of them.

The form took shape slowly as the light from the moon reflected on its shimmering surface. Water.

The lake! They were heading toward the lake.

Cody gasped. "No. Ryan, no!"

She heard Ryan scream and then all she heard was the heavy splash of the machine hitting the water, her son with it.

Chapter 40

Water. It burned through her brain like fire. Still, she hesitated for only a brief moment before she threw her gloves in the snow and then her jacket, tearing it from her chest as she sprinted.

"Ryan," she screamed.

There was no answer. She strained to hear the sounds of water thrashing, but it was silent.

She reached the water's edge and searched for movement. Oh, God.

"Ryan!" she screamed again. She heard a gasp in the darkness. "Ryan, where are you?"

Her throat burned and the cold shot through her thin top. And yet, as she scanned the water, sweat began to line her brow.

She didn't let herself think. With a running jump, she plunged into the water.

The cold stole her breath. She came to the surface, every part of her body shrieking in pain. She felt herself struggle to stay afloat. She was going to drown. She had no air. There was no air.

Ryan. She focused on her son. Her breath came back and it was all she could do to remain above the surface. There wasn't time to rest. "Ryan," she called again.

From behind her, she heard the slightest whimper. She splashed toward the sound. Each time her arm hit the water, she felt a new wave of icy chill.

"Ryan!"

Something moved behind her and she spun around to reach for it.

A heavy hand reached back.

"It's too late," Kirov said. "He's been under too long."

Cody spun around in a tight circle, searching the darkness for Ryan. The moon cast a yellow glow on the water's surface, but there was no sign of him. "No," she screamed, lashing out at the water.

When she turned back to Kirov, he launched himself at her. His hands pressed on her shoulders. He dragged her down.

Her head went under. She struggled to surface. She found a small patch of air and sucked it in before he pushed her down again.

She kicked out, but he was gone. She drove her arms down and buoyed to the surface. She felt a stirring in the water and tried to move away, but Kirov grabbed her again.

Her hair in his fist, he pulled her down. Her eyes were open as she tried to twist and escape from Kirov's grasp. She spun, arms flailing, in search of Ryan. He couldn't be gone. She shouted his name under water.

Her skin was numb, and even the sharp pain on her scalp eased. She pulled a leg up and kicked out as hard as she could. She hit something and the weight on her loosened. She pushed herself away and struggled to the surface. Gasping and choking, she inhaled water and flailed to clear her chest.

"Mom."

She heard the soft whisper in the dark and shot toward it. "Ryan, where are you?"

There was no answer.

Then a short cough.

"Ryan!" she called again.

She felt a current behind her and kicked her foot out, but hit nothing. Kirov was lurking somewhere and she spun around to look for him. "Ryan. I'm here, baby." She felt her chest heave. She was exhausted, her lungs burning and her arms aching. She wanted desperately to stop moving, but knew she couldn't. She had to find Ryan.

"Here, Mom."

Sobs choked her as she made out the shape of Ryan in the distance. "Stay there, baby. I'm coming."

As she took in a breath and pushed herself forward, she felt something loop around her neck. The air spit from her lungs as she was yanked backward.

She pulled at the chokehold, trying to loosen it.

Kirov was talking behind her, but she couldn't make out his words. They were foreign, or maybe it was her head. She wrapped her fingers beneath what felt like a belt and tried to loosen it.

It yanked tighter and the sky brightened as her oxygen wore out.

Ryan appeared in her view and she could see him coming closer. "No!" she choked out.

Kirov pulled the belt tighter, and Cody kicked herself under the surface to try to force him under, too. There was a rush of heat in her chest as she struggled to breathe and still no slack in the noose.

Cody felt her arms weaken and the belt cut tighter. She shook her head, battling for the energy to fight back. The belt slackened slightly and she heard Kirov groan.

Cody was able to twist free. She hit the surface and saw Ryan on Kirov's back.

Kirov lashed out and struck Ryan across the face.

Ryan fell into the water and Kirov reached out for him.

Cody pulled her fist back and slammed it hard into his head just above his ear. The water slowed the impact but his head was rocked back on his neck, and he disappeared under the water. He caught her leg and tried to pull her down with him.

She kicked herself free. On the surface, she filled her lungs with air. "Ryan," she screamed.

Just as the word was out, she felt Kirov's grasp again. He pressed her shoulder down. She struggled against his weight when she felt his foot in her stomach.

She lost her air and doubled over, letting herself sink lower into the water before swimming away. Even at the surface, she couldn't breathe.

She gasped and choked, sputtering out water as her teeth chattered and she fought to stay afloat. Everything ached, and the weight of her clothing dragged her down. She wanted to quit. God, no. Not yet.

Fighting, she took a stroke toward the middle of the lake when she felt Kirov grab her shirt. He yanked her backward and down under the water.

Just as she surfaced, she saw Ryan swim past. He grabbed at Kirov's hair, trying to get him to let go of her.