Hunted (35 page)

He stood over her. “You just don’t learn, do you?”

She rolled to her hands and knees, the rock in her grasp when he stepped on her back, pressing her to the ground again. Groping blindly, her fingers grasped for it before slipping off. She jerked forward, ignoring the pain, her hand curling around the stone.

He grabbed her shoulder and she let him flip her over. Grabbing her shirt, he pulled her head and shoulders several inches off the ground. “You wanna play? I can play.”

Her arm lay on the ground, the rock fisted in her hand. She swung upward, using all the force she had, and smashed the stone into his temple.

His eyes widened. She smashed again, blood streaming down his face. He fell forward, covering her body with his. The rock still in her hand, she pushed him off of her and jumped to her feet. Her breath came in short bursts as she stared down at his motionless body.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I killed him.

Killed who?

She heard the panic in Will’s voice.

Emma! What happened?

They found me.

She took off running blindly through the trees, ignoring Will’s voice in her head. Drowning in her terror.

Emma ran until she gasped for air and couldn’t go any farther. She bent over at her waist, sucking in deep breaths. A cramp seized her abdomen and she cried out, bending over in surprise as she clung to a tree, the bark digging into her raw palms. Her entire body ached but she had to keep going. She couldn’t stop now.

Stumbling through the dark, she came across a small house in a small clearing. She hid at the edge of the forest, watching. Soft light glowed from the windows. Between her wet clothes and the cool night air, she was freezing, but she had no idea if she could trust the people inside.

The front door opened and a stout figure stood on the threshold. “Who’s out there?” an elderly woman called, her voice shaking.

Emma held onto the tree as another pain shot through her gut. She moaned, trying to ignore what it might mean.

“I know you’re out there and I have a gun. Show me who you are!”

The pain eased. Emma straightened and took a few steps toward the house. “I’m sorry to disturb you, ma’am. I was wondering if I could I use your phone?”

The woman flipped on the porch light. Emma’s eyes squinted in the glare.

“Oh my stars! What happened to you?” she asked, walking onto the porch.

“I got lost in the woods.”

“How on earth did that happen? Come in. Come in.” The woman waved toward the front door. “I’m out in the middle of nowhere. You’re lucky you found me.”

Emma limped toward her, the aches and pains of her body increasing with the drop in adrenaline. “I don’t know. I was at the campground to the west and...I got lost.” Emma climbed the stairs to the porch.

The woman’s gaze lingered on Emma. “Looks like you been through more than getting lost. What happened to your face?”

“I fell.”

The woman watched her with narrowed eyes for a moment, clearly not believing her. Just when Emma was sure she was going to send her away, the woman shooed her through the door. “You’re soaking wet! You got caught in that sudden rainstorm? It just appeared out of nowhere and cleared off already.”

Emma turned to look over her shoulder at the sky, the moon visible in the clearing. Rainstorms seemed to follow her around lately. She could do without so much rain.

The woman muttered under her breath, “You’ve been traveling a ways. That campground is a mile and a half from here.”

The living room was rustic but warm. A plaid sofa and worn recliner faced the television, a basket of yarn with knitting needles sat on a table by the recliner. A couple of lamps and the glow of a television screen lit the room.

“I’m really sorry to intrude.” Emma made her way to the vinyl floor in the kitchen, not wanting to drip on the carpet. “I’ll just call my friend and have him come get me.” She turned around and the woman gasped.

“Oh my stars in heaven! Your face is worse than I thought. What really happened to you out there?”

Emma gave her a cold stare. “Nothing. I got lost.”

The old woman lowered her voice. “You and I both know you didn’t just get lost. You need to call the police.” She pointed to a kitchen chair. “You sit here and let me have a look at you.”

“No. No police.”

She squinted and tilted her head. “Why won’t you tell me?”

Emma shook her head, irritated when her eyes filled with tears. “It’s complicated. If I could just make that phone call, then I’ll leave and meet him out on the road.”

“What’s your name?”

She hesitated. “Emma.”

“I’m Sophia.” She stared into Emma’s eyes then patted her hand. “We all got reasons for doing things that don’t seem normal. If you say you can’t call the police, I believe you. But I’m not letting you walk out in the dark and meet your friend on the road. Not after you’ve just been attacked. You can wait in here.”

“I’d like to make that call now.”

Sophia stepped backward, scrutinizing Emma as she reached for the phone. The older woman held it toward her without releasing it. “I’ll let you make your call but afterward, I’ll give you something dry to put on and then you wait for your friend inside. Otherwise, you can’t use it.”

Emma knew she could easily wrestle the phone out of Sophia’s hands, but she’d walk out before she ever tried such a thing. She gave a sharp nod, sending pain shooting through her head. “Okay.”

Sophia handed her the phone and she punched in Will’s number, thankful Will had given it to her in South Dakota.

“Yeah,” Will grunted.

She realized he didn’t recognize the number. “Will, it’s me.”

“Emma. Oh, God...when you didn’t answer me... ” The relief in his voice was palpable. “Where are you?”

“I’m safe. I’m at the home of a kind woman. She’s letting me to use her phone, but I don’t want to impose on her hospitality any longer than I need to.” She heavily accentuated the phrase, hoping he understood.

“Are you safe, Emma?” She heard his fear.

“For now, but I’ll feel better when you get here.”

“Tell me where you are.”

The woman handed her a paper with the directions. Emma relayed them to Will.

He groaned. “I’m traveling back to the cabin, but where you are is off another road, I’ll have to backtrack. I should be there in thirty minutes. Sit tight.”

“Okay.” She resisted the urge to tell him to hurry. She knew he would anyway.

“Emma, call me if anything happens and do what you need to do to be safe.”

“I will.”

“I love you.”

She hesitated. “I’ll see you in a little bit.”

Emma handed the phone back. “He’ll be here in thirty minutes. Could I use your bathroom?”

“It’s down the hall. I’ll get you something to change into.”

“That’s not necessary.”

Sophia blocked her path. “You walked in here soaked to the bone, shivering and your face all beat up. Giving you something to wear is the least I can do.”

Emma didn’t answer and the woman moved down the hall.

“You wait outside the bathroom door. I’ll be out in a second.”

Emma looked at the dark paneled walls in the hallway covered with family pictures. She moved from photo to photo of children and families.

“Those are my children and their children,” Sophia said and Emma jumped, startled. She rested her hand on Emma’s shoulder. “Relax, you’re safe here.”

Emma turned around. “Your family is beautiful. You’re so lucky.”

“Yes, I’m a very rich woman. Not by the world’s standards.” She waved to her living room. “But where it really counts, I’m richer than most. Do you have a family? Children?”

Emma’s throat burned. “I have a son. He’s five.” She paused, suddenly feeling an urgency to share her pregnancy. “And a baby.” She put her hand on her stomach and smiled in spite of her sadness choking her heart.

The woman glanced at Emma’s finger. “And the father?”

“He’s the one coming to get me.”

The woman took Emma’s hands in her own. “Does he love you?”

Emma nodded, tears falling. “Yes, very much so.”

“You hold on to that. Love is more powerful than all the money in the world.”

Emma pushed open the bathroom door, worried she couldn’t keep her emotions in check much longer. Sophia handed her a small white bundle. Emma glanced down and back to the woman in confusion.

“You’re a wee thing, not much I own will fit you. This is all I have that will work.”

Emma shook out the cloth to find a white nightgown in her hands. Her eyes grew round as her heart seized. “Oh, no… I can’t…” She handed the gown to the woman.

The woman waved her off. “It’s an old gown. I never wear it anymore. Just the other day I considered cutting it up for rags. You put it on to get warm and dry.”

Emma couldn’t figure out a logical reason to refuse. She told herself to calm down. It was just a nightgown. Just because she wore one in her dream with Raphael didn’t mean anything. “Okay,” she said as she shut the door and pressed her back into it. She looked up at the ceiling, willing her tears away then turned to the mirror, surprised by her reflection. Her left cheek was swollen and cut, her right side fuller than usual. Her arms were covered with cuts and scratches. Leaves and small twigs had embedded in her hair.

She stripped off her wet, muddy jeans and t-shirt and folded them into a pile on the side of the tub. She wet a washcloth and scrubbed the dirt and grime from her arms and face, being careful around her abrasions. She waited until the very last moment to slip the nightgown over her head. The woman was several sizes larger than Emma, and the gown swam on her. She told herself it was only until Will got there. He’d get her something else to wear.

Opening the door with her clothes sandwiched in her hands, she peered into the hall, half expecting someone to jump out at her. When she returned to the kitchen, Sophia held a kettle in her hand, pouring water into a cup.

“I was making myself some tea. Would you like some?”

The thought of drinking tea made her want to hurl. “Uh, no thank you. Maybe a glass of water.”

Emma sat on the edge of a chair, scanning the room. The woman tilted her head. “You can trust me, you know. You can tell me what happened to you.”

“It’s better if you don’t know.” She paused. “Did you say you have a gun?”

“Why?” Sophia’s words were crisp as she straightened, more alert.

“Just in case someone shows up looking for me.”

“No, I made that up.”

Emma’s shoulders sank. She was weaponless.

“Who’s after you? Do you think they’ll come looking for you?”

“I don’t know. I hope not, but I should probably just go. I can start walking to the road and Will can meet me out there.”

“Will, is that your friend?” She nodded. “Will can pick you up right here. If you think someone’s out there looking for you all the more reason to
not
be out there.”

“But…”

“Sweetheart, I didn’t get to be eighty-six years old by being stupid. Now I may not be very fast on my feet, but I can stand up to the best of them. I’ve got a cast-iron frying pan or two at my disposal.”

The corners of Emma’s mouth lifted. “I don’t think a cast-iron skillet will hold off men with guns.”

She winked. “They haven’t met
my
cast-iron skillets.”

“Why are you helping me? You know you’re putting yourself in danger, yet you let me stay. Why?”

Sophia put a glass of water on the table and patted Emma’s hand as she sat next to her. “Because I’m a good judge of character. You’re a good person.”

Emma pressed her lips together and slowly shook her head. “I don’t know about that. I don’t know about anything anymore.”

“You
are
a good person. I can see it in you. I can see your spirit. Most people just think I’m crazy when I say that, but I’ve always been able to see the goodness or the evil in a person. They have a glow and I can see yours clear as day.”

Emma’s heart leapt at the thought. She’d believed differently for far too long. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“And my baby? Can you see if he’s a good person?” If only she had confirmation that this baby wouldn’t be born to destroy everything and everyone she loved.

“No, child. I can’t see unborn babies.”

Emma tried to contain her disappointment.

“Why would you think you’re bad?”

She looked down at her lap, twisting the gown fabric between her fingers. “It’s complicated.”

“You keep saying that, but things often aren’t as complicated as they seem.”

Emma lifted her head and gave her a twisted smile. “Men.” It seemed pretty stupid in light of everything else going on.

Sophia laughed and patted her hand. “There’s plenty of man trouble to make the world go round. This have anything to do with your friend who’s coming to get you?”

She sighed. “Yeah. And someone else.”

“Ahh...” Sophia took a sip from her mug. “You have to make a decision?”

Did she? Was it really so difficult? The only thing Raphael had ever done for her was give her a car. But how did she explain the feelings he evoked? That had to mean something.

“Emma,” Sophia paused and Emma looked up into her warm eyes. “At the end of the day, you have to figure out who makes you happy. Who loves you for you and is good for your soul.”

Emma shook her head. “I’ve hurt him.”

“If he loves you and you’re meant to be, he’ll forgive you. You need to trust him.”

Emma’s lip trembled. “I haven’t trusted anyone or anything for so long, I don’t even know where to start.”

Sophia’s hand squeezed Emma’s “Start by trusting your heart.”

If only her heart wasn’t such a mess.

Emma’s eyes widened when a gunshot rang out in the woods. “Do you hear gunshots out here very often?”

Sophia gripped her mug tighter. “No.”

Emma jumped out of her seat, banging her leg into the table. Water sloshed out of its glass. “I’ve got to go.”

“You can’t leave. If there are men with guns out there looking for you, you’d be foolish to go out there.”

She jammed her feet into her shoes. “No. They’ll come here looking for me. They’ll hurt you. I can’t let that happen.” Emma dropped her clothes on the chair. “Hide these somewhere so they can’t find them, just in case they look. If they know you helped me….” Emma moved to the back door.