Latham's Landing (21 page)

There was a scream from outside. Delilah
opened the top part of the door a crack, peeking out.

The other woman from the copter was there,
running away from a pack of wolves. She ran out of sight, the
wolves baying and howling as they gained on her. There was a
shriek, then a chorus of howls. A sharp whine of pain shot through
the night.

Chilled, Delilah hit the door, then hastened
to the food stores. Carefully, she filled her pockets with extra
cupcakes and Twinkies, cramming some in the waistband of her pants.
Then she looked out the door again.

The night was calm. The scent of water was
strong in the air, the sound of surf on rocks just audible.

Delilah grabbed the matches, and three stocky
candles, and headed for the shoreline.

“
I need to set the charges first,”
Helter said for the third time, as he handed his own gun to Barb.
“Just use it at point blank range, if someone human attacks. It’s
not going to work on a ghost.”

“
Understood,” Barb said thankfully,
taking the weapon awkwardly.

“
Then go set them,” Caroline said in
exasperation. “But hurry up. We’ll wait for you in the boat
offshore.”

Helter looked at her a long moment. “All
right,” he said, shouldering a bag. “But if you leave without me,
I’m going to haunt you. Please get what you can carry of my stuff
to the boat. We need warm blankets and clothes mostly, in case the
temperature drops suddenly. Otherwise if you can’t carry it, leave
it.”

Caroline shook her head slowly. “I won’t
leave you,” she said, taking off her extra rings with the crosses
engraved on them, and her other cross necklace. She handed them all
to Helter. “Put these with the most important charges. Maybe
they’ll help.”

“
Aren’t you the model heroine,” Helter
teased, pocketing them. “Going to give me a kiss for luck,
too?”

Caroline kissed his cheek. “There. Now get
your ass moving.”

Helter took off toward the main house with
two large bags, as Barb and Caroline began grabbing bags.

“
Can we leave your stuff?” Caroline
asked.

“
I can carry these,” Barb said,
shouldering her cameras. “We’ll leave the cooler. Can you get your
stuff and his?”

“
There’s not that much to get of mine,”
Caroline said, looking through the remains of Helter’s packs and
setting his jacket and the blankets they’d used to the side to
take. “We’ve gone through most of the incense and herbs already.
Most of Helter’s stuff we’ll have to leave.” She pointed to a small
bag. “What’s in that?”

“
Rolls of film and extra USB’s for
digital storage,” Barb said forlornly, kicking it. “And not one
picture to show for it. Some paranormal researcher I turned out to
be.”

“
You may get your chance,” Caroline
said darkly. “We’re not out of here yet.”

The alarm buzzer sounded, startling Mac out
of a sound sleep. He hit the stop button, then stretched.

One a.m. Time to have some fun.

He got up, grabbed his favorite serrated
knife, then paused. If there were only the girls, that would be
enough. But there was an armed man here not afraid to shoot…and
Lease, that cocksucker, was still floating offshore on his boat.
He wouldn’t be any help.

Mac went to his overnight bag, and unzipped
it, looking from his rifle with a scope to his .44
. Which one
would be better?

He glanced at the other bag. The compound bow
inside was for later, when only one girl was left and the man had
been neutralized. He was just learning to use that.
Don’t feel
bad. It takes time to learn how to shoot a moving target.

The island liked to change locations of
stairs and rooms, so he’d have to go slow anyway he looked at it.
It was better to be prepared.
He slid the holstered pistol
on his belt, then grabbed the rifle, filling his pockets with
bullets for both. Whistling, he left.

He smiled, when he realized that the tune was
the one he always whistled here.
Not sure where I learned it,
but I like the melody. It always sounds right when I’m
here.

Helter watched Mac leave the house, taking
note of his weapons in glimpses through the pine trees.
If only
I had that rifle, I could kill the son of a bitch here and now.
But it was impossible with Caroline’s handgun, in that thick cover.
And wasting her blessed ammo might just alert the man and any
friends he’d brought with them to what Helter was planning. If only
he hadn’t given his own gun to Barb…

When Mac had gone, Helter paused before the
threshold of the main house.
This is it.
He stepped inside
the house, then hurried upstairs, following the man’s tracks in the
dust.
Hopefully there was another rifle, or at least another
gun.
It was worth wasting a few extra minutes to find out.

Chung Lai reached the shore, but there were
only waves and stone, not so much as a stick of wood. There seemed
to be no far shore, but it was hard to tell in the dark. The moon
shone down, but the crescent light was weak, just enough to keep
her from falling on her face. Cursing in Chinese, she followed the
shore as fast as she could.

A boat! There was a boat tied to that
dock!

Delilah stumbled on a sharp rock, tripping
and falling into the water, her lighted candle going out with a
hiss. She felt for it in the water, but it was gone. She struggled
to her feet, pushing on.

Her footsteps were loud on the dock as she
ran to the boat, trying to untie it. But the knot refused to
budge.

Weeping in frustration, she pulled at it, the
rough rope tearing her nails and hands. She quickly lit a remaining
candle, melted some wax, and stuck it on the dock surface. Then she
went to work, pushing then pulling the rope to unravel the
knot.

The dock creaked with new weight, but Delilah
was so intent on her work she ignored it, until a hand clutched her
shoulder. She let out a scream before a hand clamped over her
mouth, silencing her.

Lease started, then rubbed the sleep from his
eyes. There was a figure on the dock now. No, it was two
figures…

“
What happened?” Drake groaned from the
floor of the boat. He pulled himself up slightly, turning to face
Lease. “Where’s Bowman?”

Lease had thought up a good story in the
hours he’d shivered there on the boat seat in the dark. “There was
a helicopter. Someone fired at us. A bullet clipped you, and
another hit Bowman. He fell overboard.”

Drake stared mistrustfully at Lease. “Why
didn’t you pull him in?”

“
It was a head shot,” Lease said
stonily. “His brains were out on the lake, Drake. And it was all I
could do to pull you in before you floated away.”

Drake shifted, uncomfortable. “Thanks. Sorry
if I sounded ungrateful.”

Lease nodded once. “It’s okay.”

“
Where’s the bastard that shot at us?”
Drake asked, rubbing his head.

“
On the island with friends,” Lease
lied. “I tried to dock there but he shot at me again. I’ve been
waiting for you to wake up.”

“
Why didn’t you take me to shore?”
Drake accused. “We need to report this.”

“
Because I didn’t want that fucker to
get away,” Lease said carefully, knowing this was the weakest part
of his story. He had to hope that Drake really was as hot-headed as
he’d always acted.” I knew you’d wake up, that you’d just gotten
grazed. I knew Bowman was dead, that I couldn’t help him. I want
his killer. I know you do, too. Now that you’re away, we can dock
and get that son of a bitch.”

Drake stared at him.

“
We have no ID,” Lease pushed. “The
copter has to be there, someplace in the open. All we need are the
numbers off it and we have our guy.” He purposely narrowed his
eyes. “And if the guy resists us getting that info, then too bad
for him.”

Drake stared at him.

Slightly unnerved, Lease played his last
card. “There were several gunshots while you were out, in addition
to the guy who shot at me. At least one person was screaming,
Drake. I think that bastard is there chasing the kids. If we leave
now, that guy will kill them for sure. Do you want that on your
conscience? I don’t.”

Drake looked at Lease for a moment, then drew
his gun. “Start the motor. Let’s get that bastard.”

“
Shh,” Chung Lai said to Delilah. “It’s
me.”

Delilah tried to hug her, but Chung Lai
pushed her away. “Work on the rope,” she said, scanning the shore
for any sign of Mac.

Delilah hurried, untying the last bit of
knot. Carefully, both women got in the boat. Delilah went to the
motor, but Chung Lai stopped her. “No,” she said softly. “We drift
and paddle with hands. The motor will bring Mac.”

Delilah nodded. Both girls crouched in the
base of the boat on their knees, paddling hard. The boat slowly
moved out into the water.

Caroline and Barb crested the hill, as the
clouds cleared above them, moonlight streaming down to illuminate
the landscape with dim light.

“
Fuck!” Caroline exclaimed. “Someone is
taking our boat!”

A motor abruptly started, breaking the
silence. A light shone suddenly on the water, a new boat rising out
of the dark to bear down on Barb’s small boat moving slowly, two
women crouched in it.

A shot rang out, the echo startling Cooper,
who began to bark. One of the women in the boat slumped, the other
letting out a scream.

“
Get down!” Caroline said, dropping
flat. Barb threw herself down over Cooper as another bullet whined
over their heads, thwacking into a tree beside them.

Another bullet followed the first, Caroline
and Barb cringing as Cooper barked crazily.

An answering gunshot from the boat on the
lake rang out. Several more gunshots rang out, as the boat and
island sniper exchanged volleys.

“
We need to get back to the fire,”
Caroline said. “Helter can find us there.” Barb grabbed Cooper’s
collar and they crawled back over the hill, more gunfire echoing
behind them.

“
Wait,” Barb said, stopping Caroline.
“We need a boat, or we’re doomed. We have to stay and see what
happens. We can run if someone comes…or you can just shoot the
SOB.”

Caroline shook her head. “Let them fight it
out. Maybe they’ll kill each other. Now come on!”

Why the hell was Lease shooting at
him?
Or was it someone else in the boat?
Mac took aim
again, sending his last bullet toward the boat’s location. There
was no return fire.

He reloaded the rifle, chambered a bullet,
then took off for the shore. He’d gotten one of the girls. The
island would bring the other back. The wind was already starting to
blow.

“
Did it just get colder?” Drake said,
reloading his gun.

Lease licked his lips, afraid. There had been
no wind a moment ago, other than a light breeze. Now the wind was
steadily building, and white crested waves were beginning to form.
The temperature was dropping. “We need to get to shore. A storm’s
going to hit in the next few moments.”

“
Go,” Drake said, slapping his clip in.
“I’ll cover us.”

Lease said a prayer that Mac would look
before he shot, then motored the boat straight for the dock.

Chung Lai paddled, cursing, but the island
was already closer. Delilah was on the bottom of the boat unmoving,
dead or unconscious.

She had to try the motor. It was the only
chance. She pulled it once, then again, with no result. On the
third try, it roared to life.

Crouching in the back, Chung Lai piloted the
motorboat away from Latham’s Landing, out onto the lake.

Mac stopped, then listened. A motor was
approaching. It had to be Lease this time. But with the gathering
storm, the moon was covered, obscuring his vision. Unsure, Mac got
into position behind a tree, his rifle at the ready. The wind
continued to build.

The boat stopped alongside the dock, then two
figures got out, the second tying up the boat. The motor died. But
another motor continued to whine, growing fainter.

Those bitches were trying to escape him!

There was a sudden clap of thunder. Light
suddenly filled the sky, streaming from behind the huge house with
its belltower, illuminating the dock, the moving boat, and the lake
beyond as bright as daylight.

The boat was well out into the lake, but it
was fighting the waves, which were now several feet high, the wind
a gale.

Drake paused, turning to look for the source
of the light. “What the hell is that light—?”

The rifle bullet punched through his throat
in a spray of blood. Drake fell to his knees, then collapsed, his
blood red in the unnatural white light.

Lease brought up his gun, then dropped it as
Mac appeared with his rifle.

“
About time you got here,” Mac said,
slapping Lease on the shoulder.

“
I hope you were aiming for him,” Lease
said grumpily, holstering his gun.

“
I always hit what I aim at,” Mac said,
slightly offended. Then he smiled. “You should turn and
watch.”

“
Watch what?” Lease said, turning to
look at the lake. “Where’s the light coming from,
anyway?”

“
The Sea Room,” Mac said with pleasure.
“It lights when something big is about to happen.” He pointed.
“Look.”

That globe I saw out in the sea, when I
saw the ghost ship.
Lease stared, breathing out. His breath
crystallized in the air, becoming ice. “Holy Shit,” he
whispered.