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Patrick’s face was drawn, and he was motionless. Utterlyterrified.
“You can help him, Alexa, even though you refused to save your ownchild.”
She wanted to cover her ears. That hateful voice, filled with wet, syrupy evil was spouting the most grotesque oflies.
“Therein lies redemption.” Tillman’s lamp drew closer. “Save the boy, and then choose salvation by coming tome.”
Time crawled to a stop. She looked from Patrick to the shadows behind her. A dim glow signaled Tillman’s approach. Alexa carried a handgun in an ankle holster. But a bullet could ricochet off the rock surrounding them. Instead, she drew the Taser at her side. Kept her arm down as she sidled her way back towardhim.
Her breathing strangled in her chest as his lamp drew nearer. Then even closer. She trembled with the effort it took to remain still, until she could make out his form in the light of herheadlamp.
And when she could, she raised her hand andfired.
He gave a keening cry, fell to the ground. She didn’t wait any longer. Shoving the spent Taser in the holster, she bent and rolled up her pant leg. She took out the knife Ethan had strapped to her ankle. Then she unwrapped some of the rope from around her waist and sawed at it, the blade slipping and nicking her as her actions grew frenzied. When she had a section in hand, Alexa replaced the knife and reversed course to make her way back to the lifejacket. She picked itup.
“It’s okay, Patrick.” She tried for an encouraging tone even as her eyes strained to catch a glimpse of Tillman. Was he stillincapacitated?
She looked at the gaping hole in the floor. There was a tiny shelf of rock on each side of it. No more than two inches wide. Looping the lifejacket over her arm, she pressed her back against the cave wall and inched along that narrow ledge like she was walking atightrope.
Alexa glanced down once. She saw nothing but a pit of blackness. She trained her gaze forward again, concentrating on sidestepping a bit at a time. Her journey disturbed several bats hanging from the ceiling of the cave, and they swarmed above her. Next to her. She pressed even closer to the rock at her back, shielding her face, trembling. But her fear of them paled in comparison to her terror of the monster in the back ofher.
And when she made it to the other side of the keyhole, she had to bend at the waist and haul in several fortifying breaths. Slowly, she straightened. Urgency began surging through her veinsagain.
She made her way to the boy. “Hey, buddy.” She fit his arms through the life vest and zipped it up. “We’re going to get out of here.” The garment was too big for him. She cinched the belt as tightly as she could. And only then did she allow herself to lookdown.
Far below them, the lagoon was an inviting pool of turquoise. The walls surrounding the passage toward it were a smooth funnel on both sides. The calm waters hid dangerous currents. Maybe jutting stones. But the unknown in front of them was preferable to what laybehind.
An enraged roar split the air. Panic sprinted down Alexa’s spine. Their time was up. Ahead of them was a dicey chance forsurvival.
The other direction held certaindeath.
She took the length of rope she’d cut and tied it securely around her and Patrick until she’d harnessed them tightly together. Then she looked down and gave the boy an encouraging smile. “Ready? We’ll jump together. One. Two.” Another roar, closer this time. “Three.”
Alexa put her arm around Patrick andleaped.
* * *
“Whoa, careful there.”
Alexa struggled to sit up straight on the blanket. Was thwarted by the ERT member who was applying first aid. “You need to lie down. You were out for awhile.”
She started to shake her head, then stopped when the action brought to life a chorus of jackhammers. The next time she didn’t fight when the officer eased her back down to a lying position. “Where’sPatrick?”
“He’s okay.” She almost wept when she heard the husky voice beside her. Felt Ethan take her hand. “Better shape than you. You got him out of the lagoon, but you fell and split your head on a rock making your way back down thecliff.”
“Middle nameisGrace,” shemuttered.
His laugh sounded choked, and the grip on her hand tightened. “Well, we won’t give you too hard a time seeing how you managed to get both yourself and Patrick tosafety.”
“I tased Tillman.” The memory had her eyes opening again. “Ethan, he knows those caves. Every inch of them. He remembers them from when he was a kid. He’ll find a way out. A way no one else willknow.”
“We’ve got law enforcement all over this bluff. He’s not going to getaway.”
“Seaside.” Did the officer slip her something? Alexa was feeling decidedlywoozy.
“He’ll go the way you…least expect. And Ethan.” She clutched at his hand. “I refused redemption. He’ll be compelled to killme.”
“I’m not going to let anything happen toyou.”
There was a note in his voice she hadn’t heard before. It was…nice, she thoughtdimly.
“I know…” she could feel consciousness slipping away, “…how to traphim.”
“Just rest now.” His hand on her forehead wassoothing.
“…just need…to listen…tome…”
“I’m listening, Lexie.” She was out before she could feel his lips pressed to her forehead. “This time I’mlistening.”