Page 56 of Her Last Whisper

“I’m Detective Katie Scott with the PV Sheriff’s Department. Now, please put the ax down.”

A few tense seconds passed.

“I’m not going to ask you again,” she said, holding firm and inching closer to the man.

In one awkward moment, the man dropped the axe, turned and ran in the opposite direction.

Crap.

Katie took off after him. “Stop!” she yelled.

His weighty footfalls and labored breathing echoed in the forest making it easy to follow him. Gaining distance, jumping over low-lying logs and pivoting around branches, she ran with swift speed. Taking a lower path, she managed to easily pass the large man and doubled back.

At the last second, she jumped out in front of him and yelled, “Stop!”

He stopped and dropped to his knees, trying to catch his breath, face red, and chest heaving. Weakly, he raised his hands, giving up in defeat.

“What’s your name?” she asked, still training her gun on his torso.

“Bear,” he gasped.

“Bear?”

He nodded.

“Bear what?”

“Ham… Hamlin.”

“Okay, Bear Hamlin. Get up.”

It took him a moment and then he managed to stand up and face her. Even though he was a big man, he looked sheepishly at her and seemed to be ashamed of what he had done.

“Why did you run?”

“I thought you were them.”

“Them who?”

“Those guys who were looking for Jimmy.”

“Are you talking about James Haines?” she said.

He nodded.

“Does he live here?”

“He moved out a couple of months ago.”

“Why were those guys looking for him?” She relaxed her gun and lowered it by her side, but still prepared to use it.

“I’m not sure.”

“Guess.”

“He owed some people money. I know he gambled and mixed with certain kinds of people that don’t like it if you don’t pay them back.”

“I see. Do you know where he moved to?”