Page 101 of Nightshade

Stilwell ducked into the dark space under the trailer. It was crowded with rusting pipes and other debris. Looking up at the underside of the trailer floor, he checked for any other way in, but it was too dark to see. As he started to back out, a cell phone rang. The second ring was cut short as someone answered. He heard a muffled male voice from above. He could not make out the words but the call was a reminder that he was out of time.

He ducked out from under the trailer and pulled the gun from his belt. He checked down the side of the trailer. He was facing the stairs with the door to the right on the landing. He could not see hinges on the door, which told him it opened inward. That was a good break.

Stilwell ran to the stairs and took them two at a time. At thetop of the steps, he leaned his weight back against the wooden safety rail, raised his left leg, and drove his heel into the spot just above the doorknob. The wood splintered with a loud pop and the door burst open. Stilwell’s momentum carried him forward and he went in, gun up and in a combat crouch.

His eyes swept left to right, and Spivak was there, standing in the middle of the trailer. He was bare-chested and both hands were at his waist, frozen in the act of unbuckling his belt. On the desk next to him was a handgun, visible in the light from a laptop screen. The two men stared at each other for a split second before Stilwell fired.

Spivak’s head snapped back and he dropped to the floor. It was only then that Stilwell saw Tash on a cot at the far end of the trailer. She was gagged and her hands were above her, tied to the metal frame at the head of the bed.

Stilwell moved toward her, checking Spivak as he passed. The shot had struck him above the right eyebrow. An instant kill shot. Spivak’s eyes were still open.

Stilwell moved on to Tash and gently pulled the gag down over her chin.

“You’re safe, Tash,” he said. “You’re safe.”

As soon as she was free of the gag, a shriek came from her mouth, and tears burst from her eyes. Stilwell worked the knots to free her wrists.

“He’s not going to hurt you,” he said. “Nobody’s going to hurt you.”

He got one of her hands free and moved to the other.

“He said, ‘Time’s up,’ and started taking off his clothes. He was going to kill me after.”

“I know, I know,” Stilwell said soothingly.

He couldn’t break the last knot. He reached into his pocket, pulled out the knife, knelt, and carefully cut through the binding,all the while trying to shake the image that had charged into his head of Spivak on top of Tash on the cot.

Once Tash was finally free, she slid off the cot onto the floor and put her arms around Stilwell’s neck in a viselike lock. Her body shook with sobs.

“I’m so sorry,” Stilwell said. “This is on me. All on me.”

He held her as tightly as she held him.

“I need to get you out of here,” he said.

“Not yet,” she said.

She refused to release her grip and kept her head buried against his chest.

“He played your message to me,” she said. “You said you loved me. I knew then that you would come.”

Stilwell kissed the top of her head.

“There was no way I wasn’t coming,” he said.

She finally released him and raised her head to look over his shoulder at Spivak’s body on the floor. Stilwell stood, pulling her up with him.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said. “I need to call for backup.”

Stilwell kept an arm around her as they approached the body to go to the door. He saw the laptop. The screen was split by two camera views. One was a view of the boat ramp and a nearby picnic table and trash can. The other was on the entrance to the boatyard. It told him that the approach on the water had been the right move.

At the desk, Tash suddenly stopped.

“Wait,” she said.

There was a cardboard box on the desk containing tissues. She pulled one free and used it to pick up the gun. She then leaned down and put it on the floor next to Spivak’s body.

“You shouldn’t—” Stilwell started, then stopped.