Honeymoon

Chapter 99

EVERYTHING WAS SILENT in the cabin, including my phone. Nine-one-one had my name, and though I hadn’t given my location, the satellites would. Assuming the operator did the right thing. She alerts her supervisor, supervisor alerts the Bureau, Bureau gets the coordinates pulsing from my GPS-equipped phone, and the closest police unit is dispatched. Sounds so simple.

I just had to make sure I was still breathing when they got here.

It raised the question Why didn’t I fire back at Nora?

I knew why. I just didn’t know what to do with the answer.

I tried to get up off the bathroom floor without making any noise. The excruciating pain in my shoulder didn’t exactly cooperate. I tiptoed to the door and slumped against the wall. One hand held the gun; the other reached for the lock on the knob. I turned it slowly.

I took a deep breath and blinked several times. I didn’t know if Nora was still on the other side of the door, but I had to find out. My one advantage—the door opened away from me, toward the hallway.

Three.

Two.

One.

With everything I had left, I shouldered the door. It flew open.

I barreled out, low and tight to the ground. Gun drawn. I swung my arms left and right, looking for any movement. I lined up a lamp. Then I nearly took out my own reflection in a mirror down the hall.

No Nora.

I stepped sideways down the hall in the direction of the kitchen. “You’re not the only one with a gun,” I called out. “I don’t want to kill you.”

Nothing from her.

I came to the living-room doorway. Gave it a fast peek-a-boo look.

No movement. No Nora.

The kitchen was a few steps away. I could hear something. A creaking. Footsteps. She was there, waiting for me.

I opened my mouth to say something. But I didn’t speak a word. The dizziness hit me so fast. I reached for the wall, tried to steady myself. My knees were rubber.

I could still hear the creaking. Was she coming? I raised my arm and pointed the gun. The barrel was shaking. More creaking. It was getting louder.

Christ, O’Hara!

That’s when I put it together. The creaking was actually crackling. What gave it away was an awful smell. Something was burning.

I edged to the corner of the kitchen doorway. Chanced a quick peek. I saw the pot on the stove, and smoke. The leftover rice had been simmering on the burner. Now it was burning up.

I exhaled. Then I jumped!

It was the sound of a door slamming. Outside. Nora getting away?

I hobbled out the cabin as the engine of the Benz roared. My first step down the old wooden stairs missed. I went flying forward. Landed on my side. Knocked the wind out of me; pain like I couldn’t believe.

Nora shifted into gear as I scrambled to my feet. For a second she glanced over her shoulder—our eyes met.

“Nora. Stop!”

“Yeah, sure, O’Hara. Stop in the name of love?”

I lifted my arm, but it was shaking. I took aim at the rear of the convertible, what I could see in the moonlight.

“Nora!” I yelled again.

She was on the edge of the clearing, about to disappear down the dirt road. I finally squeezed the trigger, squeezed it again once more for good luck.

Then everything went black.