The Burning Man

6

Veitch returned to the car to find Ruth gone. The blood-spattered Swiss Army knife lay in the dust next to the coil of rope from her wrists. Furiously, Veitch grabbed Miller by the collar and dragged him over to see, before cuffing him around the ears.

‘You left her that, didn’t you, you traitorous little toe-rag?’

Miller whimpered and shrank back. He was surprised when Veitch only gave him a rough shove.

‘Right. You help me find her. Up that way.’ Veitch pointed along the road in the direction they had travelled earlier. He turned in the opposite direction.

‘Wait.’ Miller picked up the coil of rope. ‘This hasn’t been cut.’

‘Stop lying. There’s no way she could have got free from those knots.’ Veitch examined the rope only to see that Miller was right. ‘All right,’ he said slowly, ‘this is fucking weird.’