“I… think he’ll be all right.”
“I don’t want to think. I want to know.”
“I can’t tell… you that.”
“Stop talking, it’s not good for you. Worry about yourself, not Joe.”
He was silent a moment. “You think I… may die.”
Yes, she did. He seemed very close. “You’ll be fine. Don’t be afraid. Just hold on.”
“I’m not afraid. I was once. But she showed me that it would only be a new start with nothing to hold me back… and beautiful.”
Her grasp tightened on his hand. “‘She’?”
His gaze was on her face. “She looks like you. Sometimes I can’t see her, only hear her. But when I see her, she looks like you.”
“Does she?” she asked unevenly. “Well, I think she would want you to hold on, just as I do.”
He nodded and closed his eyes. “I just wanted to tell you so that you wouldn’t feel bad. You looked so sad…”
“Eve!”
Her gaze flew to the trail to see Father Barnabas coming up the path.
“How is he?” The priest was frowning as he came toward her. “Joe passed me on the trail and told me what had happened and asked me to come and help you.” He knelt beside Ben. “He said he’d called 911, and they’ll contact the ranger station.” He put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Help’s on the way, Ben.”
Ben nodded but didn’t answer.
But she didn’t want any new starts happening for this boy who had saved Joe’s life. And she’d be damned if she’d let Joe wander off into the great beyond either.
“Hold the compress,” she told the priest as she got to her feet. “I’m going after Joe.” She looked down at Ben. “And you hold on and don’t go anywhere. She may think it’s okay, but I don’t. And I’m sure Bonnie didn’t mean it like that. We all have to stick together around here.” Her glance shifted to the priest. “You take care of him. Don’t you let him die. I want prayers and rosaries and anything else you may think will help.” She turned and strode toward the trail. “Do your job.”
CHAPTER 16
DANNER!
Catherine had only caught a brief glimpse of the man streaking down the twisting path toward the bottom of the canyon, but she’d recognized him. She had not seen that shock of silver hair at the bayou, but he moved with that same lithe alacrity that had so surprised her.
She tensed. It would take her five to ten minutes to intercept him, and there was a possibility she might lose him. Call Gallo.
She dialed quickly. “I’ve spotted Danner. He’s alone. Where the hell is Eve?”
“I don’t know. We lost them after he started climbing the west wall of the canyon. Joe and I split up to search.”
Catherine muttered a curse. “That’s not good. I have to find out where he left her.” She didn’t want to think of the question of how he’d left Eve.
Dead. Alive. Wounded.
“Where are you, Gallo?”
“Still on a path on the canyon wall.”
“Then you’re no help. Danner’s headed for the bottom of the canyon.”
“Wait for me. I’ll be there.”
“No time. I’m not letting him leave the canyon without telling me where he left Eve. If she’s unconscious, it could take us days to find her.”
“Wait for me.” The phone crashed in her ear as he hung up.
Screw it. The time was over for waiting and also for working as a team with Gallo. If she could lever herself from that overhanging oak tree down to the next level of the path, she would make up a good deal of the distance. She slipped her phone in her jacket pocket and started down the trail toward the oak tree.
RUN.
Don’t slip on this damn sandy shale, Danner told himself.
One false step would throw him off the path and into the canyon over a hundred feet below.
But he couldn’t see for the tears running down his cheeks.
He had killed Ben. Why had the boy come after him? He hadn’t wanted to harm him. He had been closer to Ben than he had been to anyone since the time he’d spent with John when he was growing up. He had wanted to protect him and take care of him. To keep all the demons away from him.
Dead. Dead like the little girl. He had killed him as he had Bonnie.
No!
It was the demon, Black, who had killed Bonnie.
He wouldn’t have killed the little girl.
But he had done it. If he could kill Ben, then he could kill Bonnie.
“Stop where you are, Danner.”
A woman had come out of the brush at the side of the trail, a gun in her hand. Long, straight, dark hair, slightly tilted dark eyes, framed in long lashes. He knew that face. Catherine Ling, who had been with John at the bayou.
“Where is Eve, you bastard?” she asked grimly. “Give me an answer in ten seconds, and you’ll live for a little while longer.”
Eve. He should not have run away even if he’d been sick about killing the boy. Eve was still alive. He had failed Bonnie. It would be okay. He could make it right. But he had to get away from here first. Then he could concentrate on finding Bonnie’s mother again.
“Is she dead?” Catherine asked.
He shook his head. “She fought me and ran away. She shouldn’t have done that. It’s not what the little girl wanted.”
“Where is she?”
“With the boy.” He was sobbing. “I killed the boy.” Too much pain. Get away. Get rid of her.
He dove sideways and kicked out and struck her gun with the toe of his boot.
It fired and the bullet ricocheted off the wall of the canyon. Then he was running into the brush, the thorns and branches whipping at him.
She was running after him.
Pull to the side and ambush her.
Not now.
Keep running.
Keep running.
Keep running.
Run away from those children in the flaming house in the mountains of Syria.
Run away from Ben, with blood blossoming on his shirt.
Run away from Bonnie, lying so still in the trunk of his car.
“You have to stop.” It was John calling from behind him. “Don’t make me come after you.”
John was hurting. He could always tell when the boy was hurting. How many times had Ted chased after John
