The Lake

“Call the cops, Warren. Let them deal with it. It’s none a’ your business. Don’t want you getting yourself killed on account of some gal you only just met!”

But Warren was out the door. She heard the Porsche burst into life.

“Deana, if you’re in there, open up. PLEASE!”

Twin headbeams swooped down the driveway. Warren squinted, bringing up a hand to shield his eyes.

Leigh’s car screeched to a halt. The near-side door swung open and she jumped out.

“Warren!”

“Leigh! You’re safe…”

“Yeah. But what about Deana?”

“What d’ya mean, Leigh?” His heart lurched, and sank like a stone.

He was too late. He’d known it all along.

He stood aside while Leigh prodded the key into the lock. The door fell open. They rushed inside.

The hallway was dark.

They ran to the living room. Trembling light from the TV threw uneasy shadows into the darkness. A talk- show host laughed, holding a mike close to a grinning member of the audience…

“Deana! Deana, darling! You there?”

Leigh darted into each room, calling, her heart sinking, her legs all shaky.

When she returned to the living room, her shoulders were hunched. She looked drawn, defeated. Exhausted.

Oh my God, thought Warren. Sheena’s right. I shoulda called the cops.

Leigh caught his concern. “Did you only just get here?” she demanded, her face hostile.

“Yeah, Leigh, I’m sorry. I got held up…”

“My God, Warren. You got held up? Don’t you see? Mace arranged all this so he could take her…”

“What happened? And where were you, Leigh?”

Leigh broke down, sobbing. There’d been no fight at the Bayview. All had been quiet when she got there. Just another civilized night. Customers enjoying their meals, paying their checks, saying their goodnights. No “all hell breakin’ loose” as Tony said… Tony? It hadn’t been Tony who’d phoned her. It had been a hoax caller. And she’d bet her bottom dollar it’d been Mace who’d done the calling…

The phone rang.

Leigh sprang forward, grabbed it. “Yes?” Her voice was terse.

Mattie.

“Thank God you’re okay, Leigh. Have to report there was no emergency back here. Musta been a hoax call. Chief signed off early. Went home to his wife. She’d gotten sick. Nobody here’s aware of any emergency. Don’t ask me why… Leigh? You and Deana okay?”

Leigh met Warren’s eyes. Hot, frightened tears began to well up.

“Deana’s gone, Mattie. She’s not here.”

A moment’s silence, then:

“It’s Mace. Y’know that, Leigh, don’t ya?” Mattie’s voice rose. “Goddamn fuckin’ asshole Mace. Jesus! Our friendly master mimic Mace. The shit fooled us all.”

FIFTY-SIX

Almost sunup.

Mace eyed his wristwatch. “Maybe a half hour till it gets light,” he muttered.

Gotta move it. Though I shouldn’t worry, he told himself, I got nothin’ but time. He set his holdall down on the stoop and pushed the key in the doorlock.

He grinned. This was a real good place for his “other activities.” Nobody, but nobody’d come this way in weeks.

The air was cool and clear, the dew still heavy on the rough grass humps along the track. He scanned the terrain. Mountains on one side, well-wooded with dark, impenetrable pines. The cabin, hidden in rocky territory, was almost impossible to access. He’d used the dirt path, betting not many others would attempt it—wouldn’t want to. You could wreck a vehicle driving over the rough tracks hereabouts.

He glanced over to his right. Into the wide misty space beyond. Before that, though, came a sheer drop to the valley below. In the growing light, he heard the distant sound of roaring water. The river. He’d done some whitewater rafting down there a coupla years back. When he first discovered the cabin…

Yessir. One lonesome place. But, like the trooper he was, he always covered his tracks, so nobody’d ever discover his “other activities.” He’d been fortunate to find such an isolated spot.

He went inside the cabin.

“Hi, honey. I’m home!” he sang out.

Silence…

Then a muffled sob from the bed.

“Well now, Deana darlin’, how ya doin’?”

He set down his holdall and went over to Deana. Humming a little to himself, he untied and peeled off the silk scarf. He released her wrists from the twine.

Deana gasped, scrunching her eyes, peering into the half-light.

Saw him standing over her.

Giving her one of his twisted smiles.

“PLEASE, MACE. TAKE ME HOME!” she blurted.

“Why, sure enough, y’are home, sugar.” Mace looked a little surprised, hurt she was thinking otherwise.

“Where am I?”

She rubbed at her wrist, wincing as she went over the burn marks. Her hands still felt dead.

“You’re tucked away nice ’n’ safe where nobody can find ya, honey.”

Deana looked around at the cabin. A tin bucket stood in the corner. Coulda done with that hours ago, she thought, aware of the dark patch, now cold and uncomfortable, between her legs. She saw packs of bottled water, an open cardboard box, a rickety hardback chair—and Mace’s holdall, directly in front of her.

Shuffling till her back was against the wall, she took in the gray tick mattress. Old brown stains made big patchy patterns across it.

Blood?

There were more stains than mattress.

She stifled a gulp of fear.

“Mace, what are you going to do to me?” she asked, despising the tremor in her voice.

“Haven’t decided yet, sugar. But take my advice, don’t you worry your pretty li’l head about it.” He walked over to the cardboard box, took out a wrapped bread roll, and handed it to her. “Here. You must be hungry. Some time since you last ate, huh?”

She took the roll, peeled off the wrapper, opened up the top layer, and peered inside.

“Won’t hurt you none.” He watched her closely, an amused grin on his face. “Can’t guarantee it’ll be Bayview quality, but it’s as good as you’re gonna get.”

He picked up a bottle of water, twisted off the top, and passed the bottle to her. “There,” he said. “Salami on rye and a swig a’ water and you’ll be fightin’ fit in no time at all. Mmmm… Looks good,” he said, and nodded at the sandwich. “Don’t mind if I have one a’ those myself.”

Helping himself to a roll and fresh water, he sat facing her, astride the hardback chair. He broke off a wad of bread and shoved it in his mouth. “Guess you must be wonderin’ why you’re here,” he said, chewing around on the