Drawing her weapon, she looked at Jo’s determined face. “Let’s go.”
Fifty-Nine
The deeper they moved inside the catacombs, the more surreal it became. Critters scampered away from them and the eerie wind spun around them like a thousand voices. Disoriented, Jenna touched the twine trailing out behind her, a small comfort but would it be long enough? As they approached the next bend, Duke stopped dead, sniffed the floor, and gave a little triumphant yelp. Jenna attached his leash and grabbed Jo’s arm. They turned off their flashlights and it was as if she’d gone blind. She bent close to Duke and whispered in his ear. “Stay.”
Heart pounding, Jenna led the way, her back to the wall and inching one step at a time around the bend. The blackness surrounding them was so dark she couldn’t see a hand before her face and she moved each foot forward with caution feeling her way. The air was rancid and thick with a stink like sewerage. This must be the place Rowley had described. Moving with care, she edged around a damp wall, and ahead a slight glow reflected on the rock wall. She leaned into Jo. “Not a sound.”
Edging her way to the corner, she peered around and her heart raced. A lantern hung from a hook in the roof spilling a circle of light. Directly below it, Julie sat on an old mattress, with one ankle secured in a manacle to a loop in the floor. Her head hung down and she looked battered. Her long blonde hair was tangled and matted with leaves. Not far from her, a man paced, his boots crunching on the gravel. He was muttering to himself and punching a fist into one hand. The next moment he stopped and turned slowly, looking in her direction. Jenna moved back into the shadows, sure he couldn’t see her. She took a good look at him. It wasn’t Roger Suffolk, he wasn’t big enough, and Cleaves wasn’t quite so tall. Who was he?
When he bent and slapped Julie around the face, Jenna wanted to act but she froze on the spot when he pulled a Glock from his waistband and held it to Julie’s head. Beside her, she could hear Jo breathing and almost feel the anger rising in her friend but revealing themselves now would get Julie killed, and the chances of taking the monster alive would be limited.
“You told me you were Coleman’s cousin.” The man bent and grabbed Julie’s chin and stared at her. “But your driver’s license says Julia Wolfe.” He let out a string of profanities. “You’re Shane Wolfe’s daughter, aren’t you?”
Julie nodded. “Yeah, you sure picked the wrong person to mess with. My dad will tear off your arms and feed you to the bears for kidnapping me.” She looked at him and smiled. “He’s relentless, he’ll never give up, he’ll hunt you down and Uncle Dave will help him. You’ll never hurt anyone ever again. They’re already coming for you.” She grinned at him through bloody teeth. “I’m not scared of you.”
“You should be.” He lashed out again. “I’m going to enjoy killing you.”
“Go right ahead.” Julie spat blood. “It will only make it slower and more painful for you in the end.”
“You’re no use to me. There’s no fun in playing with you.” The man let out a howl of frustration, pulled out a flashlight, and headed down the passageway.
Jenna bent, picked up a pebble, and tossed it at Julie. When she tur
ned and looked at her, Jenna could see the fear in her eyes but she hadn’t expected her to burst into tears. Men who raped fed on vulnerability. Jenna moved a little into the light and shook her head wiping at her eyes. She mouthed the words, “Stay strong and fight,” and then melted back into the shadows.
There was no strategic position to take the advantage. Julie sat in a small cavern, with a passageway that appeared to break into two. How far the man had walked into the darkness on the left Jenna had no idea. It would be easy if she could grab Julie and run back to the entrance but she had no way of removing the manacle without the key. Moving would be suicide… unless… She squeezed Jo’s arm. “Can you make it into the right passageway if I cover you?” Jo was invisible beside her in the dark. “We’ll see him if he heads back this way by his flashlight.”
“Nootau did say the passages to the right lead to the falls and death.” Jo peered around her. “I guess if I stay hidden at the entrance, it will be okay. We sure as hell can’t take him down from here.” She took off straight across the cavern and disappeared down the right passageway. A few seconds later she poked her head out and gave Jenna a wave.
The sight of Jo had given Julie courage. She pulled the long chain tethering her onto the mattress in a coil and was on her feet. Terrified for the girl’s safety, Jenna could see Julie was planning to attack. A dangerous move with an armed man. The notion of shooting him came into Jenna’s mind and she dismissed it. The walls were granite and if she missed, a ricochet could kill in such a small area. She got Julie’s attention again and made hand gestures to indicate she kept the monster talking. When she nodded, Jenna sagged back against the wall.
A light bobbed in the darkness and the crunch, crunch, crunch of boots on gravel came closer. The man appeared, holding himself straighter and walking with confidence. Jenna’s heart sank. He’d come up with a plan and one he liked by the smile poking through his balaclava. As he entered the cavern, he removed the balaclava and Jenna stared in disbelief. The man grinning at Julie was the fire chief, Matt Thompson.
Head going into overdrive, Jenna gaped at him, his horrendous plan hitting her like a sledgehammer. If he needed an excuse to rape and murder Julie, he’d just given himself one. She could identify him now. As he moved toward Julie, Jenna stepped from the shadows.
“How did you get in here?” Matt’s eyes flicked all around as he pulled the Glock out of his waistband and aimed it at her.
Jenna laughed at him to throw him off guard. “You can’t do anything right, can you, Matt? You took the wrong girl. You messed up. You’ve been messing up all your life, haven’t you?”
“You shut your mouth.” Matt held the weapon steady. “You know nothing about me.”
Jenna snorted. “Really? Then how come I’m here waiting for you to show, huh?”
“You think you can take me down?” Thompson’s eyes had gone cold, as if another person had stepped in to take control.
Jenna pulled her weapon and aimed it at him. “I’m not alone. Unlike you, I’m not stupid. We have you surrounded.”
The next instant, Julie lashed out with her foot, taking out Thompson’s knee. He staggered forward and she kicked him again. On his knees with one hand still gripping the handle of the Glock, Jenna sprinted out and kicked the gun from his hand.
With a battle cry, Jo barreled into him from behind and they sprawled to the ground. Thompson pushed up taking Jo with him on his back. Jenna shoved the Glock away and was heading toward him with her weapon aimed at his head.
“I’ll kill you all and burn everyone you love.” Thompson tossed Jo off like she weighed nothing and was back up on his knees.
“Oh no you don’t.” Julie rushed in, wrapped the chain around his neck, and pulled. “How do you like being chained up like a dog?”
Thompson roared and rolled, trying to grab Julie’s legs. She danced away as far as the chain allowed. Jenna raised her voice. “It’s over. Make one more move toward Julie and I’ll have great pleasure in sending you to hell.”
“I am hell.” Thompson gave her a sadistic smile. “Go ahead, pull the trigger.”