She kicked out and caught him squarely in the shin. He gasped in pain and that gave her the tiny advantage she needed.
His grip loosened for a moment, and she pulled herself out of his grasp. But she saw the knife glint in the moonlight as he slashed wildly at her. She ducked, and the blade missed her by mere inches. In fact, she felt the air being displaced as the knife sliced down. Desperately, she made another grab for his wrist. She had to get control of that knife.
May managed to get hold of his arm and hung onto it for dear life. Even as they struggled together, she knew she didn't have long. He was too strong. He would overpower her, and get that blade into her, and then it would all be over.
He had the power of madness on his side. Although she was strong, she was exhausted after this intense fight for her life.
She was close to losing. She'd tried so hard, but he was winning. She heard his breathy laugh of triumph as her hands slipped slowly off his wrist.
And then, from behind him, a bright spotlight split the night.
"FBI!" a woman’s voice called out. "Put your hands in the air immediately, or I will shoot."
In that moment, May knew what to do.
She wrenched away from him, and immediately, she fell to the ground, rolling away, so that Kerry would have a clear shot at him, and so that her attacker couldn't use her as a shield.
For one gasping, heart-racing moment, the killer hesitated.
But then it was clear that, for him, the fight was over. Uttering a terrible curse, he raised his hands. The knife thudded down onto the grass and stuck there, point-first, quivering gently.
“You okay, sis?” There was real concern in Kerry’s voice.
May scrambled to her feet. “I’m okay.” She was shaking like a leaf now that the fight was over.
“I’m glad you held him off,” Kerry said.
“I’m glad you got here so fast,” May replied.
“We tracked your phone. I thought you would have followed him.” Now, the self-congratulatory tone in her sister’s voice sounded more normal. But she was glad of the normality.
Unbelievably, she was alive and unhurt, apart from a bruised chin. And so was Cassandra. She rushed over to the woman, who was starting to struggle and moan. Quickly, she untied her. In the meantime, Kerry expertly handcuffed Josh Evans, and tied him to the tree, using some of the rope he’d trussed Cassandra with.
With a sense of disbelief, May realized they'd won. They'd caught the killer and they had saved Cassandra.
Strangest of all, at the end, she and Kerry had each other's backs.
Never had May thought that would happen.
"I need to go back to Mary-Ann. She’s waiting in the car, and will need to get help, and get warm, and get something to eat,” May said, knowing how relieved the woman would be to see her return.
“You go and sort her out," Kerry said, her tone not unfriendly. "Call for whatever backup you need to help you and to check out the premises where she was held. Use the radio in the car. I’m going to stay here until Adams arrives. We've got an arrest to process now, and a killer to interrogate."