False Pretenses - Kathy Herman [94]
“I don’t have details,” Ethan said, “but the sheriff has requested officers from three or four departments to help curb the racial unrest. I guess with Remy Jarvis’s funeral tomorrow, it’s about to go over the top.”
“I almost forgot that Remy’s funeral is tomorrow.” Zoe’s eyes filled with tears. “I wonder if we’ll even be able to go.”
“Not if we’re all dead.” And the minute Pierce said the words, he wished he hadn’t. Ethan must be frantic enough without his stating their worst fear.
There was a long, uncomfortable pause.
Finally Pierce said, “Sorry, Ethan. I really didn’t mean that. It’s just frustration talking.”
“Hey, I’m worried too. I just have to remember that Vanessa and I gave our lives to Christ. Nothing can happen to us unless He allows it for a reason. If I didn’t know that, I’d probably freak.”
“You have a lot more faith than I do,” Pierce said. “I believe it’s up to me to take care of myself.”
“I’m afraid I’m unequipped for that job—especially now.”
Vanessa didn’t move a muscle, didn’t dare to exhale until Shapiro was yards away from her. If he had known she was there, wouldn’t he have grabbed her—or shot her? Maybe now she could follow him. At least knowing where he was would ease the fear that he would jump out and grab her.
It was raining harder and the wind had picked up. She rose to her feet and continued walking the same path. How was she supposed to keep the sharp leaves from striking her face—and, at the same time, the rain from running into her eyes? Like taillights in a downpour, the color in Shapiro’s clothes stood out and enabled her to focus on him. He was moving faster than she was comfortable with, but she didn’t let him out of her sight.
All at once her shoe caught a tangle of vines. She toppled forward onto the ground and landed on her elbows. A silent scream caught in her throat as a bolt of electric pain shot through her wounded shoulder.
She lay on the ground in agony, surrounded by weeds and towering cane stalks. Claustrophobia again consumed her. She took a slow deep breath and exhaled. Then did it again. And again, trying to imagine herself out in a wide-open field.
She forced herself to get up, her shoulder bleeding again, and took a step forward and then another, pushing the wet cane leaves out of her face and struggling to spot the blue cargo shorts. She walked a little faster but couldn’t spot him. Had he gotten too far ahead of her—or was he on to her?
CHAPTER 30
Zoe stood at the window in the back bedroom at Langley Manor, the rain coming down so hard she couldn’t see where the yard ended and the woods began. Lightning flashed, and she clamped her eyes shut just as thunder boomed and shook the house.
She went over to her air mattress and sat with her legs stretched out in front of her. Pierce lay on his air mattress, facing the wall, and she sensed he was awake. Was he thinking of Vanessa too—and how badly Cowan might hurt her to find out their whereabouts? Could Zoe ever forgive herself if Vanessa ended up dead?
A wave of nausea swept over her, and she closed her eyes until it passed. Would life ever be normal again? Would she and Pierce return home together and work through the lies, or was it over?
Zoe wiped a tear off her cheek and tried to stifle her sniffling.
Pierce exhaled loudly, then turned over, picked up the box of tissues, and tossed it on her sleeping bag.
She plucked several tissues just as the cell phone rang.
Pierce stared at it for a moment, then reached over and put it on speaker, letting go of it as if it were a hot potato. “Hello.”
“Well, I see at least one of you is answering.”
Cowen’s voice filled her with dread.
Pierce glared at her. “How did you get this number?”
“How do you think? I want my hundred grand. Time’s running out. Why did Zoe hang up on me?”
“Sorry. She panicked. She wasn’t expecting to hear your voice. You said we had until the banks close.”
“That’s right. But you’re not going to get very far without my account number. Grab a pencil.”
“Hold on.” Pierce picked up the ballpoint