The Night Monster_ A Novel of Suspense - James Swain [113]
“Show me where the forest is,” I said.
CHAPTER 59
eppi pointed and I drove. My wheels tore up the grass as I left the road and drove around the farm. Seppi pointed to the gate at the back of the property. It was open, and swinging with the wind.
“There,” Seppi said.
I pulled up alongside the gate, and threw my Legend into park. From the glove compartment I grabbed the box of bullets that I took with me wherever I went, and reloaded my Colt.
“Show me where the path into the forest starts,” I said.
Seppi led across a short field to the path. It was recently trampled, with two sets of footprints clearly visible in the dirt. Buster sniffed the path and started to whine.
“I left the keys in the ignition,” I said. “Go back to the farm, and tell Special Agent Linderman what we found.”
“I want to stay here, and help you,” Seppi said.
I grabbed her by the shoulders. Seppi had shown a lot of courage, but sometimes bravery got people killed. I said, “Do as I say. It’s for the best.”
“Please don’t let Lonnie get away.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
She left, and I ran down the path with Buster. The forest was dark and foreboding, the air cooler than out in the sunlight. Lonnie had a big head start, but he also had Sara with him, and hopefully that had slowed him down enough for me to catch up.
“Find the girl,” I told Buster.
He sprinted ahead. Soon I couldn’t see him. My breathing grew labored, and my legs felt like lead. I thought back to the night I’d gone to the Sunny Isle apartments, and confronted Lonnie as he’d come out the door carrying Naomi Dunn over his shoulder. Had I stopped him then, none of this would have happened. But now God was giving me a chance to redeem myself. I told myself not to blow it.
A scream pierced the air. It was the voice of a man, but childlike. The scream was followed by a harsh tearing sound. My dog had found Lonnie.
I went off path and tore through the woods. I heard Buster’s frantic bark, and followed it into a clearing. It was the most beautiful of places, with golden sunlight filtering through the trees and blooming sunflowers everywhere I looked. A barefoot Sara Long stood in the center of the clearing, wearing a white nightgown and a band of flowers in her hair. A rope was tied around her waist that Lonnie was holding on to.
“Bad dog! Go away!” Lonnie said.
Buster had taken a bite out of Lonnie’s pant leg, and was circling his prey. Lonnie was trying to swat him away with a tree limb while continuing to hold the rope. Lonnie was shirtless, his muscles so huge they didn’t look real. He was so preoccupied fighting off my dog that he didn’t see me approach.
“Sara,” I whispered.
Sara jerked her head and let out a gasp.
“Oh, my God,” she said.
“Duck,” I said.
Lonnie suddenly realized I was there. He roped Sara in, and used her body as a shield. He tossed the tree limb at Buster, knocking him to the ground.
“Go away!” Lonnie demanded.
I moved sideways to get a clean shot. Lonnie moved sideways as well, keeping Sara between himself and me.
“Let her go,” I said.
Lonnie laughed wickedly. He grabbed Sara from behind by the neck, and lifted her clean off the ground. Sara struggled helplessly, her legs flailing in all directions.
“I’ll kill her!” Lonnie shouted.
I instinctively started backing up.
“Don’t leave,” Sara begged me.
I glanced at Buster. My dog was dazed from getting hit with the branch, and slow to get up. I wanted him to make another run at Lonnie, and distract him. Lonnie had enough intellect to understand what I was thinking, and he shook Sara like a rag doll.
“Now!” the giant said.
Lonnie was going to break Sara’s neck. I lowered my gun, and continued my retreat. A look of burning hatred filled Sara’s eyes.
“Don’t you dare leave me!” she shrieked.
She sounded just like her father. Bringing her hands up, she grabbed Lonnie’s arms, and pulled herself into the air. She stuck both her legs straight out like a gymnast doing a split.
“Shoot him!” she ordered me.
Sara wanted me to shoot through her nightgown