Page 59 of One Night Years Ago

Natalie gripped the phone so tight her hand hurt.

“Please don’t hurt Emma. What do you want?”

“Come to the north side of the cliffs. Alone. I’ll wait twenty minutes.”

“I need twenty-five,” Natalie said, looking at the clock on the dashboard. They should be there much quicker than that.

“You’ve got twenty. Don’t be late or you’ll miss all the fun.” This time, he was the one to hang up.

“How long ago did she disappear?” Hunter asked.

“Rob said an hour ago. She was at school, preparing things for the start of the school year. The principal came to her class to ask her something, but she was gone. There were signs of a fight … that’s why he called it in.”

“Then he hasn’t had time to hurt her yet. He likes to take his time,” Hunter said.

“You’re just trying to make me feel better.”

He nodded. “But it’s also true. I’m never going to lie to you again, Natalie. No matter what,” he promised. A muscle ticked in his jaw.

She choked back a sob.

“I’m sorry I got you involved in this.”

“He involved me in this. Not you. And we’re going to get Emma back together.”

They were both quiet for a couple minutes. Hunter fought the vehicle at every turn, and Natalie was glad they’d taken his heavier pickup truck rather than the lighter patrol car.

“There! That’s the cliffs coming up, Hunter. Let me out. I’ll walk from here. I don’t want him to see both of us in the truck.”

Chapter 24

Hunter

“Wait. You can’t walk out in this storm. I have a better idea.” He turned the headlights off and drove slowly, keeping the car perpendicular to the cliffs. The vehicle was now just another dark shape in the shadows.

“There’s nobody else here,” Natalie murmured, her voice trembling. “He’s not coming.”

Hunter didn’t respond. He didn’t claim to be an expert on psychopaths, but he knew enough to know the madman had taken Emma for a reason. He wanted Natalie to see—

Suddenly, he saw it, a large hunchbacked shape moving slowly against the howling wind. It was a man, carrying something white on his back.

“Natalie! There he is!”

Lightning hit, illuminating the bundle. It was a blond woman. She looked unconscious. Her trussed up legs peeked out from the bottom of her white dress.

“Is that Emma?” Hunter asked, his voice low.

Natalie nodded.

Hunter pushed on the accelerator, turning on the car’s lights at the same time. The man turned to look at them. He appeared faceless for an instant as his black ski mask left only his eyes and mouth visible. Time seemed to stand still for a moment when their eyes met. Then the man straightened to his full height and started moving with his bundle towards the cliff side.

“What is he going to—”

The man had reached the very edge. Hunter watched in horror as he lifted Emma’s unconscious form over his shoulders, like an offering to an ancient deity.

“No! No!” Natalie shouted, jumping out of the car.

Hunter followed her, leaving the keys in the ignition. The rain pelted his face, shockingly cold for a summer storm.