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"I'll go and find the lights," she gasped to Owen. She felt totally spent, exhausted, and mentally frazzled after that terrifying struggle. But, deep in her jacket pocket, her cellphone had survived the onslaught. She took it out with hands that were still shaking and found the flashlight app.
Wanting to see her enemy clearly for the very first time, she shone it on the face of the doomsday psychopath, who cringed away from the light.
He was heavy and strong. His beard was just as Chloe had described. There was a weird, shifting expression in his eyes that must have terrified his captives. His mouth was twisted,and his face was twitching. Undoubtedly, this man was deeply delusional.
Now, it was time to free his victims.
"It's okay," May called, hurrying down the concrete tunnel with the flashlight beam bobbing ahead. It would be better to find the light switches and turn the lights on first, she decided. Then, the women would be able to move more safely once they were let out of their underground prisons.
She rushed all the way to the end of the corridor. There was the tunnel leading in. Now she was going to go to the right.
And ahead of her she saw a doorway. A thick, steel door that was standing partway open.
Inside, she saw a row of light switches.
Breathing a sigh of relief, May snapped them on.
This was the criminal's lair, where he had lived. It was neat and ordered. A folder lay open on the desk. Glancing at it, May saw that it was a dossier. There were printed pages crammed inside it about upcoming catastrophes, earthquakes, plagues, meteor strikes, anything ahead that threatened the earth.
It had been gathered and carefully hoarded in this small room that felt cold and unfriendly.
There were a few guns in a cabinet, and a collection of lethal looking knives on the wall.
May shivered. She had the sense she'd gotten here just in time, that evil had played out, but far worse evil had awaited. If this man had carried on, she had no doubt at all that he would have escalated to killing.
And now, it was time to open the doors and free the prisoners.
***
An hour later, the sun was setting and the woods were swarming with frantic activity. Ambulances had arrived, carshad pulled up, parents and friends were on the scene. May watched as joyful, tearful reunions took place. The captive women were traumatized and malnourished, but otherwise they were in good health, and the paramedics had confirmed that none of the head wounds were serious.
Even Hailey, the young student and part-time shop assistant who had been recently taken from Chestnut Hill, was in good health apart from a slight headache and being utterly shocked. May couldn't have felt gladder that all these women were safe at last.
Sheriff Jack was briefing the team on what needed to be done for the search, instructing three deputies on how they were to move through the underground bunker and methodically collect proof. Even though the evidence against this man—whose name was Charles Gibb—was overwhelming, the case would still need to be processed according to the letter. There could be no doubt that this evil, dangerous man was a risk to society who needed to be locked away for life. A rock solid case would be essential.
“Hey, May. I’m so glad you’re okay. And that they’re all safe. I’m so amazed you figured it all out.”
Turning around, she saw it was Owen giving her a tentative, apologetic smile. She felt a surprising warmth surge in her heart. With all that had happened, the misunderstanding they’d had earlier seemed more trivial now. Perhaps it was something that could be fixed and forgotten, she thought with a flash of hope.
“I’m glad too. It was touch and go. You saved the day, arriving when you did.”
He gave her a clumsy hug, which made May feel surprisingly comforted.
“You know what I’m thinking?”
“What are you thinking?”
“When this is all wrapped up, I think we need to go for a beer.”
“Great idea.” His face brightened.
She was looking forward to that beer. Firstly, she wanted to discuss the cheating, and chew him out for having dared to believe she was capable of such a thing. And then, she was going to ask him what he’d written in that note. Perhaps he’d tell her. She really wanted to know what was in his heart.
And then, she was going do her part and try to be a better communicator by telling him what was in her own heart. She’d level up with him about her sister. The news and the full story needed to be told, inconclusive and sad as it was. Perhaps it would do her good to spill it out, and she needed to get used to sharing it. After all, at some stage, her parents would also need to know the progress she and Kerry had made.
As May stared around, still under paramedics’ instructions to stand still and rest, with a mug of tea in her hand, something caught her eye at the edge of the woods.
A flash of camo fabric? May looked over curiously into the shadows.
