why Lisa and Christine left a note saying they were going with you, when they obviously didn't, do we?" the increasingly frustrated sheriff bellowed.
Mitch's mind raced. Spike was right. They had to get down to the other end of the lake because something was really wrong--and there was water all around again, as when Ginger died and in the attempts on Lisa's life.
"Lisa's finally lost it," Jonas muttered. "And I swear, Graham's going to pick her anyway," he added to Vanessa.
As if mentioning his name had summoned him, Graham came in the front door. "Why the sheriff's car?" he asked Mitch, ignoring the sheriff himself. "What's happened now?"
"Everyone's accounted for except Ellie," Mitch said to Spike, ignoring Graham's question and the sheriff's sputtering. "I'm with you, Spike, so let's go."
"What the hell's going on?" Graham demanded. "Ellie's upstairs, lying down with a migraine. I dropped her off here about twenty minutes ago, then took a final load to Spike's place."
"That's true," Spike said, edging for the back door. "Hey, Mitch, look at the dock. Ginger's boat's gone. They might have taken it instead!"
"Mr. Bonner," the sheriff said, "you go upstairs and check on your wife, see if she can come down here, okay?"
Mitch saw that Sheriff Moran's control of the situation was gone. What terrified him was that he'd lost control, too, and feared once again for Lisa's life. He ran out the door after Spike, and they raced for Mitch's boat.
26
T
he wash of waves against the pontoons, the scraping of her bracelet as she held on and the forbidding rumble of the plane's engine were the only sounds Lisa heard before distant shouts pierced her ears. Christine's voice? Yes, Christine shouting at Spike in the plane. Had her friend made it to shore? Lisa knew, however strong a swimmer she was, that she would not make it in, not after the physical setbacks of the river and the sauna. And now this--attempted murder by a plane, with who at the helm? The plane's motor pitch went up. She leaned left and could see the propeller spinning faster, faster. The plane began to move forward. Had she convinced the pilot she was drowned?
She gave a garbled cheer when she realized the plane was heading back toward the lodge across the length of the lake. If she just held on--if the water being displaced by the pontoon didn't push her off--she could ride it nearly to the dock.
The plane plowed its way toward the middle of the lake. She had no choice but to hang on and try to gauge when she should let go. To breathe, she had to lift herself higher out of the water and really hang on to the ridge at the top of the pontoon. It couldn't be much farther and then she'd let go. Mitch and the sheriff must be back to the lodge soon. They'd see her, come for her, if she just treaded water.
The plane continued to accelerate, the pitch of the propeller noise rising, humming harder. Dear God, was it going to take off? No matter where they were on the lake, she had to let go now. Gasping in a huge breath, she let go, but she didn't drop. As the plane skimmed the surface of the lake, her bracelet caught in the ridge of the pontoon and held her there, dragging her with it. To keep her wrist from being broken, she fought to put her other hand back up, holding on as her legs flailed free of the water.
The plane cleared the lake and was airborne. Lisa cursed the bracelet, but its clasp had never opened well, not even the night she'd wanted to throw it at Mitch for leaving her.
The plane climbed, then banked. She tried to pull her wrist free again; her hand had turned white.
Then it was too late, and she had no choice but to hang on for her life.
"Ellie's not upstairs anywhere!" Graham shouted at the sheriff as he ran out onto the lodge patio. Mitch had never heard Graham sound so panicked. He stood in his boat still at the dock. He had not started the motor because the plane had gone airborne. To his horror, Mitch craned his neck and saw Lisa hanging from one of the pontoons as it passed overhead.
"Where is she? I want the sheriff to help me find Ellie!" Graham demanded, then looked up and gasped as the plane went over.