My Deadly Valentine - By Valerie Hansen & Lynette Eason Page 0,70
“And then you kill me and my mother, make it look like an accident that you’ll investigate and get off scot-free. Not to mention get your money back somehow.”
His chin jerked like she’d punched him and she saw the truth stamped on his face before he wiped it clean.
Alex took a deep breath and pulled his gun. “Sign the papers, Holly, or I’ll blow her away right now.”
Holly jumped up, pointed at Alex, and yelled, “Dust it up, boy!”
Duster bolted to his feet and planted himself on top of Alex, his big body knocking the man backward. She heard the gun land with a thump and Mr. Parker holler.
Holly scrambled for the gun, elbowing the lawyer in his chest. He fell back and she tripped when he grabbed her ankle, her fingers skimming the barrel of the weapon. Kicking out with her other foot, she caught the wrist of the hand that held her and with a cry of pain, he released her. Holly rolled to her feet and flew out the door while Duster still had Alex distracted.
She was hedging her bets that Alex wouldn’t kill her mother until he had Holly back under his control. He needed the woman as leverage. Which meant she had to get away and stay out of his hands. Sheer terror shot through her, adrenaline pumping her legs toward the waterfall.
A gunshot rang out and she flinched, expecting to feel the piercing pain of a bullet entering her flesh.
She felt nothing so kept running, sending up desperate prayers for everyone’s safety.
This was her one chance. She had no doubt that if Alex captured her again, she and her mother were dead.
Tripping and stumbling through the woods, her goal was the waterfall. She could hide there until Alex gave up.
Then she could go for help. She had to make it work. Her mother needed this to work.
Fear made her weak, but she pushed through it.
Another thought hit her. Alex couldn’t let her escape no matter what. She knew too much. But her mother didn’t.
If Holly died, the land would revert back to her mother.
And Alex would convince the woman to sign the papers. He’d use her grief against her and easily persuade her that selling was the best thing.
So that meant Alex would be shooting to kill.
Her death, investigated by him, could possibly be explained away by a stray bullet. Poachers she’d accidentally come across. Anything he came up with would be accepted because he was the sheriff.
But Eli knew.
Eli would investigate her death—until Alex killed him, too.
Eli. Oh how she wished she’d stayed and listened to him.
Duster shot ahead of her.
Oh, no, had the dog led Alex along her path? Surely, he’d run too fast for Alex to keep up.
Another shot rang out and a bullet kicked up the dirt in front of her.
Panting, gasping, she added what little extra burst she could to her feet and shot forward. Duster hit the cold water of the shallow part of the river that led to the waterfall. He yelped and scrambled out. Holly stopped at the edge and bent double at the stitch in her side. She stumbled to the edge of the river, desperate to catch her breath and keep going at the same time. She’d either have to cross the river or go down the side of the falls.
The water was too cold, she’d go into shock and suffer hypothermia. Backing away from the river, she knew it would have to be the side of the waterfall.
Just as she headed for the edge to climb down, something knocked against her and she hit the freezing water face-first.
TEN
Eli heard the second gunshot and fear for Holly grabbed his heart.
Joel was already at the cabin, climbing out of his car. Eli’s window was down and Joel approached him, frowning. “I still can’t get the sheriff on the line.”
“I think Alex is the one behind all this. Don’t let the man catch you off guard.” Eli jumped out of the car, his gun in hand, ignoring Joel’s shocked stare. Then he stopped, turned back. “I mean it, Joel, I have proof.”
Joel’s jaw clenched, he hesitated then nodded.
The door to the cabin stood open and Eli approached it with care. The shot had come from his left, but he had to check the interior of the building first.
Stepping in, he saw Jarrod Parker leaning over Holly’s mother, who sat on the edge of the couch, rubbing her eyes.