Semi-Psychic Life (Glimmer Lake #2) - Elizabeth Hunter Page 0,73
said. She grabbed the beanie from Sully and poked her head over the rocks before anyone could stop her.
The Americano Asshole was leaning over the rocks, his rifle aimed at the cabin below. His back was tense.
Val ducked back. “He’s totally focused on something below. If we rush him now—”
“Wait.” Sully held up a hand. His eyes went wide. “Do you hear it?”
Val waited and caught the faint edge of a sound growing louder.
“Snowmobiles,” Mark said. “They’re coming.”
“And riding straight into his sights,” Robin said. “We have to move now.”
Mark said, “I’m going to run behind him and into the trees. I have the shotgun if he tries to follow me. As soon as he turns—”
“I’ll announce myself and give him a chance to surrender,” Sully said. “He has to know he’s out of options at this point.”
“What?” Val asked. “You’re going to—”
“Go.” Robin kissed Mark. “I love you.”
Mark rose and slid over the rocks without missing a beat, the shotgun slung over his back. Sully and Val stood and everything happened at once.
Americano Asshole squeezed off a shot as Mark yelled, “Hey, you dick!” and ran toward the trees.
Sully stood and shouted, “Allan Anderson, you’re under arrest. Put down your weapon!” He aimed the rifle at Anderson while Val jumped to the side and rolled a few feet from Sully before she rose and pointed the revolver at the man who was swinging around—rifle still up—and pointing it at Sully.
They stood frozen, staring at each other, both men with the other in their sights.
“Anderson,” Sully said, “put the rifle down.”
“Why?” The man asked it so casually Val almost blinked. “I can kill you faster than you can pull the trigger.”
“Then I’ll shoot you,” Val said. “And I won’t hesitate.”
“Are you sure? After all, you were married to that lowlife Mason for years. It doesn’t speak well of your reflexes.”
Sully stepped forward, his aim never wavering. “I called my deputy, Anderson. He called the forest service. They have your name. They know what you did. It’s over. There is no escaping this. You can’t outrun them.”
“I don’t plan on outrunning them,” Anderson said. “I plan on killing you and then skiing away. It’s really quite simple.”
Mark stepped out from behind the trees, his shotgun pointed at Anderson. “Shoot any of them and you’ll be an ugly-ass corpse. That I promise you.”
The steady smile on Anderson’s face wavered for the first time.
Robin stood and pointed another rifle at him. “Shoot any of my friends and I’ll put a bullet between your eyes,” she said quietly. “I won’t miss.”
“Four against one,” Val said. “I’m assuming that math isn’t too much for you.”
Anderson moved so quickly Val almost didn’t register the barrel of his rifle swinging away from Sully and toward her. Her finger tightened on the trigger just as a loud shot rang out next to her.
Anderson jerked back, and a red flower bloomed on his right shoulder. He dropped the rifle and fell to the snow.
“Mark, grab his gun!” Sully ran to the supine man. “Allan Anderson, you’re under arrest. Don’t talk, because you’ll just piss me off.” Sully flipped the man over and slapped cuffs on him.
“You shot me.” Anderson didn’t even look angry. He looked offended, as if it was just bad manners to stain his fancy ski suit with a bloodstain. “Do you know who I am?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Val said. “This guy is delusional.” She tore off her own glove and reached for Anderson’s thin, Gore-Tex glove he’d been wearing to shoot. She took it off his hand and held it in her palm. “Wow. There’s a lot on these.”
Val closed her eyes and let the images come. For once, she actually wanted to see the world through someone else’s eyes. “Someone dropped him off early this morning. Just when the sun was coming up. Tan SUV of some kind. Maybe a Land Cruiser?”
Mark said, “Sounds like one of his partners at the resort.”
“The friend knew what he was planning to do.” Val closed her eyes and let herself fall into the scene.
What are you going to do?
Get rid of the problem. No one is going to miss him, Charles.
The plan was crystal clear in his mind. Surprisingly simple, really. Kill the mechanic. Kill the sheriff and the ex-wife. Hide the bodies. Ski down to Mason’s truck and drive it down the mountain, parking it somewhere near Bridger so it looked like Mason was nearby and responsible for Savannah’s accident.