Mustering all her strength, Ellie gripped the collar with one hand, diving for the knife. He swung it toward her and the blade sliced at her arm, pain rippling through her, but she used both hands and every ounce of her courage to grab the knife handle. They fought, the chain tightening, and he punched her in the ribs. With all her force, she lifted her leg and kicked him in the groin.
Their hands were still twined together around the knife as they struggled to take control, and they rolled across the ground. Releasing one hand from the knife, Ellie jabbed him in the eyes. He hollered in pain and momentarily loosened his grip, long enough for her to snatch the blade handle.
He grabbed at her, but she clenched the weapon and brought it down. The blade connected with his cheek and sent blood spurting. The next jab went to his chest. As he staggered to the side, she pushed him down, pressed the knife to his neck and tried to wrangle the keys to the chain from his belt.
Somehow, he managed to flip her over. Suddenly on top of her, he pulled Ellie’s own gun from his waistband.
Summoning every ounce of force she possessed, she bucked him off and the gun slid across the wet ground. She crawled toward it. He snagged her foot but she grabbed the gun, rolled over and fired.
One Hundred Forty-Two
North Georgia
Derrick must have lost consciousness. When he came around, confusion muddled his brain and the wind rocked the car back and forth.
But panic quickly set in. He had to get out, get to Ellie.
He blinked through the fog and pushed at the airbag. Reaching inside his pocket, he retrieved his pocketknife and cut it away, then shoved at the door. Dammit, it was stuck. Fumbling for the window lock, he realized it was jammed, so he pulled his gun from the holster and used the butt of it to break the glass. Then he hammered the shards of glass away. Freeing himself from the seatbelt, he crawled through the window.
Pain ricocheted through his chest as he dropped to the ground. He probably had a broken rib and he tasted blood. But he had no time to dwell on it.
The clouds and ground seem to be meeting in the sky as a dizzy spell overcame him. Pushing to his hands and knees, he took deep breaths to stem the nausea and dizziness.
You have to find Ellie.
Clenching his phone, he called Ellie’s boss. Had to tell them he needed help. That someone had to go to the farm.
Captain Hale’s voicemail picked up. Dammit. He couldn’t wait.
Fear for Ellie drove him to push aside the pain in his ribs and take off on foot down the road. One foot in front of the other. Another and another.
He struggled for a breath. Every step cost him.
Suddenly the clouds unleashed themselves, rain pummeling him. His boots slipped on the wet asphalt, costing him precious time.
Another painful breath, another footstep, then he froze, heart hammering. He’d reached the turning for the farm, but smoke curled into the night sky, a bright orange blazed against the gray.
Was Ellie in there?
No… fire wasn’t the Weekday Killer’s MO. Although if the farmhouse was his holding spot for hostages, he might have set it to destroy evidence.
Picking up his pace as much as the pain would allow him, Derrick slogged through the wet grass and mud, taking the most direct route to the blaze. Lightning zigzagged, the storm gaining intensity, although the wind was dulling slightly as it moved toward the east.
Although it seemed like hours, it only took minutes for him to reach the abandoned house, which was now well ablaze.
He was desperate to see if Ellie was inside, but the windows exploded. He staggered back at the intensity of the heat.
Emotions choked him as he screamed Ellie’s name.
One Hundred Forty-Three
Ellie crawled over to Burton, checking his pulse. The first bullet had pierced his stomach. The second his thigh. He was covered in blood.
And he wasn’t moving.
She had to call an ambulance. But first, Shondra.
Pushing up from the ground, she struggled to steady herself, fighting against the wind. Weak from the beating, her ankle throbbed as she ran, and her chest ached. She tasted blood but swiped at her lip with the back of her hand, heading back towards the house. Flames were starting to ripple along the exterior and smoke curled into the sky.