Sally: Autumn Storms (F&L Story #4)

Sally: Part 40

Part 40

Sally began to panic as Peter dragged her along the outside of the camper and truck, the knife edge digging into her flesh. He opened the passenger side door, grasped a handful of her hair in his fist so she could barely breathe through the stinging pain, and reached into her glove compartment.

Damn.

He pulled out the only weapon she had left and tucked it in his waistband. She felt all hope disappear. The only thing she could do now was try to get away from him, but he covered that, too. When the knife wasn’t threatening to cut her to shreds, his hold on her didn’t allow her to struggle without yanking her scalp clear off her head. How did she ever think she loved this man?

He grinned at her, the whites of his teeth glinting off the street lamps. “Did you think I didn’t know, Sally?” he asked as she reluctantly eyed the handle of her handgun sticking out of his pants. “I know you better than you think. Now get in.”

Using his grip of her hair, he tossed her into the truck and pushed her over to the driver’s side. If he’d let go for just one second… Sally scanned the parking lot, hoping someone saw what was happening to her, but this was just one of those Mom and Pop gas stations and probably closed down at dark. The only sign of life around them was the moths flitting around a fluorescent light over the front entrance.

They were utterly alone.

Peter hopped in next to her and pointed the barrel of the gun low at her side. “Let’s go.”

Okay, she thought as her shaking hands fumbled with the ignition, I can just keep driving until I think of a way out of this. He doesn’t know where Wilson was staying. She just had to find the opportunity to jump out of the truck…at a stop light or maybe if she drove by the police station – or better yet, an IHOP…there were always cops hanging around the pancake palace this time of night.

She could “accidentally” smash into one of their cars, possibly get arrested for it, but it’s better than the alternative, and surely they’ll understand when she told them—

“You’re stalling,” Peter said. “Go on. It’s only a few more miles, right? The BearRock Resort…room 412.”

Sally stared blankly at him, but she knew she wasn’t fooling anyone.

“Come on, Sally,” he sneered. “You thought I didn’t know where he’s at? I’ve been keeping tabs on your Mr. Martin. The wonders of the internet these days.”

She sat there, getting colder on the inside, not seeing anything but Wilson’s handsome smile in her mind. There was no way she was taking Peter to him, just so she could watch him die. Slowly and decidedly, she lowered her hands from the steering wheel.

“No,” she said, barely above a whisper.

“What’s that?”

“I won’t do it,” she said, her voice growing stronger, and she turned to him, meeting his stare. “You can’t have him. I won’t take you to him.”

“Oh, darling, that’s sweet…it really is, but it doesn’t matter if you drive us there or not,” he replied, hoisting the gun up level with her face. “By morning, he’ll be dead, just like you. At least this way, you’ll get to see him one last time…don’t you want to tell him good-bye, Sally?”

He cocked the pistol, the clicking sound echoing menacingly in the dark night. “What’s it going to be, sweetheart?”

Sally couldn’t help it. She knew it was weak of her…but to look into Wilson’s eyes one last time, to feel his warmth and hopefully, touch him again, even for the few moments they had left… If she was going to die tonight, she’d rather die with Wil. She drew in a strong, steady breath and gripped the wheel again. Ignoring the tears sliding down her cheeks, she shoved the truck into gear.