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.The car appeared empty.She heard a branch break below her down the mountain.She listened.Another crack.Someone was just below her on the road.She turned and ran back toward the lodge, remembering something she’d seen in the chalet farther up the mountain.An old double-barreled shotgun and a half-empty box of shells.She worked her way through the trees and the rain, watching for movement.Where was he? Still in the car? Somehow she doubted that.Just like she doubted he would just leave now.Leave her alone.He couldn’t do that, could he?The thunder drowned out any sound she made.But it also made it impossible for her to hear someone sneaking up on her.She reached the side of the chalet and stood back against the rough rock, trying to catch her breath.Through the rain she thought she saw something move near the ski lodge.She stared until her eyes ached but saw nothing.Hurriedly, she slipped around the building and into the dark chalet.She didn’t dare turn on a light and give herself away.She felt around, her fingers falling on the cold steel of the shotgun.She clutched it to her breast and felt for the shells.Six left.She stuffed four in her pocket.Breaking the shotgun open over her thigh, she pushed the remaining two shells into the old double-barrel and snapped it shut.She took a breath, held it as she listened for any sounds beside the drumming of the rain on the chalet roof.She debated waiting here for him, letting him come to her.There were places she could hide in the chalet.But for how long?Suddenly the sound of the generator filled the air.A light came on high in the rafters of the chalet, spilling down on her.Exposing her.Making her an easy target.He was right here with her.She spun around, raising the shotgun, afraid she wouldn’t be able to get a shot off in time before he was on her.Nothing moved.Nothing, because, she remembered belatedly, when an outside light was turned on at the lodge on the mountain below her, this one came on in the chalet.She lowered the shotgun and hunkered against the wall for a moment, trying to chase down her heart.She knew she’d have to either do something about the light or take her chances outside in the dark.She had no idea where the light switch might be nor did she have time to look for it.Hurriedly, she looked around for something small and heavy, and spied a can with an assortment of large rusted bolts.Setting down the shotgun reluctantly, she hefted one of the larger bolts and taking aim, threw it at the naked lightbulb in the rafters.The bolt missed, showering her with dust and dirt.She picked up another bolt, this one larger.Calmly.A confirmed tomboy like herself should be able to do this.She threw.The lightbulb shattered, showering her covered head with broken glass this time—and blessed darkness.He’d see the light go out and know where she was.But she’d have a much better chance in the dark.And no matter where she hid, he was going to come looking for her.She didn’t try to fool herself about that.She picked up the shotgun again, deciding she would stay in the chalet and wait for him.But then she heard something over the storm and the thump of the gas generator.The strange chilling sound of metal scraping against metal.It took her a moment to realize what it was.The chairlift.He’d started it up.She could see the shadow of a chair inching slowly past the dirty chalet window in the rain.Why had he started the chairlift? The lift ran from below the lodge up the mountainside, right past the chalet where the chairs dropped low enough that skiers would have been able to get off—or continue on up the mountain to the top.Was he riding the lift up the mountain to her? Why? Had she hurt him that badly? Or was this just another way to torment her?He didn’t know she had a weapon.Maybe he would be arrogant enough to ride the lift to her.Cautiously, she opened the door and stepped out into the rain.The chairlift groaned even louder out here.She stared at it, surprised it still worked.The chairs rocked with the snail’s pace motion, dark against the storm.She could see them creeping up the mountain, headed for her.Another bolt of lightning eerily illuminated the string of chairs.With a start, she saw that one of the chairs coming up the mountain had someone on it.Just as she’d expected.He was riding right to her.Her first instinct was to run.But how far would she get before he jumped off and came after her? Worse yet, he would be able to see from up there.He’d know where she’d gone.It was just a matter of time before she’d have to face him.She stayed in the shadow of the chalet and waited for the dark figure on the chairlift to come to her.She was shaking so hard, she wasn’t sure she would be able to pull the trigger, let alone hit him.She made a swipe at her eyes with her sleeve.Get control.Get tough.Think about Jack.But along with her anger at Jack came a terrible sadness that was almost her undoing.It wasn’t bad enough that the man she loved had lied and betrayed her.She was about to face a killer.Alone.She brushed at the tears that mixed with the rain, knowing she couldn’t give in to her pain.She stared at the figure through the rain.He sat on the chair that inched toward her, one leg propped up against the far side of the chair, the other dangling down.Casual.As if he didn’t have a worry in the world.She stayed in the shadow of the building, not wanting to give herself away.Not yet.Wait until he saw the shotgun.Wait until she pulled the trigger.He didn’t move on the chair.Just kept coming, slowly, ever so slowly, the chair grinding almost in pain as it creaked closer and closer.It was almost to her when she stepped directly into the chair’s path, lifting the shotgun, ready to fire.Lightning splintered the sky in a burst of blinding light that cracked like a gunshot.Karen flinched, her finger on the trigger, as she focused on the figure riding the chairlift.Ready to fire.But in that instant of intense light she saw something that changed everything.White crew socks illuminated in that burst of storm energy.White socks.And one black penny loafer.The killer came at her from behind, his breath ragged as if he’d run up the mountain.But there was no weakness to the arm he clamped around her neck, imprisoning her in a headlock.Strong.Unforgiving.She stumbled, the shotgun slipping from her hands and sliding down the mountainside into the rain and darkness as she reached up to claw at his arm.An animal cry tore from his throat, almost a cheer.He had her.She wasn’t getting away.Not again.“You just couldn’t leave it alone, could you?” he demanded in a fierce hoarse whisper.“You have destroyed me.Ruined my life.Hunted me down like a dog.Now you’re going to die.”JACK CAME UP out of the blackness of unconsciousness.His head ached.He pushed himself up on all fours, the rain running down into his eyes.Rain and blood, he realized, as he touched his head and his fingers came away sticky.Karen.He stumbled to his feet, his vision blurring for a moment as he fought to keep upright.He felt lightheaded.Off balance.And strangely naked.He felt under his arm, against his ribs.The holster was empty.The gun gone.THE CHAIRLIFT continued to groan, the chair with Howie in it rocking as it moved toward Karen and the killer.She could see Howie now, his face pale, his body slumped in the seat, one leg up against the far side of the chair, the other with the one missing black loafer dangling lifelessly as the chair inched nearer.Karen realized the chair with Howie on it would hit her and the killer if they didn’t move.Close to her ear, she heard the killer chuckle as she fought to free herself from his hold, but even as she tore at his sweatshirt-jacketed arm and his face with her hands and kicked back at him, she knew her efforts were wasted.He was too strong for her.Too determined to kill her.He tightened his hold, cutting off her air.She couldn’t breathe.Couldn’t speak [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]