Page 257 of It Happened on the Lake

“Harper?” His voice was like thunder.

Shotgun raised to her shoulder, she eased backward.

He emerged from the doorway.

He held the flashlight in his left hand.

In his right? The iron poker, raised as if he intended to thrust it at her like a javelin.

“Don’t even think about it,” she warned, sweat collecting at the back of her neck, her heart pounding as she squinted against the light. “Don’t!” she warned. She was so close to the lake, but he was blinding her with the flashlight. Moving toward her.

Shoot! Pull the trigger!

He moved forward, taking his life in his own hands.

Shoot! Shoot him now!

Mouth dry, finger sweating on the trigger despite the cold, she tried to keep the distance between them so that he couldn’t reach her. Only a few more steps and then . . . and then she would have to take her chances in the water.

“Put the gun down.” His voice was low now, but the bright light was aimed right at her eyes.

Never. Pull the damned trigger!

Another step backward.

The timbers creaked, the musty water reeked, and the long-forgotten boat overhead hung drunkenly.

One more step, and there was nothing. She was at the entrance to the cave. From this point, she would have to drop into the water and he would be on her in an instant.

“You won’t shoot,” he said, his eyes focused on her, bats flying frantically in and out of the cave. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.” Her finger on the trigger was moist. Her pulse pounding in her eardrums. She set her jaw.

He smiled then, a slash of white in the darkness. “Give me the gun, Harper, you’re not going to pull the trigger.”

He stepped forward but turned his head toward the open doorway.

Blam!

The blast shook the cave.

Echoing.

Reverberating.

Knocking Harper back.

Craig screamed.

The flashlight rolled against the wall.

Overhead the boat rocked wildly, one moldering strap unraveling.

Blood blooming on his torso, Craig hurled the poker, then fell, crashing into the dangling boat.

Dodging the poker, she lost her balance, tried to catch herself, and tumbled into the slip. Rank, cold water surrounded her.

The gun fell from her hands.

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