Page 88 of Legacy of Lies
She whispered, “No, Hank. He’ll die.”
“Not by my hand, he won’t.”
Oh God, he had lost his mind. “What?”
“I’m not okay with this,” Wyatt said.
“Get out.” Hank’s voice boomed across the room, unnaturally loud. His eyes bulged, and for a second, they glowed red.
Sara and Zach flinched at the sound.
His brother sputtered. “No, I’ll stay and help, but don’t make that kid walk home.”
“You’re done here, Wyatt. One day you’ll understand the commands from the Great One. For now, get in your truck and go home.” Holy moly, Hank’s eyes had turned a weird reddish black. “Now!” The walls shook.
As if controlled by a puppeteer, Wyatt snapped his feet together, spun around, and marched stiffly out of the shack. Moments later, the distant sound of a truck engine roared and then faded into the night.
Hank reached for Zach.
When Sara tucked him deeper into her arms and didn’t let go, Hank held the knife over Zach’s head and grinned.
“Step away now, or I’ll gut him.”
Mother of God, he meant it.
“Ms. Lopez?” Zach sniffed, not releasing his desperate hold around her waist.
“You know what to do, Sarita,” Hank crooned, his singsong voice making her blood curdle. “Young Zach has one chance to survive, and you holding onto him isn’t it.”
She knelt in front of the boy and put a shaking finger under his chin. Somehow, she held herself together, projecting a calm she did not feel. “Listen to me, Zach. You keep going until you get home, understand? Do not give up. Don’t stop. You hear me?”
His voice quavered. “Okay, I’ll be brave and strong like Dad always says.”
That one statement broke her heart. Zach wanted to make Garrison proud, even in this untenable situation. Garrison. Hank was using Zach and Sara to get back at Garrison. The worst part? There was nothing she could do.
“Let’s go, boy.” Hank grabbed Zach’s upper arm and dragged him out the door and into the night.
Sara followed, trying to dislodge Hank’s cruel hand on Zach, but Hank backhanded her. She came up spitting snow and blood. Her cheek throbbed. Scrambling to her feet, she stopped short as he held his hand up.
“If you want this boy to live, don’t come any closer.”
She didn’t move.
Hank pulled out a compass, dialed it in, and turned Zach to face downhill, into the thick forest. “You want to go home?”
“Yes, sir.” Zach sniffed and closed his mouth on a sob.
“Walk that way. For about fifteen miles.”
“You’ll rot in hell if you do this, Hank!” Sara called out.
His grin flashed like a deranged jack-o’-lantern. “Why yes. Exactly. That’s the point.”
“What?”
He ignored her and growled in Zach’s ear. “If you don’t get out of here now, I’m going to hurt your nice teacher. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.” Zach took off into the forest. The snow came halfway up his legs. His thin frame faded into the night.
