Page 102 of Last Girls Alive
Katie was soon behind the wheel and slowly leaving the parking lot at the sheriff’s department. She was nervous. Mist filled her windshield as she drove along the deserted road heading to Stately Park. It seemed closer to midnight than approaching 6 p.m., and the darkness had an extra sinister quality to it—maybe it was just her imagination.
Checking the rearview and side mirrors occasionally, Katie didn’t think that she had been followed but she had a nagging feeling, a strong gut instinct: the unknown hoodie guy had been at some of the other locations too. She’d felt uneasy at the mystery bookstore and even looked around several times when they had arrived at Bella Vista.
Another text came in from McGaven:
What’s taking so long… cold feet?
Katie’s return text:Taking it slow.
McGaven:Copy that.
Katie turned into the parking lot at Stately Park and slowed her speed. The rain had left large puddles and two large chuckholes near the entrance to the trails.
“Great,” she mumbled to herself, navigating around the water traps. The Jeep bobbed and weaved until she found a spot where she didn’t have to exit the vehicle into mud or ankle-deep water. Double checking her weapons, she secured each appropriately and tucked her cell phone into a pocket. Pulling on a lightweight rain jacket, Katie took a little bit more time than necessary making sure she felt comfortable and ready to go.
Opening the Jeep door, she quickly stepped out and then secured the vehicle. There was about an hour left before it got really dark, but the storm began to build with force. She had a flashlight if needed.
The crisp evening air hit her sinuses and cooled her face. The wonderful smells of the forest made Katie relax and want to stay outside in the wilderness for a while. Her boots hit the walking path quietly, no sound emitted from underneath her feet. She wondered where McGaven and John were, but they knew where she was. She almost cracked a smile, but instead, she kept her focus forward and headed to the dumping area next to the creek where Mary Rodriguez was found. She squeezed her eyes shut to block out the image.
As she continued the easy hike the screech from an owl and movement of nesting birds in the trees around her made Katie more intensely aware that she was alone. In her opinion, it was probably the worst night to try and draw out anyone who had been following her. But she wasn’t going to stop now. A twig snapped about fifty feet from her but Katie kept her cool demeanor as if she didn’t hear a thing and continued walking to the creek bank.
She casually looked from side to side, making her way toward the creek. The rushing stream was louder than it was before and obviously had picked up more water and momentum after the rain. The closer she got to the crime scene, the louder the rising creek became. It was more humid here and the air seemed so heavy you could cut it with a knife. The ground was saturated and slippery beneath her feet.
Weaving around a few pine trees and dodging low-hanging limbs, Katie caught herself before she slipped into the running stream. Mud mixed with rainfall made the trail slippery and uneven. The shoreline where Mary Rodriguez’s body was found was now under several inches of water. That struck her.
Did the killer want the body to be completely submerged?
To wash away the evidence?
Katie stayed a couple of feet from the edge, but now surveyed the area in a slightly different way. She wondered if the killer knew these areas well. Perhaps it was a place he had hiked many times before.
Prickly bumps went down her arms and neck, making her shiver. Looking up, Katie could see the yellowish orange ball of the sunset between the trees, casting weird morphing shadows all around her.
She thought she would make her way down further, but on second thoughts she turned around to head back up to her Jeep.
Standing four feet from Katie was a dark figure dressed in dark pants and a hoodie covering his face. She blinked twice to see if it was an illusion. The figure stood completely still, like a statue, arms at his sides, looking directly at Katie.
“Who are you?” Katie said forcefully.
No response or movement.
“What do you want?” She carefully reached her hand inside her pocket and touched the handle of her small Beretta. “Why are you following me?” Katie’s voice sounded distant, almost getting lost in the increasing wind developing all around them—rain was sure to follow.
The figure moved slightly, shifting his weight to one side.
Katie realized that the guy was getting ready to run, so she decided to make the first move and lunged forward. The figure turned and sprinted upward along the trail back toward the entrance. Katie thought the guy she was chasing was slower and more slight in stature than the last time she saw him. She picked up the pace and was able to grab the back of his sweatshirt and was about to tackle him, when he turned toward her, shoving her backward.
Katie hit the muddy trail and slid back down the rest of the way—first on her back and then slipping around on her left side. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop herself from falling. But she reached out, trying to grab anything—a branch, a bush, the side of a tree trunk—anything. Everything slipped past her clawing hands.
Realizing that the rushing creek was near, Katie continued to flail her arms and legs to stop the momentum. Nothing helped. She screamed, a multiple echo ringing throughout the forest and through the canyons.
The impact of the splash rattled her insides and her jaw clacked her teeth together. Instant cold permeated her entire body. Shuddering, Katie fought the current, not knowing where she would end up or what was in the water.
The water grew shallower, and her speed subsided, and she was able to get her legs underneath her body and stand up. Falling a few more times, Katie finally managed to get control.
Shivering and breathing hard, the adrenalin was flushing throughout her body in a manic manner. Katie looked up and saw movement and heard voices in a heated exchange. Gathering her wits, she climbed onto the creek bank and slowly stood up. Her legs were rubbery and the uneven footing made her view blurry. She heard more voices arguing.
Climbing up toward the building commotion, Katie took careful steps so as not to slip and start the entire falling process again. She crept the rest of the way, not wanting to alert anyone to her presence.
