Page 104 of Coveted Justice

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Heart still pounding a mile a minute, Maddie pulled the car up close to the airstrip. A plane was already waiting there, a man - the pilot, perhaps - standing next to the boarding stairs.

“Looks like my ride is already here,” Trisha said. “Turn off the engine and hand me the keys. Then get out of the car.”

Maddie cut the engine and then handed Trisha the keyring before climbing out of the car. On trembling legs, she stood uncertainly next to the vehicle, not sure what to do next. The gun was still pointed at her chest.

Her gaze darted around the area, checking out the terrain for a path to escape. She kept in shape by running, although she was pretty slow when it came down to it. She might speed up though if someone with a weapon was chasing her.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to use as cover if she darted away. There were a few trees a few hundred yards away, but it was mostly just tall grass and rocks. If she made a run for it, she’d be vulnerable as hell.

I might do it anyway.

Trisha pressed a button on the remote and the car chirped, locking the doors, before throwing the keys into the tall brush several feet away.

“I won’t be needing the car anymore,” she said. “And neither will you.”

Maddie could hear the roar of blood rushing in her ears. She took a few steps backward to put even more space between her and the business end of the gun.

As a doctor she’d thought about death more than once. It hadn’t been like this - out in a field with a cold-blooded killer. In her mind’s eye, she’d been surrounded by family and friends with Tanner and Amanda holding her hands. The two greatest loves of her life. She wished that she could hold them one more time.

“It looks like this is the end of the line,” Trisha said. “I don’t think you’re going to get a dramatic rescue like my brother did. He had some good luck today, although I doubt it will last.”

“You hate him that much?” Maddie heard herself ask. She didn’t even know why she was talking to Trisha. She didn’t want to spend her last few moments alive giving a crap about this person who was a murderer.

“Yes, I do,” Trisha said, a smirk on her face. “He’s everything that was wrong with my father all wrapped into one self-indulgent, narcissistic package. The world would be a better place if he was gone, but alas, that’s not to be. Your husband ruined that. But he won’t ruin this.”

The young woman had the satchel of cash in one hand and the firearm in the other, pointed directly at Maddie. She had a brief conversation with the man and then he climbed up the stairs, disappearing into the plane.

The engines of the plane fired up in preparation for take-off. Trisha Parnham was going to get away with killing her father and the attempted murder of her brother. Scot-free.

And my murder. Let’s not forget that.

Maddie stood there, uncertain as to what to do. Did she try to run and hope that Trisha was a bad shot? Did she stay and let herself be gunned down in cold blood? Her mind raced around, unable to make the decision. She didn’t want to die today but there didn’t look to be many other options.

I won’t give up. I won’t stand here and let her shoot me.

Trisha’s head swiveled toward a sound in the distance growing stronger with each passing minute.

Sirens.

Maddie wanted to scream in relief when she heard the wailing in the distance, coming closer and getting louder. Trisha heard it as well and her attention was captured. Just for a moment.

It was all the opening Maddie was going to get. She took it.

Without letting herself weigh the consequences of her actions too long, she turned and sprinted away from Trisha and that gun. She grunted as her feet pounded against the dry earth, desperate for traction. She could hear Trisha yelling behind her but she didn’t hear footsteps.

The sirens were right upon them now and Maddie let herself glance over her shoulder. There was an official-looking SUV racing across the clearing with another car close behind.

Trisha was nowhere to be seen, but the plane was rolling forward, clearly intending to take off and building speed to do just that. The two vehicles chased after it, dust flying from their tires.

She recognized the second car. It was Tanner behind the wheel. Her knees gave out in relief, and she fell to the ground just happy to be alive. She didn’t need saving, but she was so damn glad to see him.

She didn’t know at first who was in the SUV, but she caught sight of the emblem on the side.

Harper.

It was Seth.

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