| Horror and Thriller Fiction posted July 4, 2019 | Chapters: |
...13 14 -15- 16... 
|
  |
Sarah escapes, but gets a nasty surprise
A chapter in the book A Light in the Darkness
Not Again
by Roxanna Andrews
| Background Rookie detective Sarah Murray, investigates a serial case. Things are complicated by a stalker who has plagued her since college. |
Ending of previous chapter: David sped down the snow covered road, his rage building over Sarah and all the other selfish women who had never loved him. Taking a curve too fast, he hit black ice and his car spun out. He over corrected and the car rolled, going over the embankment. It continued to roll four more times before hitting a tree and coming to a stop. The air bag deployed, breaking David's nose and knocking him out.
The car rolling had caused the snow to loosen and a mini avalanche ensued. The car was covered in snow half way up the windows.
No one saw the accident happen except a rabbit, whose ears twitched for a moment, and an owl who showed no interest.
************************
Back at the station, Chief Brenner put a call into the Yosemite Park Ranger's HQ. He learned they had their own police department. He explained the situation and the sergeant on duty readily agreed to a search. He would send rangers to check out all the campgrounds and find out who had rented a cabin in the last two weeks. He'd send out an APB with the vehicle description and license number.
"We should bring in the FBI since it's a kidnapping and he's crossed state lines," the sergeant advised.
"Yes, I'm aware of that. I'll give them a call."
The Chief felt much better when he hung up the phone. He faxed a picture of Sarah and David Lawson, with some background on Lawson, to the Yosemite Ranger's headquarters.
Rob Mitchell arrived at the station and they decided to leave for Yosemite immediately. Ten uniformed officers would come as well, to aid in the search. The Chief asked Rob to call the Montana Bureau of Investigation and fill them in.
Forty-five minutes later a caravan of six vehicles, two pickup trucks and four SUVs left the Kalispell Police Station on their way to Yosemite National Park.
*****
Sarah put two sweatshirts on over her sweater and pulled on a pair of ski pants.
I guess David planned on our going skiing while we were here. The way his mind worked never ceased to amaze Sarah.
She pulled on three pairs of socks and pushed her feet into the hiking boots. Putting on a knitted hat, she grabbed the coat and food and went out the door.
Looking around the garage for anything she could use, she found two snowmobiles under a tarp. The keys were in the ignitions.
Why would he leave the keys in the ignitions? Was it a trap? No, David, besides being insane, was cocky. Confident that she could never escape.
Taking the key out of one snowmobile, so David wouldn't be able to use it, she put the bags of food and water under the seat that flipped opened. She thought a moment, then ran back in the house and grabbed the quilt that lay over the ottoman.
She was familiar with driving snowmobiles but it had been a while. Starting the engine, she throttled it forward. It took off so fast she almost landed on the ground. She throttle back and got it under control.
She knew she would leave tracks in the snow, and David would have no problem following them.
Out on a main road she would eventually find another house or a gas station. Staying on the shoulder of the far right lane, she turned her lights off in case David returned. Slowing to a crawl to avoid an accident in the dark, she inched along, aided by the moonlight reflecting off the snow.
*******
Chief Brenner and Rob drove mostly in silence. Each occupied with their own thoughts. Having dealt with Lawson before, the Chief was especially worried. Lawson had said some things he had never told Sarah or her family. He was also a suspect in the disappearance of a high school girl ten years ago. There was never enough evidence to arrest him, but the police still had him on their radar.
"Did you fill in the FBI?" The Chief asked Rob, breaking the silence.
"Yeah. I scanned photos and Lawson's background, sent those off. I told them about Don Russell, that he might know something. I told Davis and Taft to go to the hospital tomorrow and interview him."
"Good, I had almost forgotten about our friend, Don."
*******
There was almost no traffic once Sarah was on what she hoped was a main road. The lack of any traffic made her wonder. She hid in the bushes a few times, fearing the oncoming cars could be David.
She decided it was safe to open the throttle and turn on the lights. If she didn't, she would never get far enough away. After about thirty minutes the mobile began to sputter. It jerked along for a while and stopped all together. Out of gas. She noticed the gas was low, but thought she would find a gas station by now.
She pulled the snowmobile into the bushes to hide it and took all her provisions. She was glad she had thought to grab the quilt.
Walking for what seemed an eternity, she saw car lights ahead. She scrambled up the embankment and hid. As it passed, she saw it was a Park Ranger's car. She was in Yosemite.
Sarah ran down the embankment, yelling and waving her arms, but the ranger never noticed.
Frustrated, she screamed, then sat down on the embankment and put her head in her hands. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Sarah and keep moving.
David had brought her to Yosemite. She wondered why there weren't more business and gas stations close by. He must have found the most isolated place possible.
*****
The Parks PD had gotten the local real-estate agent on the phone and asked about recent rentals or sales. They sent her David's picture. She had sold him a house about two weeks ago and she gave the address.
As the police pulled up to the house, they saw the garage door was open; no car was inside. They knocked on the door, but didn't get an answer even though the lights were on. They went in through the garage and tried the door to the house. It opened. The men drew their guns.
"This is Yosemite PD, anyone here?" They went room by room calling out, "Clear!" when they found that room empty.
"Look at this. The wood around the door latch has been chipped away. I'm thinking Sarah was here and got this door open. So did she take the car and get away, or did he catch her and take her somewhere - maybe to kill her?"
"Maybe she's already dead and he's looking to dispose of the body." They went out to look at the tracks leaving the garage. "This looks like snowmobile tracks. So who's in the car and who's on the mobile?"
One of the ranger's radioed in what they had found to the sergeant.
*******
Sarah walked, staying close to the embankment. After seeing the Ranger's car going the opposite way, she wondered if she had chosen the wrong direction. She still didn't see any lights that indicated a house or gas station close by.
She had to keep fighting the fear that rose up inside her. She knew she could freeze to death. But what would be worse, freezing to death or having David kill her? At least out here she had a chance.
She was staying warm - so far - but that may not last. She stayed on the road to keep her feet from freezing in the snow.
A sharp curve was ahead, and she saw tire tracks swerving, and a large circle in the snow. A car must have spun-out. The snow on the top of the embankmen thad been knocked down. Taking a look, she saw what could be a fender sticking out of the snow. She hurried down to see if anyone was hurt.
The driver side window was down. "Anyone here!" she called.
A hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. David, his face covered in blood, his eyes wild and a slight smile on his lips, had a death grip on her wrist. She fought to pull free, beating on his hand, and trying to pry open his fingers. He pulled her partly through the window and began beating her in the face, finally knocking her unconscious.
The car rolling had caused the snow to loosen and a mini avalanche ensued. The car was covered in snow half way up the windows.
No one saw the accident happen except a rabbit, whose ears twitched for a moment, and an owl who showed no interest.
************************
Back at the station, Chief Brenner put a call into the Yosemite Park Ranger's HQ. He learned they had their own police department. He explained the situation and the sergeant on duty readily agreed to a search. He would send rangers to check out all the campgrounds and find out who had rented a cabin in the last two weeks. He'd send out an APB with the vehicle description and license number.
"We should bring in the FBI since it's a kidnapping and he's crossed state lines," the sergeant advised.
"Yes, I'm aware of that. I'll give them a call."
The Chief felt much better when he hung up the phone. He faxed a picture of Sarah and David Lawson, with some background on Lawson, to the Yosemite Ranger's headquarters.
Rob Mitchell arrived at the station and they decided to leave for Yosemite immediately. Ten uniformed officers would come as well, to aid in the search. The Chief asked Rob to call the Montana Bureau of Investigation and fill them in.
Forty-five minutes later a caravan of six vehicles, two pickup trucks and four SUVs left the Kalispell Police Station on their way to Yosemite National Park.
*****
Sarah put two sweatshirts on over her sweater and pulled on a pair of ski pants.
I guess David planned on our going skiing while we were here. The way his mind worked never ceased to amaze Sarah.
She pulled on three pairs of socks and pushed her feet into the hiking boots. Putting on a knitted hat, she grabbed the coat and food and went out the door.
Looking around the garage for anything she could use, she found two snowmobiles under a tarp. The keys were in the ignitions.
Why would he leave the keys in the ignitions? Was it a trap? No, David, besides being insane, was cocky. Confident that she could never escape.
Taking the key out of one snowmobile, so David wouldn't be able to use it, she put the bags of food and water under the seat that flipped opened. She thought a moment, then ran back in the house and grabbed the quilt that lay over the ottoman.
She was familiar with driving snowmobiles but it had been a while. Starting the engine, she throttled it forward. It took off so fast she almost landed on the ground. She throttle back and got it under control.
She knew she would leave tracks in the snow, and David would have no problem following them.
Out on a main road she would eventually find another house or a gas station. Staying on the shoulder of the far right lane, she turned her lights off in case David returned. Slowing to a crawl to avoid an accident in the dark, she inched along, aided by the moonlight reflecting off the snow.
*******
Chief Brenner and Rob drove mostly in silence. Each occupied with their own thoughts. Having dealt with Lawson before, the Chief was especially worried. Lawson had said some things he had never told Sarah or her family. He was also a suspect in the disappearance of a high school girl ten years ago. There was never enough evidence to arrest him, but the police still had him on their radar.
"Did you fill in the FBI?" The Chief asked Rob, breaking the silence.
"Yeah. I scanned photos and Lawson's background, sent those off. I told them about Don Russell, that he might know something. I told Davis and Taft to go to the hospital tomorrow and interview him."
"Good, I had almost forgotten about our friend, Don."
*******
There was almost no traffic once Sarah was on what she hoped was a main road. The lack of any traffic made her wonder. She hid in the bushes a few times, fearing the oncoming cars could be David.
She decided it was safe to open the throttle and turn on the lights. If she didn't, she would never get far enough away. After about thirty minutes the mobile began to sputter. It jerked along for a while and stopped all together. Out of gas. She noticed the gas was low, but thought she would find a gas station by now.
She pulled the snowmobile into the bushes to hide it and took all her provisions. She was glad she had thought to grab the quilt.
Walking for what seemed an eternity, she saw car lights ahead. She scrambled up the embankment and hid. As it passed, she saw it was a Park Ranger's car. She was in Yosemite.
Sarah ran down the embankment, yelling and waving her arms, but the ranger never noticed.
Frustrated, she screamed, then sat down on the embankment and put her head in her hands. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Sarah and keep moving.
David had brought her to Yosemite. She wondered why there weren't more business and gas stations close by. He must have found the most isolated place possible.
*****
The Parks PD had gotten the local real-estate agent on the phone and asked about recent rentals or sales. They sent her David's picture. She had sold him a house about two weeks ago and she gave the address.
As the police pulled up to the house, they saw the garage door was open; no car was inside. They knocked on the door, but didn't get an answer even though the lights were on. They went in through the garage and tried the door to the house. It opened. The men drew their guns.
"This is Yosemite PD, anyone here?" They went room by room calling out, "Clear!" when they found that room empty.
"Look at this. The wood around the door latch has been chipped away. I'm thinking Sarah was here and got this door open. So did she take the car and get away, or did he catch her and take her somewhere - maybe to kill her?"
"Maybe she's already dead and he's looking to dispose of the body." They went out to look at the tracks leaving the garage. "This looks like snowmobile tracks. So who's in the car and who's on the mobile?"
One of the ranger's radioed in what they had found to the sergeant.
*******
Sarah walked, staying close to the embankment. After seeing the Ranger's car going the opposite way, she wondered if she had chosen the wrong direction. She still didn't see any lights that indicated a house or gas station close by.
She had to keep fighting the fear that rose up inside her. She knew she could freeze to death. But what would be worse, freezing to death or having David kill her? At least out here she had a chance.
She was staying warm - so far - but that may not last. She stayed on the road to keep her feet from freezing in the snow.
A sharp curve was ahead, and she saw tire tracks swerving, and a large circle in the snow. A car must have spun-out. The snow on the top of the embankmen thad been knocked down. Taking a look, she saw what could be a fender sticking out of the snow. She hurried down to see if anyone was hurt.
The driver side window was down. "Anyone here!" she called.
A hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. David, his face covered in blood, his eyes wild and a slight smile on his lips, had a death grip on her wrist. She fought to pull free, beating on his hand, and trying to pry open his fingers. He pulled her partly through the window and began beating her in the face, finally knocking her unconscious.
Sarah Murray- Rookie Detective
Donald Russell-Sarah's ex detective partner
David Lawson - Sarah's stalker. It started in college.
The Chief- George Brenner, Chief of Detectives
Sgt. Rob Mitchell - 2nd in command behind the Chief
Scott - Tech expert
Rick Taylor-Suspected serial killer
David & Taft - detectives
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Donald Russell-Sarah's ex detective partner
David Lawson - Sarah's stalker. It started in college.
The Chief- George Brenner, Chief of Detectives
Sgt. Rob Mitchell - 2nd in command behind the Chief
Scott - Tech expert
Rick Taylor-Suspected serial killer
David & Taft - detectives
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