A/N. Thanks once again for the reviews and the alerts. So one horde of hungry visitors has gone and the next are turning up tomorrow so here is a quick chapter to keep the story going until the weekend :-) Reviews and PM's are always appreciated - will try to respond as soon as I can. Mahala.
Chapter 10
Lindsay wriggled uncomfortably on the hard floor of the gondola squashed in the tiny space under the single narrow bench at one end. Stella stood in the middle clearly visible in the brightly lit car tension etched in every line of her body. "Almost there." she muttered without moving her lips for fear that Escott was watching her. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach. There was no evidence that Escott had gun but she was wearing a vest all the same. Mac had insisted. She sighed inwardly feeling slightly guilty at giving him a hard time about putting himself in the line of fire and now here she was doing the same. His final whispered words to her as they left the lodge still echoed in her head. "Don't take any unnecessary risks. Promise me Stella. Please." The raw emotion in his voice and the feel of his hand on her cheek had taken her breath away. She had promised but no sooner had the words left her lips than he kissed her and was gone, melting into the night. Stella was unable to stop the shudder that ran through her.
Lindsay double-checked her borrowed gun and slipped off the safety. "Okay. Let's just hope he doesn't restart the gondola after you get off." The cabin suddenly lurched as it went over the cantilever. Lindsay's stomach lurched too. She was unable to get out of her mind the furious look that Danny had given her when she insisted on going up with Stella. Somehow she felt responsible for the situation with Sara and she wanted to put it right. Of course Danny had wanted to go in her place but it was already a tight squeeze for her and there was no way he would have squeezed under the bench between the metal struts. They dare not risk Escott thinking that Stella wasn't alone. Lindsay was drawn from her thoughts as the cabin began to slow.
"Show time" whispered Stella. She took a deep breath glad that Mac had her back.
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"*****"
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Mac lay on his stomach in the deep snow his eye glued to the scope of his borrowed rifle. He could clearly see Stella in her cream jacket and hat as the gondola pulled into the station. For a moment his heart leapt. She seemed so close that he felt he almost could reach out and and touch her but then she was gone as the gondola disappeared from view behind the concrete pillars that housed the station. Pulling his eye away from the scope, he glanced down the mountainside at the resort nestled at the foot of the hill, the lights from the buildings sparkling in the dark, where people were eating and drinking after a day on the slopes oblivious to the drama being played out above them. He knew that Danny and Bruce had the bottom of the main run covered, and that Don and Sam had headed out along the main road for the bend where Emily Carter had lost her life and where he suspected that Gavin Escott had hidden a getaway vehicle. There were only two escape routes. Mac adjusted his position digging the toes of his boots into the snow ensuring that he that he and the rifle remained stable. As he swung the rifle back towards the dimly lit gondola station repositioning his eye against the scope, Mac prayed that Escott would just take the book and run.
The cabin lurched to a halt and the doors opened automatically. Stella stepped out. "Good Evening Detective Bonasera." Stella looked around but was unable to see anyone. The distorted voice echoed over the loudspeaker but still managed to sound menacing. "Take off your jacket and show me the book. Then make your way towards the exit." Stella undid her jacket letting it drop to the ground shivering in the cold air of the deserted gondola station as she showed that she was unarmed. "Ah Kevlar I see. Very wise! Now show me the book." She lifted the book and waved it in the air before making her way slowly towards the exit. She risked a quick glance behind her. The gondola hadn't moved. It remained in position swinging gently, its doors open.
As she crossed the short walkway to the concourse, one way leading to the observation platform, the other the exit to the slopes, she suddenly felt a presence behind her. Stella spun around. Gavin Escott stepped out from a small control booth with a terrified Sara in his arms. Stella froze at the sight of Sara, gagged with her hands taped in front of her and an angry bruise on her cheekbone high-lighting the paleness of her face. Stella met her terrified eyes and tried to silently reassure her. Escott pushed the knife into Sara's ribs.
"The book?" he snarled, his dark eyes boring into Stella's.
"Let Sara go." Stella demanded her eyes flashing green fire.
"You're in no position to give orders. Drop the book and step back. Keep your hands where I can see them." Escott demanded as he twisted the knife making Sara whimper. Stella ground her teeth in frustration as she eyed the large black-handled knife but she had no choice. She dropped the book on the floor and stepped back trying to keep out of Mac's line of sight. "Further. That way." he ordered. Stella backed up as Escott moved slowly forward, his head next to Sara's.
"Pick it up." he hissed. Escott shoved the knife harder into Sara's ribs making her wince, a tear slowly trickling down her cheek. Slowly Sara and Escott bent down. Escott didn't move his eyes from Stella as Sara fumbled for the book. As Sara finally got the book between her hands, she was jerked up roughly and hauled backwards towards the control booth.
"You have what you want. Now let her go." Stella snarled. As they reached the door, Escott hesitated for a moment eyeing Stella but then suddenly he grinned, grabbed the book and shoved Sara forward so that she flew to the ground at Stella's feet. He disappeared into the control booth, the door slamming behind him.
"Lindsay!" Stella yelled as she dived for Sara to cradle the sobbing girl in her arms and remove her gag. Having already cautiously emerged from her hiding place, Lindsay sprinted from the gondola and ran for the booth, the gun in her hands. The door was locked. Lindsay peered through the small window spying broken glass.
"Dammit! He's gone through the window." Lindsay ran for the skiers exit and circled the building but it was too late. The sound of a motor pierced the night air. Lindsay loosed off a couple of shots but they fell short as the single-seater ski-mobile pulled away in an erratic fishtail. She grabbed her phone. "Danny? He's heading downhill towards you ..." She looked back through the door at Stella who was carefully pulling the tape away from Sara's wrists. "Tell Sam she's fine. We've got her." Lindsay was relieved to see Sara smiling weakly back at her before she turned to watch the red glow from the tail-lights of the ski-mobile disappear down the slope. Suddenly they disappeared as Escott turned off the edge of the piste. "Danny! Stay where you are. It's no good. Mac was right. He's taking the cat track. He's heading straight for Sam and Don."
Lindsay hung up and went back to Sara. "It's gonna be okay."
"Dad's gone after him, hasn't he?" Sara sobbed.
Lindsay nodded. "Yes he has but don't worry, he's not alone. He's got the best back-up team in the business."
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"*****"
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Mac swore softly to himself frustrated at not being able to take Escott out during the exchange. He had him in his sights but he couldn't risk a shot with an unfamiliar rifle and at that distance through glass. Sara and Stella had been too close but one thing made him sigh with relief. All three were unharmed, Stella had kept her promise and Escott was running. Mac pushed himself up and swung the rifle over his shoulder pushing the strap over his head so it lay flat against his back. He stepped into his skis clicking his boots into the bindings and pulled down his goggles. Pulling on his gloves he slipped his hands through the straps on his poles and pushed away gliding silently across the snow to the beginning of the red run he had taken the first morning he had arrived knowing that it would bring him out fifty yards above the Nine Pines Gondola. He paused glancing at the sky as the wind cut through him. It had stopped snowing almost an hour ago and the wind had picked up sending the remaining clouds chasing one another across the starry night sky. The slope went dark for a second as a cloud covered the moon then the snow glistened once more. Mac pushed away, his skis making a soft crunching sound as they glided through the layer of fresh snow on top of the crust underneath. Mac cut a swift line down the centre of the slope unable to deny the thrill of being alone on virgin snow in the moonlit night. His heart leapt slightly as another cloud darkened the sky and the slope leaving him skiing blind but it lasted only a few seconds and his vision returned. He swept down the slope following the fall line and ending in a large arc where the run split, the main right-hand fork continuing down to join the blues which eventually led into the Esplanade.
Mac slew to a halt and his pulse quickened a little. He knew he should go right and join Stella and the others at the bottom but he couldn't risk letting Escott get away. Not now. He looked at the sign to his left, the two black diamonds beckoning him, challenging him. He spotted a brief flash of red tail-lights among the trees far below him. A series of images flashed unbidden into his mind: Sandra Beale standing alone on the balcony of the bar, her sad eyes watching him; then an image of her dark hair and blood against the stark white tiles of the bathroom floor; then the look of terror he had seen on Sara Kingston's face through the scope and the mocking sneer on Escott's face as he threatened Stella forcing her to hand over the book with those names. Mac felt a surge of anger engulf him. His decision was made. He turned left.
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"*****"
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Don grabbed his phone as Sam fought with the steering wheel of the 4x4 to keep them on the twisting road. "Danny? Thank God!" He turned to Sam. "They've got her. She's a little shaken but she's going to be fine. They're taking her back to the lodge." Sam felt his heart leap and he sighed with relief without taking his eyes off the road. Don listened some more. "Okay. Sam, Escott is heading our way. We need to cut him off before he gets to the bend." Sam nodded, his face taking on a look of fierce determination as he concentrated on the road but a second later he was forced to risk a glance at Don whose tone of voice rose alarmingly. "He's what? Dammit! Crazy sonofabitch! … All right, all right, got it."
"What?" asked Sam.
"Danny says that Mac didn't make the rendezvous. Bruce thinks he saw him cut off at something called Devils Ridge."
"What?" Sam repeated. "Shit!" Startled, Sam had let his attention wander and the 4x4 skidded on the icy road. Sam fought to compensate and bring the truck back under control. He pulled up at the corner just short of where they had found Emily Carter's car and manoeuvred the large off-roader upward to the left to block the narrow access road that led up the mountainside towards the cat track. Sam shut off the engine and turned to look at Don.
"Please tell me that Devil's Ridge is not as bad as it sounds!" Don pleaded. Sam shrugged his shoulders looking uncomfortable. "Crap!"