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The Tessarae Inn |
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The Son Also Rises
CHAPTER 26 She could see the tears in Sean’s eyes when he looked at her but his hands didn’t shake and he didn’t keep glancing at the door as he worked on untying the ropes. It was as if he had nerves of steel or a lot of practice. Once she her hands were free, she stood up and Sean rushed to the window. He was able to raise it with surprising ease but as he lifted his arms up his torso was partially exposed and she saw evidence of huge purple and red bruises. Someone had beaten him. Tears sprang in her eyes but she pushed them away. She owed it to him to be as brave as he was being. But whatever happened, she would not leave Sean with Katherine. She would get him to safety then there would be time to take care of that bitch. Sean scrambled through the window and reached back for her hand. She slowly moved close to him. She steeled her soul as a thousand and one knives pierced her side then she slipped through the window. She was only able to walk a few steps before she fell to her knees to catch her breath. Sean lowered the window again then ran next to her side. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered. She could hear Katherine and Sean-Ryan yelling at each other. The fury was almost palatable and their intense focus on each other was the one real chance she and Sean had to escape. She couldn’t afford to waste a minute of time. She willed herself the strength to stand up then looked around her. She was high up in Llantano Mountain Park at the rangers’ cabin at Widow’s Peak! Of all the places for her to end up! She knew this place! All of that time she spent here after Todd “died” in Ireland might pay off in a way she never would have expected. She tried to focus her mind on what she knew about the area. No one was supposed to be up this high except for the park rangers and the cabin Katherine was using as a hideout was intended as a way station for the rangers and not hikers so there would be little chance of a random hiker or two coming to their rescue. The land in front of them was dramatic in its danger points. For one thing the cliffs were unprotected by railings or any other safety measures. There was only one narrow dirt road leading to this location but far to the left, hidden behind a row of trees and boulders, was a trail that led directly to the elevation below where there was ranger station with a phone and probably supplies. The path, though, skirted along a rocky cliff for much of the way and the drop off was brutally sharp and totally unforgiving. They needed to take cover and there was a small storage shed only a few feet away where she knew the rangers stored equipment. She grabbed Sean’s hand and they ran. She was praying the whole time. Praying that she wouldn’t step on a sharp rock and scream and alert Katherine. Praying that the door to the shed was unlocked. Praying that there was something she could use in the shed. She grabbed the handle on the door to the shed and almost cried when it offered no resistance. The door swung open. She pushed Sean in front of her into the dark space then followed quickly behind and closed the door. They stood side by side and tried to let their eyes adjust to the dim light. Suddenly, Sean gripped her hand and stepped in front of her. She looked at him then hurriedly scanned the area. She jumped when she saw the man but she did not make a sound. He was sprawled at the far end of the shed. She walked over to him and felt his pulse although she already knew he was dead. She squatted next to him and to get a clear view of him. It was the same man who had beaten her so badly. A fitting end for him as far as she was concerned. She felt along his body looking for any indication of a gun but he was clean. Whoever --and she doubted that was a real question because Sean-Ryan, aka Philip Spenser, had not seemed the least bit worried about anyone sneaking up behind him—had removed any guns or other weapons. She didn’t have time to think about any of that. She figured Sean-Ryan was now gone given the way Katherine was screaming after him. From what Ethan told her, Sean-Ryan was not a man given to commitments. Katherine probably wore whatever goodwill he possessed down to the nubs within a matter of minutes and as usual Sean-Ryan bailed. There was still a small window of opportunity. Based on how her voice was fading, Katherine, it seemed, was heading down the trail after Sean-Ryan but she’d be back most likely not alone. This guard was dead but there were others prowling the edge of the woods on either side of the trail. She and Sean needed to get away from Katherine and their best chance it now seemed was to head toward the cliffs, not away from them. Blair pointed toward the rocks and Sean seemed to know immediately what she meant. “Those are nothing,” he whispered. “I played on higher peaks than those at home. You just have to think about the air not about falling.” “There’s a path, Sean. If you follow it, you’ll end up at the ranger station below this one. It has a phone and everything. I’m hurt, Sean, I may not be able to go all of the way with you but if we get separated I want you to find that path and follow it then call your father and 911. Tell them you are at the ranger substation at Widow’s Peak, Llantano Mountain Park. Can you remember that?” “I can remember anything for you.” She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and pulled him close to her. She kissed him on the top of his head. She did love this child. They moved quickly across the open area. She kept praying that they would make it. Just another minute. Another thirty seconds. Another fifteen. She tried to slow her breathing. She was surprised by Sean’s calm demeanor. He seemed focused and fearless. The silence was pierced by thunder masquerading as a voice. “STOP RUNNING. NOW.” It was Katherine. Blair held her breath but kept moving. Nothing about this situation was good but at least with the cover of the rocks and the trees they had a chance. “I give you credit for choosing the rocks. I thought you’d run for the path but I underestimated you before. I decided not to do that again.” Blair kept running. The tree cover and rocks were only a few more feet away but she could hear the sound of Katherine’s footsteps moving closer and closer to them. “Let me explain something to you, Todd’s woman,” Katherine yelled. “I may not be able to catch both of you but the boy is the one I will go after. One shot. And if you don’t think I’ll do it then you haven’t been paying attention.” Blair felt something clutch her in the middle of her chest. All of the pain that she had been able to ignore crushed down on her. “If you don’t stop right now, Blair Manning, I will kill Peter…Sean, and it will be on your head. No mercy.” She slowed down. Sean reached out, grabbed her hand and pulled her forward. “Don’t do it. If she wants to kill me then that’s okay. I never expected to live long anyway.” Blair shook her head and stopped running. Sean stared at her for a few seconds. “Come on. We can make it.” “No. I won’t let her hurt you.” “Can’t stop her if she has a mind to.” “She wants to hurt me, Sean. Not you.” Sean looked at her for a moment longer then turned, raced toward Katherine and yelled, “Leave her alone. Take me. Leave her alone.” Sean flung himself full force at Katherine but she maintained her balance and knocked him away then once again pointed the gun at Blair. “Get over there with her,” she said as she shoved Sean. “I am so sick of both of you.” Sean ran to Blair and she squatted down and hugged him then whispered in his ear. “Do you love me, Sean?” He nodded his head. “Then you must promise me you will do what I am going to ask you to do. Promise me.” “I promise.” “When I squeeze your hand I want you to take off running for the those rocks and trees as fast as you can. Watch your step. There is a sheer drop. Be careful but don’t look back. Don’t stop. Get your father. Get to Todd. Promise me you’ll do that.” “I won’t leave you.” “You promised, remember?” “What the hell are you two talking about?” Blair stood up and pulled Sean behind her. She held his hand as she stared at Katherine. Katherine pushed her hair off of her face. “I don’t get you. Why did you fight so hard for him? He’s not your son.” “But he is yours.” “And you mention this because?” Blair glared at her. “Oh, I see. I’m supposed to get all weepy here and talk about the great virtues of motherhood. Well, screw it. Motherhood is for weak, useless women.” “You don’t mean that Katherine. You’re just frustrated.” Katherine narrowed her eyes and then looked away. “I say what I mean and I hate it when people tell me what I mean.” “It’s not his fault that Sean-Ryan doesn’t love you. Never did. Todd swam across the Irish Sea to get back to me. Sean-Ryan dumped you like a sack of potatoes when you needed him the most.” Katherine rocked back on her heels. The gun in her hand trembled slightly. Even from a distance Blair could see the rage creep up her back like a clawed animal. She howled and lunged forward. Blair squeezed Sean’s hand and released it but she still felt him behind. “Go. Run. Now.” When she saw Sean take off, Blair ran in the opposite direction, toward the path. Katherine fired the gun at her. Blair kept running but Katherine was gaining fast. Maybe she could make it to the road. Maybe she could disappear into the woods. Her foot suddenly slipped within her shoe and she lost her balance. She hit the ground hard and for a moment she felt dizzy and unfocused. Then the excruciating pain shot straight up her right leg and seemed to spread out then down again. It was her ankle. She heard Katherine laugh then she felt the cold steel of a gun barrel pressed into the back of her head. “Looks like this is indeed your day to die. Just couldn’t leave well enough alone. And it doesn’t matter where the boy is at the moment. I will find him. So you did all of this for nothing. I want you to die knowing that.” “You are the sickest woman I have ever met. Sean is your son.” “Get up.” “My ankle is …” “Do I look like I care? Get up. I want MY son to see me throw you off the damn side of this mountain. He needs to see the price people pay for crossing me. But, hey, what do you have to complain about? You get to die all noble and pure.” Blair struggled to her feet. She tried to put weight on her foot but the pain was all but unbearable. “Move. Now. Go right up to the edge over there and then wave goodbye.” “This makes no sense, Katherine. Why do you want to kill me?” “Because I can. Because you exist. Because he loves you and he didn’t tell me what I could have had. I’m the mother of his son and he cheated me.” “This isn’t about Todd. This is about Sean-Ryan. Where is he? He just walked away again. How many times is this now?” “Shut up.” “Why the hell should I shut up? You are going to kill me because he hurt your feelings again. What kind of self-absorbed bitch are you?” “The kind with a gun aimed at your head.” Blair took a step and as the pain shot through her leg her breathing started and stopped in spurts. They were only a few feet away from the edge and her balance was so poor that if Katherine forced her too close she would fall without any further momentum. A loud scream pierced the air. Blair’s heart stopped. It was Sean. Blair tried to run toward the sound. Katherine yanked her back. Sean screamed again then pleaded for help. Blair called his name over and over. Then there was the sound of rolling rocks and tumbling downward and muffled cries that faded followed by only silence. Oh, please, God, no. Blair fell to her knees and covered her face with her hands. Not Sean. Please no. Katherine knocked her hands away from her face and looked at her. “Looks like your little escape plan killed my son. What do you think? Is that a good enough reason for me to kill you?”
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