Point Blank. Sandra Robbins

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СКАЧАТЬ jerked his head around and stared at Ben. “Does the Hannah Riley you know have a white SUV?”

      Ben’s heart had begun to pound at the message. All he could do was nod. He’d just seen Hannah that morning when he stopped by her ranch to check on her and Faith. She’d looked happy and was practicing her archery skills in the backyard. How could this have happened to her of all people?

      He pushed his fears for his friend away, knowing he had a job to do. There had been a woman taken against her will, and they had to try to stop the culprit. He only hoped they were in time to save her life.

      He spoke into his shoulder mic. “Copy that. Unit 1 in pursuit toward Wears Valley. Request backup.”

      “Ten-four, Unit 1. Backup on the way.”

      Ben gritted his teeth and exhaled. “Light ’em up, Luke!”

      He’d no sooner spoken the words than Luke turned on the blue lights, and they were racing toward the highway that led to Wears Valley. Questions poured through his mind as they sped down the highway.

      Did the attacker intend to kill his victim, or did he just want her car? If he’d wanted the vehicle, why did he force the woman to go with him? The possible answers to those questions made his stomach roil.

      They passed the road that turned off and circled back to the national park entrance. What if the abductor had taken that turn? For a moment Ben debated telling Luke to go back and turn onto that road, but he didn’t. Even at this time of late afternoon, there would still be tourists at the scenic stops along that route, and a speeding car would draw attention. If the suspect was smart, he would probably have made the decision to continue on the road on which they were traveling.

      One thing bothered him, though. There were lots of turnoffs along this highway that led into the mountains with its many trails. They didn’t have the time or manpower to efficiently search every one. If the kidnapper took one of those, he and his victim would be lost to them. If he decided to dispose of his victim, her body might never be found in that wilderness. They had to get to her in time.

      Ben leaned forward and stared out the windshield in hopes of catching a glimpse of the vehicle. After a few minutes, he was about to think he’d made the wrong choice to stay on this road when he spotted a car in the distance. It was barely a speck on the horizon, but it looked like it was white.

      He held his breath as Luke accelerated and shortened the distance between the two cars. “That’s a white SUV!” Luke said as he pulled even closer.

      Ben’s heart seemed to jump into his throat as they neared the car. All hopes that there might have been a mistake in identifying the victim—that it might be someone other than Hannah—died when he caught sight of the familiar license plate on the back of the car. Hannah hadn’t been content to settle for one of the regular state license plates and had bought one of the specialty plates the state offered. Hers was one issued to University of Tennessee supporters and personalized with the words VOLS FAN as a tribute to the football team she followed with a passion.

      He had to face the fact that he’d been trying to deny ever since getting the call. Hannah was in jeopardy. But where was she? He could see the outline of a man’s head behind the steering wheel, but there was no sign of anyone with him. Were they too late? Had he already disposed of her?

      Luke switched on the siren as they bore down on the car, and Ben pulled his gun from its holster. The deepening afternoon shadows lit up as the flashing lights reflected across the area. The kidnapper had to have heard the sound, but his response was to increase his speed. Luke pressed down on the accelerator, and they sped after the car.

      Suddenly Ben heard a sharp crack as a bullet whizzed past the driver’s window of the squad car. Luke was too experienced to startle or swerve. Instead he frowned and pulled closer to the fleeing SUV. “You’re not getting away from me,” he muttered as another shot pinged on the bumper of the car.

      Ben rolled down his window and hesitated before sending an answering shot. What if his aim wasn’t true? He could shoot Hannah if she was still in that car, or he could cause the car to wreck, which might leave her dead or injured.

      He’d been in similar situations before, but never in a circumstance like this. Hannah wasn’t just another victim whose life had been placed in danger. This was his friend. He’d known her since she’d come to live with her grandfather in the Smokies after she graduated from college. He’d also become friends with her late husband, and he was godfather to her daughter. How could he risk her life? On the other hand, who knew what she would face at her abductor’s hands if he allowed them to get away?

      Another shot whistled past, and he took a deep breath as his decision was made. “Hold the car steady, Luke,” he said as he stuck his arm out the window and aimed for one of the back tires of the car.

      For a moment he closed his eyes and prayed. Make my shot count, Lord.

      Then he opened his eyes, refocused his aim and fired at Hannah’s SUV.

      * * *

      Hannah, her hands covering her head, crouched on the floorboard of the car. She heard the sirens behind them and saw the reflection of the flashing lights in the mirror on the side of her vehicle. Could Ben be in that squad car? She had no doubt he would come if he knew what had happened to her.

      Suddenly she didn’t have any fear. God had answered her prayer already. She had asked him to send Faith to someone who loved her, and now she knew who that would be. Ben had been a dear friend to her for years, and he loved her daughter as if she were his own. If she was to die today, she knew that Ben would see that Faith was cared for.

      No sooner had the thought flashed in her mind than she saw her abductor raise his hand with the gun. She sucked in her breath and waited for him to shoot her. Instead he rolled down the window and fired at the police car. The sirens and lights continued to follow them. Then he shot again.

      She lost count of how many times he shot, but she was afraid that sooner or later he would disable his target. Then she heard an answering shot as it hit the back of her car. The police were answering the fire!

      She crouched even farther and tried to roll into a fetal position, but there was barely enough room on the floorboard to get her head below the seat. Another shot hit the back of the car, and she bit down on her lip to keep from crying out.

      Her kidnapper cursed under his breath and fired toward the car again. Almost immediately there was the sound of an answering bullet striking its target, and her car ran onto the shoulder before it careened back onto the highway. She knew right away that the pursuing officer’s bullet had struck one of the back tires. The relief she felt at knowing someone was trying to help her died quickly as the car began to swerve out of control back and forth across the highway. Her abductor wouldn’t be able to get away with her...but they seemed to be headed for a crash that could kill them both.

      “No!” Her abductor yelled and grabbed the steering wheel with both hands as he struggled to gain control of the car.

      His gun dropped from his hand and landed on the car’s console. Before he could react, Hannah grabbed the gun and pointed at him. “Stop this car!” she yelled.

      He turned his head toward her, and the hoodie slipped back on his head. For the first time she saw his eyes, and she recoiled at the pure hatred in them. He grasped the steering wheel with one hand and gritted his teeth as he reached over and hit her in the jaw with his fist.

      The СКАЧАТЬ