CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
May slammed on the brakes, hearing the tires scream on the blacktop. She wrenched the wheel to the side, gripping it fiercely as she struggled for control of the truck.
With a desperate swerve, she missed the fleeing girl.
Reacting instinctively, she pulled over onto the side of the road, jumped out, and set off in pursuit.
"I’m police! You don't have to run! You're safe!" she yelled, realizing that since she was in plainclothes, the terrified girl had no idea of her credentials.
The girl didn't stop. She didn't even look back. Instead, she kept running, slipping over the wet grass, her creased dress flapping in the wind, her dark, tangled hair flying behind her.
May followed her, her feet pounding over the ground.
The girl was swerving and stumbling, running wildly. Veering back into the woods, she crashed over branches, bushes, and fallen logs.
May had never run so fast in her life. Her lungs were burning, and her limbs were aching, but she didn't let up for an instant.
The girl was fear-stricken, running without direction. She didn't even seem to hear May. She was sobbing and gasping for breath. But she was running out of steam. May was gaining.
She closed the distance between them. And then, the girl collapsed on the ground with a cry of despair.
May skidded to a stop and rushed to her side.
"It's okay. You're okay. I've got you."
She crouched down and held the girl’s hands in her own. Her fingers felt icy cold.
"I'm a police officer," she told her, trying to sound calm. "You're safe. You're safe. You're not in danger and you don’t have to run."
The girl was soaked to the skin. Her bare arms and legs were covered in scratches and cuts, and her face and hair were streaked with mud. She seemed too exhausted now to struggle. Her eyes were wide with fear.
"It's okay," May said again. "You're okay."
She pulled the girl to her feet, and the girl slumped against her.
"Just breathe now. Just take it easy."
She held the girl tightly, feeling the panic slowly leaving her body.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"C - Claire Wilson."
"Claire, what happened?" May thought she might know some of the background. She hoped she was correct. But she needed the girl to tell her.
The girl burst into tears all over again.
"I - I was being kept prisoner. Locked up. He - this man was going to kill me. But I got away."
May's eyes widened. She'd heard enough. It was clear that this was another of the killer’s hostages. She had no idea of the full circumstances, but knew they needed to get a proper statement from her as soon as possible.
She stared around. This woman had fled for her life. May felt sure, with a cold certainty, that the killer was close by. Perhaps even watching from the cover of the forest as this rescue scene played out. She wanted to storm into the woods and search for him, but there were too many hiding places. She knew he’d run for cover as soon as she left, and this girl was in dire need of medical attention.
Carefully, step by step, she led the sobbing, shaking girl back to her car and helped her inside.
Then she drove back to the police department, still feeling utterly shocked by what had just played out.
*
May parked close to the building and helped Claire out of the car. Owen must have been looking out for her to come back, because he rushed out of the building almost immediately.
"What's going on?" he asked, concerned.
"This is Claire," May explained. "She escaped from being held captive." She gave Owen a meaningful look. Owen froze, his eyes widening in understanding.
"Where were you held, ma’am?" he asked.
"I'm not sure," Claire sobbed. "It was underground. Somewhere quiet. I don’t know more. I was taken out in the trunk of a car."
"Come inside. Let's get you warm, and settle you down," May said.
They led Claire into the lobby and ushered her through to a back room. She was still shaking like a leaf, but her breathing was slowing down, and her tears were beginning to calm.
May got her into the room, turned the heater on as high as it would go, and fetched her a warm jacket, a blanket, a cup of sweet milky tea, and a few cookies. While she was getting the victim settled, she heard Owen whispering outside, explaining to Kerry and Sheriff Jack what had just played out.
A moment later, Kerry barged into the room, looking horrified. May didn't know if it was because of the victim's shocking state, or because May had found her first.
May needed to continue with the biggest priorities. Kerry’s questioning could wait.
She turned and glared at her sister. Then she turned back to the shivering girl.
"How can we contact your parents?" May asked. "Where do they live?"
Claire shook her head.
"I haven't lived at home for a year. My parents and I fought. I moved out and I've been renting a cottage. They don’t know I’m missing yet. I knew nobody would know where I was. That's why nobody came looking for me," she said, gasping with sobs.
May felt chilled to think what had happened.
“When were you taken?” she asked.