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.She suddenly found herself heading down the patiosteps, running with one goal in mind--to find Max or one of his staff.But as she stepped on the grass and out of the shelter of the house,the full force of the wind caught her, stopping her dead in her tracks.TwiSting sideways, she tried to use her body like a wedge, a knife, tocut through the wall of wind.As she turned, she caught a glimpse ofHelen on the ground, John standing over her with the chair raised abovehis head.She screamed his name, but her voice was sucked away as if she'd madeno sound.Horrified at the tableau playing out before her, she keptscreaming and started back to help Helen.What she couldn't understandwas why Helen wasn't looking up, pleading with John, but staring ather.Though she couldn't hear what the older woman was saying, shecould read her lips.Runt Helen was saying.Run.tGenerated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlNicole turned around again and ran.Bent double, against the wind, she ran.But her feet didn't seem to be making much ground.The fierce windkept pushing her back, making her stumble.She tried not to thinkabout John Gillman, just kept moving as best she could, straggling toput one foot in front of the other.Then, making her attempted escape worse, it started to rain.Solidsheets of water, it seemed, that pure me led her head and shouldersuntil she stumbled under the intensity.Once she almost fell to herknees but managed to catch herself and stagger off again.She wassoaked to the skin and shivering from cold and terror.Raising herhead, she faced the storm, straining to see through the silver curtainand get her bearings.She thought she saw the corner of the house andstarted in that direction.But suddenly her arm was caught in aviselike grip.She turned her head and came face-to-face with John Gillman.Her armhurt and she wanted to jerk it free, but she made herself standperfectly still and give him stare for stare.It didn't do any good.He smiled and the water rolled over his face and poured off his noseand lips.Well, Nicole thought, she wasn't about to go quietly into the night.Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlSurprise was her best defense.She shoved her shoulder into his chestand at the same time yanked and twisted her arm.Free, she managed twosteps before she felt a blinding pain on her neck.A sensation ofnumbness spread through her body like an icy chill, then came aparalysis.It radiated outward to her arms and down her legs.Herknees gave out from under her and she crumpled, unable to stop or braceherself.Soggy grass cushioned her fall.Get up.Get up.t But her leaden bodybarely obeyed her.She managed to lift her head in time to see Max ashe rounded the corner of the house.She knew he hadn't seen John.Hisattention was on her.Her mind screamed, trying to warn him, but asshe watched, John's fist caught Max by surprise and he went down like afelled tree.Then John was leaning over her, touching her neck again.The pain was excruciating, every nerve ending in her body was on fire,then just as abruptly she turned cold.Her vision blurred, imageswavered and dimmed.The last thing she saw before darkness claimed herwas John's beautiful maniacal smile.lx GROANED, rolled over and sat up.His jaw throbbed and he was dazed.He couldn't figure out what he was doing sitting on the wet ground inthe rain, or where he was, for that matter.Then it all came back in ablind flash of pain, fear and rage.He struggled to his feet, and thenGenerated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlweaved, dizzy from the movement.Once his head cleared a little, bebegan looking around.The wind shoved at his efforts to move, pullingat his hair, whipping at his clothes.John had Nicky.The accusation stung, and the pain was so intense itfelt like the sting of a million bees.John had Nicky.Max knew he'd failed to keep her safe.Guilt ate athis gut.He was sick with dread.John had Nicky.It was all Max could think about as he franticallylooked around.Then hope surged through him.From the corner of hiseye, he caught a movement and sprinted up the patio steps.But no, itwasn't Nicky.His heart plummeted as he fell to his knees at Helen'sside.He wanted to know what had happened, everything, but was struckdumb by urgency and fear.With great effort, Helen tried to get up, but she was hampered by thepain in her shoulder where she'd taken the brunt of the blow.When Maxleaned over her to help her, she gazed into his ravaged face and cried,"He's got Nicky, Max! You have to stop him." She brushed away hishelping hands."Don't worry about me.I'm okay.Go.Go on.Now,Max, before he hurts her."He didn't need encouragement and turned to leave.Doug and Jim caughthim as he reached the corner of the house.They'd been battling to getGenerated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlthe shutters secured over the front windows when they realized Maxhadn't returned.Max was like a wild man."John has Nicky!" he shouted, and kept moving, heading for the onlyplace John could have taken her.The wind and rain were twin demons,pulling, tugging at his efforts to ran.He knew Doug and Jim wouldfollow him.As he ran, heading for the lagoon and the dock, he kept telling himselfthat John might be a killer, but he wouldn't do anything to endangerhimself.Surely he wasn't foolish enough to think he could take theboat out.Max prayed he was right.But that sick feeling that he'dmisjudged John rushed back.The wind almost knocked him off the steep steps leading to the dock.The rain made it difficult to see.Waves crashed against the woodenpylons and sent a sheet of water up in the air, making his footingprecarious, but he kept moving, bending into the force of the wind.When he reached the end, he gazed through the gray rain at the emptyspace in disbelief and her-mr.He cupped his hands over his eyes andstared out at the lagoon.Waves slammed around him, sending up sprays of water that stung hisGenerated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]