Chapters (57)
- Cover
- Dedication
- Foreword
- Prologue
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Praise for Linwood Barclay
- Also by Linwood Barclay
- About the Publisher
Before Bruce could consider a change of plan, Kyle spoke up.
“No!” he said. “We’re not going back there.”
Bruce looked in the mirror. “You’re not the captain of this ship, pal. Let me know where you want me to let you off and I’ll pull over.”
Kyle went silent. He turned his neck one way and then the other, avoiding eye contact with Katie. He looked out the windows, watching the trees flash by. He chewed his lip, as though mulling over what step to take next.
Katie said, “Listen, Mr. Stapleton, we’re all just trying to get through this the best we can.”
Bruce shot her a brief, admiring glance.
“I bet you’ve got people back on the mainland who are worried about you, right?” she said. “That’s why you want to get off the island? Have you called them? Have you let them know you’re okay? If you have, you could stop worrying about getting off the island and find a safe place to hide out until they find a way to stop the cars from killing everybody.” She pointed a thumb toward the woods. “I mean, right in there, that’s safe. There’s no way the cars can get at you if you’re hanging out in the woods. They’re not tanks. They can’t knock the trees down. When we get to the mall, maybe we can hang out there. It should be safe. All I’m saying is—”
“Shut up,” Kyle said.
Katie scowled. “Excuse me?”
“Just shut up.”
Bruce took his foot off the gas. “End of the road, friend,” he said as the car slowed. He moved his foot over to the brake.
“No,” Kyle said. “You’re not kicking me out.”
“That’s exactly what we’re doing,” Bruce said.
As the car came to a full stop and Bruce put the car into park, Kyle reached into his jacket and pulled out the gun he’d stolen at the yacht club.
“Shit!” Katie screamed. “Bruce!”
Bruce first took a look into the rearview mirror, then slowly turned in the seat so he could look Kyle in the eye.
Kyle pointed the gun his way, but it was close quarters, even in a car as big as a 1959 Cadillac, so he held the gun close to himself, fearing Bruce might try to make a grab for it.
“Mister,” Bruce said calmly, “we’re all a little on edge right now, so I understand you might feel the need to take desperate measures, but waving that around at us, that’s not helping the situation.”
Kyle tilted his head toward Katie. “What’s she to you? Granddaughter? Niece?”
“A good friend,” Bruce said.