Eric rolled wildly, moaning in agony, but suddenly as she neared him, his feet shot out, smashing into her leg just below the knee. With a startled cry she went down, the rifle flying from her grasp. She rolled frantically, but Eric was already to the rifle, and he spun around to face her. For several moments, he didn’t move, just stood there, half hunched over, breathing heavily. Then he straightened. “Well,” he said softly. “I can see I’ve been taking you for granted.”

Nicole stared at him. Then she felt the tears of rage and frustration well up. Without a word she got up, limped past him, crawled back into her shelter, and buried her face into her sleeping bag, biting back the tears. A moment later she heard his footsteps. She yanked off her shoes and burrowed into the sleeping bag.

“Nicole?”

She pulled the bag over her head. “Please go away.”

He sighed wearily. “I’m sorry. I really am.”

“Please! Just leave me alone!”

For a moment he was silent, then she felt a sudden weight lifted off the sleeping bag. She jerked up into a sitting position. “What are you doing? Why are you taking my shoes?”

“You’ve proven yourself to be a very resourceful young woman,” he said softly. “I can’t take you for granted anymore.”

“But why my shoes?” Then suddenly she understood. Barefooted people don’t go very far in the mountains.

He moved away, not answering.

“You must be real proud of yourself, Mr. Lloyd,” she said. “Real proud.”

CHAPTER 21

The full moon had cleared the trees and bathed the tiny clearing and campsite in softly diffused light. The fire had nearly died, leaving only a few glowing embers. Even with the bright moon, the clarity of the star-filled sky was breathtaking. Eric sat and stared across the embers into the night, hunched in his jacket against the chill. The soft hoot of an owl mingled with the sighing of the wind in the trees, giving the night a quiet sense of peace and tranquillity—a feeling totally lacking in Eric Lloyd. By noon tomorrow he would join up with Cliff and the others. At five-thirty he would walk onto the top of the dam, very likely into a trap.