She slid down the wall to the floor, a sob in her throat. The man was at the door.

She felt herself falling down again, down into a deep black hole of unconsciousness.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

The branches tore at their bulky jackets when they entered the woods. David followed Hank’s shadowy form closely, trying to avoid the worst of it by slipping through before the gaps closed. Among the branches, the wind was almost nonexistent. The snow was no more than a few inches deep in most places because of the shelter provided by the thick growth, and they broke through the first layer of trees in a few seconds, thanks to Hank’s lead.

Inside the woods, the trees opened up and spread out, and that allowed them to move along fairly quickly. David wasn’t sure how Hank knew where he was going, but he never faltered in choosing their path. The snow fell thicker here, but the fury of the storm was blunted by the tall pines. It was darkening fast.

They walked for what seemed like a long time, the fresh snow deadening their footsteps, their breath coming in great white clouds of moisture. If the madman chose any part of that path for his attack, they would go down easily. But he did not.

Finally, Hank stopped and leaned his back against a tree. “It’s just through those pines,” he said, pointing ahead and to the right. “We better have a plan.”

Good point. David struggled with what they were about to do. He felt a debilitating fear creeping up on him, prickling the hairs on the back of his neck. They were facing a killer who lived with a completely different set of rules and would not stop until his twisted thoughts were satisfied. And he may have already killed David’s wife and daughter.

But how did they know they were headed to the right place? He could be anywhere. They’d had to make a choice, and David prayed it was the right one.

He’s got my family, and he will do anything to stop me. This is your best shot. Don’t lose it now.

It was then that they heard the scream.