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Back The Dead Line Save as PDF
Chapters (87)
  1. Cover
  2. By the Same Author
  3. Dedication Page
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. Acknowledgements
  86. Also Available by Holly Watt
  87. The Hunt and the Kill

The snarls and whimpers of the hounds were drawing nearer. She could sense their excitement as they raced effortlessly across the ground. This was their element, they were born to hunt, and Casey felt the exhaustion claw at her limbs. She thumped into the ground again, her fingers tearing at the earth. Scrambled to her feet, sprinting off again.

Never give up.

Casey imagined the teeth ripping into her. Struggling desperately, as the dogs ripped at her throat, her stomach. Animals, gutting her. It was primitive, this terror, shuddering across her skin, burning in her throat.

The hounds were so close now, wailing their frenzy.

Making the kill.

She would be torn to pieces, left for dead.

The gun fired, wood splintering as the bullet hit an oak just ahead of Casey. She screamed with all the breath she had left.

‘Stop now!’ Clio was close. Casey could hear the pounding of the horse’s feet just behind her. ‘Stop or the dogs will take you down.’

Still, Casey ran. The gun fired again, and Casey felt the hot burn as the bullet seared past.

‘The third time, I will be aiming for you,’ Clio shouted.

And Casey was falling, crashing to the ground.

75

75

She sensed rather than heard Clio call off the dogs, shouting at them urgently, and shoving them away. Then she was lying there, sprawled among the dead leaves, staring up to the grey of the sky.

‘Get up,’ said Clio.

Still holding the gun, Clio pulled out a pair of handcuffs from a rucksack.

‘Put them on.’ She nodded briskly at Casey. ‘Don’t mess about. I’ll check.’

There was nothing else to do. Casey clicked on the cuffs, one at a time. Clio reached across, tugging briefly at the handcuffs.

‘Good,’ she said.

From her bag, Clio produced a long chain, clipping one end to her saddle and the other to the handcuffs.

‘Now,’ said Clio, ‘we go.’

She vaulted back onto her big black thoroughbred, and rode forwards. The chain jerked at Casey’s hands, and she was hauled into a walk.

‘Don’t fall behind,’ Clio spoke over her shoulder. ‘I won’t stop.’

It was surreal, walking through the peaceful beauty of the forest, a prisoner. Casey watched Clio’s back, straight in the saddle. The two hounds were exploring the woods now, quite playful. Casey could hear them crashing through the damp scrub of the bracken, giving chase to a squirrel. Clio’s horse broke into a jog, dragging Casey forward.

‘Wait,’ Casey pleaded. ‘I can’t . . .’

Clio glanced back, tugging slightly on a rein.

‘Hurry up.’ There was no softness in her voice now.

Casey scrambled forward again.

They walked on, Casey’s legs heavy with tiredness.

Where is Miranda? Where is she?

Try. Keep trying.

‘This isn’t going to work, Clio,’ Casey shouted abruptly. ‘You can destroy me, but that won’t be enough.’

Clio looked back, with a smile. ‘Maybe.’