Chief Pittman used his cell phone to call dispatch and told Avery to broadcast the info out to all law enforcement in the area, including notifying the Georgia State Police of Slade’s last location, then started organizing officers, leaving one behind on duty in town.

“What are you doing?” Sully asked.

“We have reason to believe he’s on his way up to the family homestead where he was raised. He has one relative still living, and we think that’s where he’ll go for food and water.”

“And then where?” Sully asked.

“Into the woods. It’s hard to trail anyone in there, and almost impossible to see them from the air.”

“But he can’t take a hostage and try to outrun the law. What will he do with her?”

“It’s hard to say. That’s why we need to catch him,” Lon said.

“I want to go with you,” Sully said.

“You can’t. Stay put. I’ll keep you updated.”

Sully watched them pulling out and then ran. Melissa’s life was in danger, and he wasn’t waiting. He jumped in his car and followed them.

Chapter 13

Melissa regained consciousness in the dark. Her head and jaw were throbbing as she reached for her face, then realized her hands were tied, and so were her feet.

I’ve been taken hostage!

The horror was real, and with no idea of the kidnapper’s intent or destination, she had to get free. She lifted her wrists to her face and began trying to untie the knots, using her teeth to bite and pull. As she did, she smelled the same fabric softener that she used in her laundry and realized he’d tied her up with her own dish towels.

Ignoring the pain in her jaw, she kept biting and pulling on the knot as the wild ride continued. She was just beginning to make headway when he took a sharp turn to the right. It threw her against the inside of the trunk, bumping her head and shoulder. She groaned beneath her breath. She didn’t want him to know she was awake for fear of what he’d do, but she could tell by the sound of the tires that he’d turned off the highway onto another kind of paved surface—likely blacktop.

The change in direction was frightening. She began pulling harder, tugging and tugging on the knots, afraid of what might happen to her when he reached his destination, afraid she’d never see Sully again. She couldn’t die. Not now. It had taken her such a long time to find happiness again. She wouldn’t let herself believe it was going to end like this.

Melissa had the first knot untied before she realized it, and when she did, she began pulling harder, loosening the knots enough that she could finally yank the bindings away from her wrists.

Now her hands were free, but she still needed to untie her feet. Her knees were bent in a kneeling position, with her feet behind her. The ride was getting rougher, and she was constantly being bounced around as she pulled her knees up to her chin and began working on the knots in that fabric. The car was slipping and fishtailing, which made her remember last night’s rain. He was driving in mud, which had slowed him down, but it was also a rougher ride.