Thursday, 12:35 p.m.
Dr. Blackman tapped Blanche’s shoulder.
“What?” she asked, struggling to pull herself from a sound sleep.
“Mrs. Southerland, your husband is out of surgery. He’s in recovery and will remain there for several hours. I’ll let you know when he’s back in his room.”
Blanche looked at the book on her lap. She was still on page one. “I didn’t get very far, did I?” She smiled. “Guess I fell asleep almost as soon as I sat down.”
“That’s understandable. You were tired; you’ve been under a lot of stress. I think now, though, since we’ve removed the source of infection, we’ll see fast improvement in your husband.”
“That’s good.”
“Do you have a car in Charlottesville?”
“No, friends brought me. I’ll rent a car to go home when Tom’s better.”
“You’ll have ample time to go to the cafeteria, eat a leisurely meal. I suggest you do that. I’m sure that’s not happened for a while.” The doctor’s beeper sounded. “Gotta go. Get some food and rest, Mrs. Southerland.”
On the road to La Grande Maison, Aurora rounded a curve, jammed her foot on the brakes. Her Jeep skidded to a stop. From the back seat King barked. Aurora stared. The car ahead looked vaguely familiar. She had prayed to find Carole or her car, but this wasn’t it. King barked again, growled. Monique! Of course. The car stalled in the middle of the road belonged to Monique! But two people, not one, were inside. Was that gasoline leaking from the vehicle? Puffs of black smoke rose from under the hood. Farther up the road, a vehicle barreled toward the smoking car.
King scratched furiously at the window, whined, growled. A woman jumped out of the car, waved frantically. “Help us!” she screamed. “They’re going to kill us!”
Aurora couldn’t believe that the woman screaming and waving in the road was Carole. Monique vaulted out of the driver’s seat. Both women dashed toward Aurora’s Jeep.
“Hurry!” yelled Aurora. She unlocked the doors. “Run!”
Carole and Monique dived inside the Jeep and slammed the doors. In the driver’s seat, Aurora spun the car around and pushed on the gas seconds before the men in the Humvee fired. In the rearview mirror, she saw Monique’s car explode into flames. The Humvee didn’t even slow down.
“Lie on the floor! Pull King down with you!” Aurora looked out the window. The Humvee was close; she could see the driver and two men in the front. Another man and two Dobermans filled the back. She put her .38 on her lap.
Attempting to keep the Humvee from coming up beside her, Aurora swerved across the road.
“Ram ‘em!” shouted Win as the Humvee gained on the Jeep. The front bumper slammed into the Jeep’s rear end. The Jeep slowed, allowing the Humvee room to pull up alongside.
“Shoot her!” Win hollered at Otis. “What the hell are you waiting for?”
“No!” screamed Otis. “My girlfriend’s in that car! I might hit her!”
“That’s the idea, you idiot!” screamed Win.
Aurora stomped on the brakes. The Humvee shot past the Jeep, ground to a stop. Aurora waited. Carole and Monique peered over the seat. Carole cocked her .22.
“Monique, can you use a gun?” asked Aurora.
“You betcha. And I’m a good shot.”
“Take my .38, see if you and Carole can hold them off if they come toward us.” She grabbed her cell phone, dialed Sam, prayed he would answer.
“Where are you? Why didn’t you answer my call a minute ago?” asked a frantic Sam.
“Four guys are trying to kill us. One of them’s Win. I’ve got Carole and Monique. Uh-oh. They turned the dogs loose.”
“Dogs loose? Where are you? What’s going on? And who’s Monique?”
“Hold on.” Aurora asked Monique the name of the road and relayed the information to Sam.
“I’m only a few miles from you. Luke’s here, too, and the police are coming now. I can see their lights. We’ll be there in a few minutes. Hold on, Susie-Q.”
The Humvee’s door opened. A man jumped out, ran toward the Jeep. When a bullet ripped into his back, he screamed and collapsed to the road.
“That’s Otis! They like shot Otis!” Monique unlocked the door, reached for the door handle.
“No!” said Carole. “Don’t be a fool! They’ll kill you!” She struggled with Monique, tried to keep her in the car. The .38 fell to the seat. Aurora reached over the front seat, grabbed the gun. King jumped at the window, roared, bared his teeth.
“Monique, listen to me! Look! The dogs are circling the car. They’ll attack you if you get out. Monique, use your head!”
“But what about Otis? If the bullet didn’t kill him, the dogs will.”
“No, they won’t. The dogs are after me,” said Carole, “and you. They won’t attack Otis.” She hoped she sounded convincing.
“Why would the men shoot Otis?” asked Aurora.
“Because he was trying to protect me. He’s protected me ever since I ran away from home.” Monique sniffed, wiped her eyes. “He’s a good man most of the time, just got in with the wrong people.”
“Uh-oh. They’re turning around,” said Aurora.
“What are we going to do?” Carole asked.
“I don’t know. We’re certainly no match for a Humvee. That monster could flatten my Jeep easily.”
“Can we outrun it?”
“Don’t know. We don’t want to head back toward La Grande Maison. And driving past them without being shot or rammed would be difficult without running over Otis.”
“Maybe we could like run, reach the woods before they catch us.” At that moment, the Dobermans leapt against the car, slobbered on the windows, barked and growled. King barked back at them.
“Guess that’s out,” Monique said.