“It’s all right now, you’re safe,” Ellie murmured as she rocked Daisy in her arms.
Derrick clamped his jaw tight. “We’re being followed.”
The sound of an engine roaring made Ellie jerk her head over her shoulder. He was right. A dark sedan was closing on their tail.
“They must have had someone watching,” Derrick said.
He sped up, but the roads were icy, and she heard the tires grinding ice and spewing sludge. They rounded another curve as the sedan grew closer. The brakes squealed, and the Jeep skidded sideways toward the ravine.
“Hang on, Daisy,” Ellie said as he clutched the steering wheel and struggled to maintain control.
But the sedan suddenly sped up, ramming into their rear. Daisy screamed as the Jeep slipped forward, and Derrick jerked the wheel to the right to keep from running into the ditch. A second later, the sedan banged into them again and the Jeep flew into a spin.
As Daisy screamed, Ellie covered the girl her with her body.
Shifting the gear, Derrick bumped backward into the sedan, sending it sliding. He took advantage of the moment, then propelled forward, gaining momentum as the driver of the sedan raced after them again. She spotted Derrick’s car which they’d parked earlier, and he careened to a stop beside it.
“Get Daisy out of here,” Derrick shouted as he jumped out, weapon drawn.
“I can’t leave you.”
“Just do it, Ellie.”
Ellie didn’t take orders well, but Daisy’s life was at stake so she relented. “It’ll be okay, honey,” she murmured to Daisy. Then she crawled from the back seat, ran to the driver’s side, and took the wheel.
The sedan roared to a stop behind her, the driver throwing open the door. A gunshot pinged her back fender.
“Stay down,” Ellie shouted to Daisy.
Daisy ducked down and clapped her hands over her ears.
“Go!” Derrick shouted.
Ellie gripped the steering wheel with clammy hands, veering sideways as Derrick sought cover behind his car. Stepping on the gas, she pulled the Jeep back onto the road. Through the rearview mirror, she saw Derrick raise his gun and fire at the shooter.
Fear for him nearly choked her. But Daisy’s sobs wrenched her heart and she sped away.