At this distance, the judge could safely watch. Nobody was carrying one of those long telephoto lenses. They couldn’t even hear his ragged coughing, which nearly got the best of him this time. The sickness was spreading, taking over his body, despite that he’d taken advantage of everything medical science had to offer.
He needed more time to complete his task, and this woman could cost him. Grinding his molars, he lifted the scope and peered through. The scope extended his vision far behind the hill where he was propped. Below him, the evergreens spread before the meadow and cliff where the buffalo grazed and past the ridge overlooking the area where he’d killed the woman.
At least he was getting good use out of the scope and optics that cost more than his rifle—an expensive hobby he’d taken up to fill the void.
In the scope, he could easily view Sheriff Taggart and his good-old-boy crew. Rangers and that wildlife agent jerk, Kramer. From this vantage point, he could watch them all day long and they’d never know.
He dialed in the scope and focused on the woman who’d watched him with her camera last night. Crazy bad luck, that. He’d done his best to erase the evidence. These local yokels wouldn’t find a thing.
He hadn’t wanted to kill the hikers, who were honeymooners, but they had stumbled on things they shouldn’t have. He tied them up and kept them fed and hydrated. He also learned that they were expected to be away for a while on their hiking excursion—what kind of honeymoon was that, anyway?—and nobody would be looking for them for another four days at the very least.
And then it could be another day or so before anyone realized they were missing.
He had plenty of time to finish his business and get out of Dodge before the couple was found safe and sound.
But then the man had to go and be a hero. Sacrificed himself to free his wife.
She’d escaped.
The judge had no choice but to hunt her down. Had no choice but to shoot to kill.
The last thing he needed was the law traipsing around these woods. Maybe he should have left them the bodies and then they’d only be looking for a killer. But this way, it would take them much longer to sort things out. Nothing to go on except for one lone witness.
At least the sheriff’s department was distracted with finding a body and the shooter. Their attention would be divided.
Divide and conquer had always been a winning strategy.