Yuletide Stalker (17 page)

Knowing that Stella Oliver would be concerned about Maddie, Linc called her. The woman's voice sounded weary when she answered.

“This is Linc Carey.”

“I'm so glad you called. I've been worried about Maddie. What have you learned?”

“Not a whole lot, unfortunately. But I did find
Maddie's ring in her room at the shelter. Knowing she wouldn't have gone away without it, I notified the police of her disappearance.” He explained what he'd learned. “I'm going to Hawaii tomorrow to be close if they find her. How have things turned out for you?”

“The police have finally gone, but I'm afraid we aren't finished with them. They think the child was murdered because of what she knew about drug dealers in the area. One of the local policemen, related to the Sanales, has been put on an indefinite leave. There's an investigation to see if he opened the door to let someone in the night Maddie was taken. He isn't talking, but he's a suspect. I'm so sorry. I thought she was safe here.”

“Don't blame yourself. The Sanales were determined to get her. I couldn't protect her, either. Now my main concern is to find her safe and unharmed. Pray for her, Stella.”

T
he moon moved in and out of the clouds enabling Maddie to keep the Coast Guard light in view. She walked carefully, favoring her aching feet, and most of the time she could see the path without turning on the flashlight. When the moon disappeared behind a cloud, she groped her way along, holding on to rocks and bushes to keep from plunging down a steep incline. She hadn't walked more than a half hour before her hands were burning from contact with the ragged rocks.

She knew immediately when Edena returned and discovered her prisoners were gone. An anguished scream rang across the mountains, and either Edena shouted continually, or the sound echoed through the mountain valleys. Maddie had heard lots of echoing in the hills of her native state, but she didn't know whether that also happened in Hawaii.

Terrified of the woman, Maddie started running, stumbled over a rock and rolled downward until she slammed against a tree so hard she gasped for breath.

A crashing through the underbrush behind her indicated that Edena was following her. Maddie crawled away from the trail and hid behind a large boulder. She peered around the corner of the rock as Edena, ranting and raging like a maniac, plunged downhill, not bothering to keep to the trail.

Breathlessly, she monitored the woman's retreating footsteps. Maddie knew she couldn't continue in that direction, but if she changed course, she'd lose the beacon of the Coast Guard light. It had taken several hours to climb the hill, but it would take less time to go down. Still, if she couldn't see the light, she could quickly lose her bearings.

Feeling safe for the moment, Maddie leaned against the rock, hoping a little rest would stop the pounding of her heart. Would she be wiser to wait until morning to continue? She would be less likely to fall and sustain a serious injury in daylight. Edena would see her more easily, too, but on the other hand, she could see Edena and keep out of her way.

From Edena's wailing, which she could still hear plainly, it was evident that the woman was heading in the opposite direction of Maddie's destination. She had probably picked up Steve's trail, thinking that Maddie and Steve were together.

Maddie wondered momentarily how Steve was faring. She was surprised at how kind he'd been to her. She'd never given much thought to Steve one way or another. She'd only met him a few times, and she'd always thought he was a weakling, depending
upon his sister. His involvement in the theft for which the Sanale brothers had been imprisoned would land him in prison if he were caught. She actually found herself hoping he could flee to Japan. She'd helped him by untying him and giving him a chance to escape, and she hoped she wouldn't have to tell the authorities anything about his past.

When the sounds of Edena's wailing faded completely, Maddie drank some water, turned on the flashlight, and walked toward the coast. She stumbled into a barnyard beside a small dwelling. A dog lunged in her direction, barking and snarling at her. Maddie jumped backward and evaded the dog, relieved to know that he was tied. A light came on in the house, and she ran quickly back the way she'd come. They might be the relatives Edena had gone to find. In any case, the barking dog could alert Edena to her whereabouts.

Maddie rushed on until she came to a steep incline that she couldn't walk down. She didn't have a watch, and she had no idea what time it was, but she decided to wait until daylight. Using the light again, she located a small cave and crawled into it, thankful that she didn't have to worry about snakes in Hawaii.

Maddie wished for a Bible, but she supposed the one Miss Caroline had given her when she left VOH was at the bottom of the Pacific with her other possessions. Leaning against the damp wall of the cave, Maddie wondered why she wasn't more afraid than she was. Miss Caroline spent hours each night
praying for the current and former residents of VOH. Considering the time difference, Miss Caroline had finished her nightly prayers, but Maddie had no doubt that her mentor had talked to God about her situation. By now Linc would know she'd been kidnapped, and he and Roselina would be praying, too.

As she waited for sleep to come, Maddie remembered that David, a Hebrew king mentioned in the Old Testament, had been trapped in a cave by his enemies. God had delivered David from the wrath of King Saul. David had written several of his psalms of worship and praise when he'd been running from his enemies. At one time his enemies had surrounded his house, and he'd prayed for God to deliver him from the ones who'd risen up against him. David had faith that God would deliver him, and Maddie remembered the words he'd written.

God, I do praise You tonight for delivering me from my enemy. I feel evil closing around me, but there's a way out of my predicament. I may not know the way, but You do. God, I pray for Linc tonight. In spite of our angry words to each other, I believe he loves me, and he'll be really worried about me. Please bring us together again as soon as possible if it's Your will
.

It was still dark when Maddie woke up, and she wondered anxiously what time it was. The moon was no longer shining, so that could mean it was almost daylight. She took the bread and cheese from the pack Steve had strapped on her back, ate about half of it, and started on her last bottle of water.

A crowing rooster alerted Maddie, indicating that daylight was imminent. It also told Maddie she was still too close to that little farmstead. Slowly, light filtered around her, and she felt like crying when she noticed that a heavy fog covered the mountain. She couldn't see more than ten feet in any direction. What could she do? Which direction should she go? She had to make some move, and she walked cautiously along the cliff area until she saw a narrow path going downward. She had no idea in which direction she was going. She knew it would eventually lead to the coast, but it might be in the opposite direction from the park.

As the sky lightened, she surmised that the sun was shining, but still she couldn't see. She became aware that helicopters were flying around the island. She heard a plane fly overhead, which sounded like the motor of Linc's, but for all she knew, dozens of airplanes might have the same sound.

When the fog finally lifted, Maddie was still a long way from the water, but there was a small town a few miles below her. If she went there, she could probably get some help, but she might also encounter Edena. She chose to stay out of sight as much as possible, but when a helicopter flew overhead, she
took off her shirt, stepped out into the open and waved it back and forth. She thought the pilot had seen her because he circled her position two times before he flew away. She knew there wasn't any place a helicopter could land on this mountain, so she shrugged into her shirt and hurried on. She judged she was only a mile from the coast when she turned and saw Edena behind her. Maddie didn't think Edena had seen her, however, for she was looking at the ground, perhaps trying to find Maddie's tracks.

Maddie had no time to waste, and keeping undercover as much as she could, she ran downward. Soon she saw Hõnaunau Park below her with the reconstructed place of refuge on its little peninsula. She ran out on the pebbly beach and stopped in dismay. When she and Linc had been here, it must have been low tide, for there had been very little water in the inlet. Now several feet of water stood between her and safety.

She recalled the day she'd envisioned an ancient prisoner who had run down the steep hill seeking refuge. She'd thought how discouraged he would have been if he couldn't cross the water. She could empathize with the hunted man now. Could she possibly swim through that water?

Hearing calls from the other side of the inlet, she saw two men. One of them was Linc. “I'm coming after you,” he called. He jumped into the water and started swimming toward her.

Hearing a shout behind her, Maddie looked over
her shoulder. Edena was no more than thirty feet away, stumbling along the path. Maddie had never swum in the ocean, and as tired as she was, she didn't know if she was able to swim, but she wouldn't stand here and wait for Edena to capture her.

She threw away the backpack and rushed into the water. The high waves swirling around her legs threw her off balance, and she fell headfirst into the water. She surfaced and saw Linc's graceful strokes as he swam toward her. Her strength was about spent, but she kept the place of refuge in view between strokes. Every minute she expected Edena to come up behind her until she remembered the woman's statement that she didn't know how to swim.

Once a wave turned Maddie over, and she floundered in the strong current. When she surfaced, she blinked the water from her eyes and located Linc not far away.

They met midway. “Hold on to me,” Linc said, “and let me tow you to shore. We'll make it.”

The waves of the incoming tide buoyed them toward shore. When Linc's feet touched bottom, he put his arm around Maddie and pulled her to safety. He slumped down on the beach and Maddie collapsed beside him as they struggled to breathe.

Several state policemen surrounded them, and Maddie knew she was safe at last. She leaned on an elbow, looked across the water and saw Edena disappearing into the bushes, heading back up the hill.

One of the cops said, “We'll get her. She can't get
very far. We'll radio police in Kona and Hilo to help us. Are you all right, ma'am?”

She nodded. Detective Warren knelt beside her.

Taking stock of Maddie's torn clothing, her scratched arms and legs, and her bedraggled appearance, Warren said, “You may be all right, but you're going to the hospital. Soon enough to talk about your experiences later. We have an ambulance standing by.”

Two orderlies came with a gurney, and when they took hold of Maddie's arm to help her to stand, she collapsed. Linc crawled to her side.

“Maddie!” he cried. He looked up at Claudia Warren, who felt the pulse in Maddie's neck and wrist.

“She's all right. I suspect shock and exhaustion caused her to faint. We'll take her to the hospital in Kona. You can follow in your car.”

 

Whether from shock or fatigue, Maddie slept for eighteen hours. Linc refused to leave her. His anger was kindled when he saw the bruise on her fair skin where she'd been hit. Her wrists were bandaged, but he'd seen the abrasions on her arms when she'd been rescued.

He hovered over her bed, caressing her hands until a nurse said, “You'll have to go out of the room if you don't leave her alone. The woman is worn out. She needs to rest.” With a sympathetic smile, she patted him on the shoulder, saying, “Will you behave?”

“Yes,” he said reluctantly, backing away from the bed.

“Then sit in that chair by the window and take a nap. You look as bad as she does, and we don't want you for a patient.”

Linc did as the nurse said, and Maddie woke up before he did. She had an IV in her arm, and wires strung all over her body. She lay motionless, not knowing if she should, or could, move. She quietly watched the even rise and fall of Linc's chest. His head leaned against the back of the chair. He'd taken off his shoes and propped his feet on a wastepaper can. A stubble of beard blackened his face and his hair was tousled, as if he'd been frantically threading it with his fingers. A blanket covered his body.

The door opened, and a nurse peered into the room. When Maddie smiled at her and put her finger to her lips in a bid for silence, the nurse glanced toward Linc. She moved quietly to Maddie's bed, took her pulse and temperature, and checked her blood pressure.

“How are you feeling?” she said softly.

“Like I've been in a fight with a wildcat. My hands and feet burn, and I'm sore all over. My lips are swollen. Other than that I'm in good shape,” she added with a grimace.

“Mr. Carey might need his sleep,” the nurse said, “but he's been waiting for hours to talk to you. He won't forgive me if I don't let him know you're awake.”

She walked to the window, pulled the blinds and
drapes aside. Linc stirred, yawned, apparently realized where he was, and his eyes darted toward Maddie's bed. He jumped out of the chair and hurried to her in his stocking feet.

“How are you?” he said anxiously.

“Alive! That's all that matters.”

He leaned toward her, and his lips grazed hers tenderly. “I've lived through torment the last few days, fearing I'd never see you again. I don't know how I'd have lived without you.” He turned to the nurse. “When can I take her home?”

“Her doctor will have to decide that, but I imagine she'll have to stay for another day, at least.” She smoothed the pillows under Maddie's head, asking, “Are you hungry?”

“I don't know. I'm thirsty, though.”

“I'll order some juice and fruit for you. And a tray for you, Mr. Carey, so you eat with her.”

When the nurse left, Linc caressed Maddie's face with a tender hand. “It was the Sanales who kidnapped you, I guess.”

“Only
one
Sanale, who happens to be a woman. Her brother, Kamu, died from a wound he received when he broke out of prison. Edena took it on herself to avenge the deaths of all the male members of her family.”