The room was growing colder with each passing moment. Her fingers stiffened, and she released the hatchet to rub her hands together to try and warm them up.
Wylie cocked her ear. Had she heard something? A soft shuffling sound?
She waited to see if the sound came again and relaxed when it didn’t.
That’s when a terrible thought struck Wylie. The broken window in the back door. He could easily remove the cardboard and reach inside and unlock the door.
Wylie sensed Randy’s presence before hearing or seeing him. She froze in her spot behind the couch and tightened her fingers around the shaft of the hatchet. She held her breath knowing that he was only a few steps away from her.
There was a soft click, and suddenly the room was cast in a ghostly light.
“Josie, Becky,” Randy sing-songed. “I know you’re in here.”
Wylie pressed her fingers to her mouth to hold back the scream that rose in her throat.
His shadow crawled across the wall. He was getting closer. “Come on,” he called out. “Did you really think I would let you leave? You know better than that. You belong to me.”
Then he was standing over her, staring down. He raised the shotgun and pointed it directly at Wylie’s head. “And you,” he said ruefully. “I wish I would have done this the last time I tried,” he said and pulled the trigger.
Nothing happened. He looked down at his weapon, perplexed, and Wylie leaped up, swinging the hatchet. She struck him on the shoulder, his thick parka taking the brunt of the blow. It was enough to throw him off balance and the shotgun tumbled from his hands, striking the floor.
The hatchet slipped from Wylie’s fingers and skidded across the floor and out of sight. As Randy and Wylie fought to find the weapons, there was the thunderous sound of footsteps on the stairs, and Becky stepped into the beam of light. She pounced on the shotgun, picked it up, and aimed it at Wylie and Randy as they struggled on the floor.
“Stop,” Becky screamed. “Stop!” Randy released Wylie and they both staggered to their feet.
“Run,” Wylie said to the little girl. “Run and hide. Now.”
The girl didn’t move.
“Go now,” Wylie said.
The girl shook her head defiantly. Wylie and Becky exchanged a look. “Run,” Becky said. “Go now.”
“Chamber’s jammed,” Randy said with confidence. “Nothing will happen if you pull the trigger.”
“You don’t know that,” Wylie said. She moved slowly toward the girl while Becky kept the shotgun trained on Randy. Wylie snatched the girl into her arms, carried her across the floor, and opened the front door. Tas slipped past them and out the door as Wylie set the girl on the front porch. “Do what I told you, now. Run and hide. It’s going to be okay, I promise.” Wylie closed the door hoping the girl would run to the barn and take cover.
Becky kept the shotgun pinned on Randy Cutter, who was slowly inching toward her. “Stay put,” Becky ordered, and Randy froze.
Wylie couldn’t make any sense of what was happening. Over the years, she had made an uneasy peace with the truth. Knowing that Jackson Henley had killed her family, had taken Becky, and had gotten away with it. Now the real killer was standing right in front of her. Wylie remembered the day after the murders when Randy Cutter had walked into the barn. The slick knot of fear that had filled her chest.
“Give me the gun, Becky,” Randy said in a low, soothing voice. “I know you don’t want to hurt me. I love you.”
Becky’s hands were shaking so hard she could barely hold on to the shotgun.
“Hand me the gun,” Wylie said. “I can do it.”
“Don’t listen to her, Becky,” Randy said. “Who’s taken care of you all this time? Who gave you a baby? I did. No one else was there for you. Just me. No one even cared that you were gone.”
Becky’s face went slack. She’s giving up, Wylie thought. She’s going to give him the gun.
“Don’t listen to him, Becky,” Wylie snapped. “He doesn’t love you. He killed my parents and my brother. He shot me. He stole you. Everyone looked for you. The entire town. For years. Your mom has never given up. Never.”
“Becky, honey,” Randy said, taking a small step toward her.
Becky pulled the trigger. The wall behind Randy exploded, sending shards of plaster in the air. Becky pulled the trigger again, this time striking the ceiling. Both Randy and Wylie shielded their heads from the falling debris. Becky pulled the trigger again and again until the chamber was empty.