Her Last Letter Part 36

"We'll get you out, honey," Linda shouted back. "I promise." She leaned forward, stared wide-eyed at me. "We have to do something. Quick."

I studied her face, and suddenly remembered what Janet had said on my last visit. Did it ever occur to you that Linda knew about the affair?

I pulled off my backpack and reached inside for the rope. "We'll loop this under your arms, then I'll tie the rope to the snowmobile. You can try to dig him out."

At least this way, Linda would have an even chance to survive if the snow did give way. Maybe. And maybe we'd all be pulled over the edge.

I looped the rope around her, then knotted it tightly to the snowmobile. I handed her the telescoping shovel. "Do it fast as you can, but be careful."

I brought the snowmobile around, facing away from the drop, ready to move fast if conditions warranted it. Linda slid onto the snow and crawled to the edge. When she signaled she was ready, I drove forward and brought the rope taut. I backed toward the cliff, easing Linda over the side.

Minutes pa.s.sed while I listened for more signs of s.h.i.+fting snowpack, watched for more evidence of loose snow.

I could hear Wolfgang and Linda talking below, but not their words. Finally, Linda shouted up, "He's okay. I've got his leg free. Pull us up."

Carefully, I drove forward and the rope tightened, the knot stretching wide, but holding. I dragged the two of them up, then over the rim. I continued pulling them across the slope, out of the area in immediate danger of sliding.

I stared at Wolfgang and he stared back. One broken ski, still attached to his boot, dangled behind him in the snow.

"Are you injured?" I asked.

"No," he said. "I'm okay."

"Then I think we should get out of here. It's not safe."

"I agree. Guess I'm lucky to be here."

"You are. Linda, hop on. I'll take you up first."

"No." She shook her head. "Take Wolfgang. I can wait."

"Do as she says, Linda," Wolfgang said, his eyes focused steadily on mine. "It's okay. Let her come back for me."

She stared at Wolfgang, then at me. "All right." She climbed on and we took off up the mountain, stopping only to retrieve her skis.

Once we reached the top, she faced me. "Don't go back down there. I'll go."

"Why?"

"Because ... I.... Just do it, okay? Take the Jeep and get out of here."

"Not a chance. You're coming with me. We'll send someone else back for him. Preferably the cops. Linda, I know he beats you up."

She flinched. "No. Where'd you get that idea?"

"Don't try to deny it. But he's not going to do it again. Not ever."

She averted her eyes, looked down toward the valley. "You don't understand how it is between us. It's not that simple. And it's not all his fault. You know how antagonistic I can-"

"Stop it. Don't even try to blame yourself. You're finished with him."

"Oh," she said, "so easy for you to say. You with your Trevor, your Mr. Perfect, who never does anything wrong. Yeah, Wolfgang is a b.a.s.t.a.r.d, but he's all I have, and I won't leave him.... I can't. Believe me, I've tried."

"Don't talk nonsense. Do you have the keys to the Subaru?"

"No. He has them. Gwyn, let me go back for him. He won't hurt me. Not now."

"You're not going anywhere near him. The guy's a vicious killer."

"You don't know that. Not for sure."

"Linda, by now he's figured out something's up. He'll start climbing out. Come on. We've got to get out of here."

She stared at me, then nodded.

I sat at the wheel of the Jeep, maneuvering it down the snow-choked mountain road, now almost impa.s.sable.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"Call the cops. They can deal with him." I dialed my cell phone, but couldn't get a signal.

"But what if they can't get to him? The road's so bad. He'll freeze. And the cliff ... it could avalanche. He'll be killed."

"Would you stop it? Just stop. The man's a freakin' monster."

For a second, it was as if she'd turned to stone. Then her eyes flashed with fury and her lips thinned. "He's a monster. He's a monster. Haven't you forgotten something here? What about your poor dear Kelly? What about her? You don't think she was a monster? f.u.c.king my boyfriend? Knowing how much I loved him? She was the monster. She was the G.o.dd.a.m.ned monster." Linda stopped, turned her face away. "She wouldn't let me have anything. Not you-not him. Always taking away the people I loved. Take them away and laugh. She deserved to die. The witch."

When we reached the house, I led Linda inside, where she began to cry quietly. I hurried to my studio, about to call the police on the landline, when it struck me that Annabelle hadn't greeted me at the door. "Annie-B?" I called out.

I hesitated, picked up the phone, then stopped.

Someone was behind me.

I turned slowly around.

Craig stood with his back to the door, a finger to his lips. He pushed the door and it clicked closed.

"Did I scare you?" he asked.

"Well ... yes."

"I didn't want her to know I'm here."

I nodded.

"Did you see the pictures I left you?" he said.

"Yes, and I was just about to call the police ... to pick up Wolfgang."

"Not yet."

"Why not?"

"They'll need more evidence. We have to put the pieces together, yours and mine. Did you figure out what T.D. meant?"

"Yes."

I turned my head as Linda's footsteps approached from down the hall. Craig squeezed back behind the door.

"Linda," I said. "Wait out-"

But the k.n.o.b turned and she walked in.

Craig, seeing he was caught, stepped out to reveal himself. Linda let out a shriek.

"It's okay," I said. "It's okay. I was expecting him."

"Who is he?" She shuffled over to me.

"Craig Foster."

She did a double take. "What's going on? Why the h.e.l.l is he here?"

"He's innocent," I said. "He has the rest of the proof. I found something too."

"Okay," he said, "enough talk. I can't stick around here. It's not safe. Show me what you have."

"What about what you have?" I said.

"Just get it, okay? I'll explain soon enough."

"It's upstairs."

I retrieved the bear and brought it back down to the studio. I held it out to him. "This belonged to Kelly. The initials, T.D., were short for Teddy. Kelly hid some things inside." I pulled out the pa.s.sport, license, key, and a note. "This is the part I don't understand." I handed him the note. "It's some kind of weird code. I can't make sense of it."

He studied it, then smiled.

"Yes," he said, "this is exactly what I need. You have no idea. Now, we don't have much time. You have to help me out."

"What?"

"I need you to drop me off. I left my motorcycle where they can't find it. Outside of town. I'll explain everything once we get there."

"Here," I said, "just take the keys to my Jeep. You can call and let me know where you left it."

"You're not listening. I need your help to do this. And everyone's looking for me. They might recognize me if I drive."

"Okay ... I'll drive you."

"Her too," he said.

"Why?"

"Why do you think? She'll spill to the cops the minute we leave."

Linda sat in the front of the Jeep with me. Craig crouched low in the back.

"Which way?" I said.

"Out to the highway, then hang a left."

After several direction changes, I realized we were heading toward the old house. As we approached it, Craig leaned over my shoulder. "Park a couple houses down. I don't want this thing sitting in the drive."

"Where's your motorcycle?" I asked.

"Hidden in the garage."

The three of us hopped out.

"Come on," he said, "follow me."

I looked at Linda, and she at me.

"Well, come on," he said, "before someone spots us. Oh, for ..." He grabbed our wrists and began dragging us across the road. "Hurry up."

We scuttled in and out of shrubbery until we'd reached the back of the house. He finally released us to open the side door of the garage. "See?" He pointed inside at his motorcycle. "Right there. Now do you believe me?"

The minute he turned his back, I gave Linda a push. "Run!"

"What the h.e.l.l?" he cried, and tore off after her. She didn't get very far. He caught her and yelled back at me. "Hey, Gwyn."

I stopped running and turned around.

"Think you should get back here." He took Linda by the hair, pulled her head back exposing her throat, then casually flipped open a switchblade. He pointed the knife at me. "I really think you should get over here."

I complied.

"Listen," he said. "I am innocent. Okay? So don't make me do things I don't want to do. Geez."

"Then let us go."

"I will, after you help me. Wait *til you see what I found. I think you'll be surprised. Hey, you got a key to this place? My way in could be a little messy."

"I have a key."

I turned it in the lock and opened the door.

He pushed us inside. "This way," he said.