kept going straight up into the air until it grew faint in the distance. Nick stared dumbfoundedly at the area where the cop had suddenly faded out of sight. What the hell was going on in this screwy place? Then he heard the shout below him and he twisted to stare at the borders of the small creek. It was the two men from Andy Hocum’s gas station - the blond giant and the sandy haired guy. Panicky, Nick snapped off a shot and the blond dived for [p93] cover. [p93] [p ] “The dumb bastard is shooting,” the blond yelled to his companion several yards away. “Let’s get the hell out of here, before he hits something!” He got a brief glimpse of them as they took off through the brush and snapped a shot at them to hurry them along, just as Beth’s car rocked up the rutty road and braked beside the police car. She leaped out yelling for him and he went down the stairs to meet her, the gun still in his hand. Her face was drained of color as she came into the house, the red of her lips looking even more red against the pale wash of her face. “Nick! Where’s Nolan?” “I...” “Oh, my God, Nick! Have you killed him?” “I couldn’t hit him,” Nick told her. “I emptied the magnum at him and he disappeared into the air.” His eyes had a wild look in them, “Right into the air,” he added inanely. Everything was so balled up. Everything was crazy. He wasn’t Nick Danson ... he didn’t know his name ... Brice vanished into thin air ... the two guys were dogging his tracks ... women came out of the woodwork to make love to him. What the hell else could possibly happen? Beth was staring at him. “You killed him,” she breathed. “No, no! He vanished. He vanished ... honest to God, I never even came close to hitting him. I might as well have thrown rocks.” “Men do not disappear into thin air,” she said. “Listen, forget that for a minute. How’d he [p94] know I was here?” [p94] [p
Prev.
Back
Top