The Storm by L.K. Chapman

Author:L.K. Chapman [Chapman, LK]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-09-16T16:00:00+00:00

6

Having dragged Emily towards May so he could keep his two prisoners close, Bryn started looking about him, muttering to himself.

‘It’ll be okay,’ Emily whispered to May, whose eyes were wide with terror as she sucked in air through her nose, panicking at being gagged. ‘We’ll get out of this somehow.’

Bryn was prowling around in the trees, branches blown down in the storm snapping under his feet. What on earth did he think he could do? Was he planning on burying the man – Andy – in the woods? He had nothing to dig a hole with, was he seriously considering doing it with his bare hands? She tried to still her mind. Bryn wouldn’t really go through with this. Burying a man and killing a young girl; Bryn might be cruel, but that was another level entirely. No, he was just doing this to punish her for deserting him on their wedding day. Soon he’d see reason.

He disappeared out of sight, and Emily shuffled about until her wrists were against a fallen tree trunk. The wood was wet, but she did her best to rub the material binding her hands against the bark. This is hopeless, her mind taunted her. But she ignored her thoughts. She could do this. She had to do this. The strip of fabric Bryn had torn from her dress to bind her hands wasn’t exactly strong – perhaps rubbing it on the bark would be enough. It has to be enough.

Bryn burst back through the trees. ‘There’s a river,’ he said, as if he’d found a pot of gold, ‘with a steep bank down to it, half hidden in the undergrowth. Anyone could fall down there if they got caught in a storm.’

‘Bryn,’ Emily said, keeping her voice strong and calm, ‘May can’t breathe properly.’

Bryn glanced at the whimpering girl, and with a shrug he reached down to pull the handkerchief from her mouth. ‘This isn’t personal,’ he told her. ‘If you want to blame anyone, blame my fiancée.’

‘This isn’t Miss Padfield’s fault,’ May said, her voice fierce all of a sudden.

‘Miss Padfield?’ he said, eyes resting on Emily, ‘This is one of your former pupils, is it?’

‘Bryn, listen to me. This is between you and me. It’s nothing to do with May. Please let me call an ambulance, just in case–’

‘Just in case what? Just in case you’re not a killer?’ he said. ‘Just in case you’re not a maniac who stole a car and ran someone down?’

Emily couldn’t think of a reply and he seized on it. ‘You know I’m right,’ he continued. ‘Driving dangerously in a stolen car and killing a man. They’re going to throw the book at you. Unless you let me help you.’

‘I swerved to dodge a deer. It was raining so hard I could barely see!’ She paused, and then let out a sob at the thought of the poor man lying at the side of the road. This can’t be real. This can’t be happening. ‘And I didn’t steal the car!’ she continued limply.

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