Yuletide Stalker Read online

  Maddie gasped when she noticed the alcoves in the wall of the cave, each holding a bundle that she suspected contained bones. Maddie immediately noticed a sickening smell, no doubt decaying flesh. This was undoubtedly the mausoleum of the Sanale family. If she’d had any doubts before, Maddie had none now. She was slated for death.

  Maddie leaned against the wall of the cave and slid to a lounging position. Steve opened his pack and gave her a chunk of bread and another bottle of water. He sat down not far from Maddie and devoured a portion of the coarse bread.

  Maddie had been hungry, but the acrid scent of her surroundings had taken her appetite. She forced herself to eat, watching as Edena walked from one alcove to the other. She stood by each one, her hand on the bundle of bones and wailed, “He Ola na he ola,” before she moved on to another.

  “What’s she saying?” Maddie asked.

  Steve didn’t answer.

  “Tell me. I might as well know.”

  “A life for a life.”

  “Doesn’t leave much doubt about what she plans for me, does it?”

  With admiration in his voice, Steve said, “I’ll have to admit you’re a plucky woman. If I was going to be the sacrifice, I’d be howling to high heaven.”

  “And what makes you think you won’t be sacrificed, too,” she said quietly. “I heard what she said to you on the boat. Now that you aren’t any use to her as a potential blackmail victim, she’ll kill you. The woman is crazy—don’t think she’ll spare you.”

  Steve shifted uneasily, and the color drained from his face. “She’ll have to catch me first,” he said with forced bravado. “And I can run faster than she can.”

  Maddie shrugged her shoulders and said offhandedly, “Well, good luck.”

  Sounds of helicopters could still be heard, and Edena stood in the cave opening, staring at the sky, muttering angrily.

  After several minutes, she came to stand over Steve and Maddie. “My cell phone won’t work from this point. I’ve got a kinsman living down the mountain a ways. I’m going down there to see what’s going on. If they’re hunting for us, it may be on television.”

  Motioning to Maddie, she said, “Tie her up. She’s smarter than you are, and she’s liable to give you the slip. I want to be sure she’s still here when I get back.”

  Wearily, Steve took some ropes out of his backpack and crawled toward Maddie. She was too tired to resist, so she crossed her hands behind her. She was aware that he didn’t fasten her bonds as tightly as they’d been the night before.

  “Gag her, now.”

  “Is that necessary? With this cave covering us, no one would hear her if she did call out.”

  “I ain’t taking any chance on her being rescued. Put the gag on her.”

  Anger crossed Steve’s face, but he put the gag in Maddie’s mouth. She looked up and saw Edena hovering over Steve, a large rock in her hand. Perhaps the expression in her eyes warned him because he swung around, but he was too late. Edena struck him on the side of his head and Steve fell across Maddie’s knees.

  Laughing like a maniac, Edena pulled him away from Maddie, picked up some more rope and tied his hands and his feet. Taking a large flashlight out of her pack, she sniggered and said, “Don’t go anywhere.”

  Moving fast for a big woman, she disappeared out of the cave in an instant.

  Steve apparently wasn’t dead, or she wouldn’t have tied him, but he looked lifeless. If she expected to live to see another day, Maddie knew she had to leave this cave before the woman returned. She pulled on her hands, which Steve had tied loosely. Ignoring the pain in her wrists, and perspiring with the effort, she pulled and tugged on the ropes. She had no idea how much time had passed before she felt the ropes give a little. By that time, her wrists were bleeding, which in spite of the pain turned out to be a good thing, because when her wrists were wet with her own blood, it was easier to slip her arms out of the ropes.

  Once her hands were freed, she quickly untied her feet and crawled to Steve’s still body. He was breathing, and Maddie rummaged in his backpack and brought out another bottle of water. She drizzled it over his face until he opened his eyes. Maddie found a knife in the pack, too, and cut the ropes from his hands and feet.

  She sloshed more water in his face. Holding his head, he sat up. “What happened?” he asked, still dazed.

  “I got out of the ropes that you tied loosely. I’m leaving before Edena comes back.”

  Steve looked at her queerly. “You actually took time to save me after the way I’ve treated you?”

  Without answering, Maddie searched Edena’s pack. She pulled out a loaf of bread, some cheese and two bottles of water.

  “I can’t go far tonight, but I want to be well away from this cave before daylight. You can do what you want to.”

  Stuffing his belongings in the pack, Steve stood. “Where do you want to go?”

  “To the place of refuge at the national park. I figure if I can get there, she’ll be afraid to come after me. I’ll stay there until someone rescues me.”

  “I’ll go in the opposite direction. I’ve got a friend at Kona, who’ll help me. I have enough money to buy a one-way ticket to Japan. If Edena reports that I was involved in that theft at the Navy Department, I won’t be safe in Hawaii. You can come with me to Kona.”

  “It’s safer if we travel separately. She can’t follow both of us.”

  He reached out his hand and Maddie took it. “You’re an exceptional woman, Maddie. I hope you can escape this madwoman and that you and Linc have a happy marriage.”

  “I’m sorry you were involved in the crime.”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “That’s what happens when you’re too lazy to work.”

  He followed her out of the cave and handed her his flashlight. “There’ll be a moon tonight, and I can travel better without a light than you can. Let me show you the best way to get to Pu’uhonua.” He pointed to a light far below them. “That Coast Guard light is close to the park. If you keep it in sight, you won’t lose your way. Good luck.”

  “Thanks, Steve. You, too.”

  She listened to Steve’s fading footsteps for only a few minutes. Taking a deep breath, Maddie plunged into the darkness.

  Too emotionally spent to go to the office, Linc went home to tell Roselina what had happened.

  “Oh, Mr. Linc. That poor little thing. So much has happened to her. What can we do?”

  “I’ve got the Honolulu police searching, as well as Ed Blake. All I can do is sit beside the telephone and listen for some good news.”

  It was six o’clock when Claudia Warren telephoned him.

  “I think we’ve got something, Mr. Carey, but I don’t know if it’s good or bad news.”

  Linc gripped the telephone tightly as he waited, holding his breath, to hear her report. Roselina hovered over his shoulder.

  “A Coast Guard cutter picked up a suitcase floating near Kealakekua Bay. There was a rope on the suitcase as if someone had tried to sink it. They opened the case and found Madison Horton’s name on several items.”

  “That sounds like she was taken to the island of Hawaii.”

  “That’s the ancestral home of the Sanale family,” Warren said. “We’ve also learned that two people, a man and a woman, loaded a long object in a motorboat and took off from Waikiki Beach early this morning. That bundle could have been Miss Horton.”

  This information frightened Linc. If it was Maddie, was she dead or alive? Had he finally found the one woman in the world for him, only to lose her?

  “The police and the Coast Guard have been patrolling Hawaii in helicopters this afternoon. We’ll start again at first light.”

  “I feel so useless, sitting here, waiting. What can I do?”

  “Why not go to Hawaii tomorrow morning? It seems likely that’s where Miss Horton is, and you’ll be close by when we pick her up.” Warren gave him her mobile phone number. “Several members from our department are going, too, so you can stay in touch with
me. I’ll keep you posted on any progress we have.”

  Roselina wrung her hands when he told her about the floating suitcase.

  “I only pray that they didn’t dump Miss Maddie in the ocean, too.”

  As the same fear haunted Linc, he couldn’t console her. Wiping her eyes, Roselina went into the kitchen, and Linc heard her praying. His mind was so numb, he couldn’t pray, so it was a relief to know that Roselina was interceding on Maddie’s behalf.

  Ed Blake called soon afterward to report that he’d checked the airport, and that Maddie hadn’t gone home. She’d had a reservation, but she hadn’t shown up at the airport.

  Linc told Ed the information he had. “Do you want to fly with me to Kona tomorrow? You might come in handy.”

  “Sure, buddy,” Blake said. “As long as you’re picking up the tab, I’ll go wherever you want me to.”

  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.”

  SEVENTEEN

  The 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.

  For You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my Strength, I sing praise to You; You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.

  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 bec
ame 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.