Submerged

Outside Edson, AB – Friday, June 14, 2013 – 11:48 PM

The hammering rain had let up, but the roads were still wet, and puddles on the highway caused Marcus’s SUV to drag. A gust of wind had worked its way into the region, and he could feel the pull on his vehicle. He’d been driving for about five minutes when he dialed Rebecca’s number on his Bluetooth device. It rang four times before she picked up. Not a good sign.

“Sorry it took so long for me to call back,” he said.

“I expect you’re very busy,” Rebecca replied.

He scrutinized the interior of the SUV. Yeah, I’m busy. “How are you doing?”

“Not so good.”

“What’s wrong?”

He heard her sigh. “I’m dizzy… sleepy.”

“Do not go to sleep, Rebecca. You have to stay awake. Stay on the line with me.” He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

“I’m going to try to back out of these trees. Maybe I can find my way back to the road or highway.”

He waited, listening to the sounds of her breathing and the engine as she revved it.

“I’ve moved back,” she said, “maybe about ten feet. But there’s another problem. One of my headlights is broken and the other is so dim I can’t see three feet in front of me.”

“Put it in park. Don’t worry about trying to get back to the road. It’s too dangerous if you can’t see where you’re going. Last thing you want to do is drive blind out there.”

She lowered her voice. “I tried turning the steering wheel a bit, but it’s pressed so tightly against me that it was sheer torture.”

“You’ve done fine, Rebecca. Take a break. Rest.”

“At least my adrenaline’s kicked in,” she said with a short laugh. “I’m awake now.”

“That’s good. Listen… I have to go now. But I’ll keep calling every five minutes or so. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“I know you’re scared, but you have to be brave for Colton and Ella. Can you do that?”

“I’ll try.”

He tapped the GPS screen and brought up a map of the area. She could be anywhere. “I need you to try to remember some landmarks.”

“I can’t remember anything. It was raining too hard and dark outside.”

“Sometimes we think we don’t remember, but it’s right there, behind a veil. So think back, Rebecca. You left your house and got on the highway heading to Cadomin.”

“Yes. I wanted to take the kids to see the cave.” Her voice broke.

“Did you stop along the highway for gas?”

“No. I filled up earlier.”

“Did you stop for a bathroom break or to buy snacks?”

“Yes, one stop in Edson. The kids needed to go to the bathroom. We were there less than ten minutes. Then we got back out on the highway heading south to Cadomin.”

“How long did you drive before you noticed the truck behind you?”

“I’m not sure. I think I was on the road for maybe ten minutes, but it could have been longer. Once it started pouring, I didn’t notice the time. I was too busy focusing on the road.”

“Listen, Rebecca, I think we can narrow down your location.”

“Oh God… please help us.” She let out a sob.

“I’m working on it. How long did you drive in the rain for?”

“I haven’t got a clue. Maybe fifteen, twenty minutes.”

“You’re doing great. But I have to go now. I’ll—”

“Wait!” she shrieked. “He’s back!”

“What?”

“I see lights behind me,” she sobbed. “He’s coming for us, Marcus. I’m starting the engine.”

“Rebecca, try to stay calm. It could be someone—”

He heard the engine of her car rev up.

“I can’t outrun him,” Rebecca cried.

The squeal of metal on metal made Marcus cringe. “Rebecca?”

She screamed. “We’re going over a cliff! Marc—”

Silence.

“Rebecca?”

No reply.

“Rebecca!”

The line was dead.

He called Leo’s direct line at the center. “The bastard didn’t leave, Leo.”

“What?”

“He rammed the car again. Rebecca said he pushed her car off a cliff.”

“But there aren’t any cliffs in the area.”

“I know. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Nothing did.

“There aren’t any cliffs,” Leo said in a quiet voice, “but there are some steep embankments along the McLeod River.”

Marcus flinched. “The river? Oh hell.”

Chapter Eighteen

Near Cadomin, AB – Friday, June 14, 2013 – 11:56 PM

The interior lights were still on, and Rebecca took stock of her surroundings. Though she couldn’t see anything beyond the windows, she guessed they were at the bottom of a ditch or a quarry. Thankfully, the car hadn’t flipped or rolled, but they had landed with a resounding crash. The front end of the car tipped down slightly, the steering wheel putting more pressure on her ribs.

“Is he coming back?” Colton cried out.

She took in a few ragged breaths and tried to calm her racing pulse. “No, honey. He’s gone now.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Colton. He’s won’t be back.”

She didn’t know if this were true or not. All she saw in the rearview mirror was total blackness. The truck could still be out there, waiting.

She was cold, and her fingers and toes felt numb. She wiggled them, trying to force the circulation back into her hands and feet. She tried to push the steering wheel away, but that only sent daggers into her chest and made her dizzy.