Countdown: A Hat Creek Thriller, #3

By Elizabeth Rain

In the sinister shadows of the Little Hat Creek Preserve, the clock has started...

Elle came to reimagine the little abandoned camp she bought there into a source of solace and redemption for the wronged. But in one short minute, her refuge becomes a madman's playing field, praying on the innocent, turning their lives into a macabre display for the twisted amusement of a sadistic killer.

With each life gone, a chilling calling card is left behind.

It's all for Elle, challenging her to decipher the cryptic clues before time runs out and the grand finale is realized.

Along with the extraordinary instincts of her loyal canine partner, Mia, she's in a race to thwart a deadly madman at his own game.

The stakes are mounting in a heart-pounding race to the end, where survival may be measured in seconds.

For Elle and the residents of the Hat Creek Preserve, time is short; let the COUNTDOWN begin…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elizabeth Rain
• Release date: Aug 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215633731

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Stuart Madry glanced over at his wife, Kitty, as she positioned her kayak on shore and stood up straight, double-checking her vest and helmet one last time for their run down the westernmost fork of the Little Hat River. She was petite and blonde, with blue eyes that he lost himself in daily even after five years together and three years of marriage. For someone just a bare couple of inches past five foot and at a hundred and ten pounds soaking wet, she had a lot of game for someone so small. Her sheer pluckiness was what had first attracted him, and her thirst for adventure. Like him, his dear Kitty was a bit of a thrill seeker, and they shared a love for the challenges of white-water kayaking in particular.

She reached down and adjusted the ties on her paddle, giving the little boat a fond pat and straightening. She glanced his way and grinned. "Can’t wait to try 'em out. I can’t believe you picked them up for that price. Rewinds—a bit over-classed for a novice like me, don’t you think?" He didn’t answer right away, finding himself momentarily tongue-tied when she gave him a playful wink.

Perfect for you. Don’t sell yourself short. Did you check out the rocker on these? All that curvature means better tracking and maneuverability. We’ll need it today. Besides, you’re almost as good as me.

It wasn’t an insult. Stuart had been whitewater kayaking competitively since he was sixteen. When he’d met her, Kitty had been a novice of the sport—but no longer.

Class III and IV at best, that’s what the fliers claim.

He shook his head, glancing downstream where the first set of rapids boiled around a set of rocks the size of city buses. Hitting one of those would hurt! Gotta factor in the time of year and maybe up that number a notch in most cases. Springtime with all the rain and run-off is unpredictable.

We could have waited another month.

He grinned. We’ll be busy with something else by then. And we won’t be kayaking.

Her cheeks grew rosy, her eyes darkening. I think starting a family scares me more than Belladonna’s Flower.

He grimaced, worrying his jaw back and forth as he thought of the Class IV set of rapids they’d be hitting about a half-mile down river. He carefully checked his own gear. It’ll be closer to a Class V this time of year. Maybe you should let me go first, so I’m there to catch you when you come through.

She snorted, edging her boat towards the water, picking up her paddle. You mean so you’ll be there to rescue me when I crash? No thanks, I’m going first. You promised, remember?

He took a couple of steps and snatched her around the waist, pulling her up on her toes and laying a hard kiss on her surprised mouth. Just make sure you get there in one piece. You’re not going to use being laid up in the hospital as an excuse to put off getting pregnant, he teased, releasing her and stepping back.

Her eyes gleamed. Promise you that. Both adjusted their boats, getting in and rearranging their spray decks, making any final adjustments to keep the water out. The waterproof covering prevented their small crafts from being swamped in the powerful waves.

With a last playful look in his direction, she tipped her fingers to her mouth and shot him a kiss—and shoved off.

Swearing because he wasn’t quite ready, Stuart waited and watched as she approached the first set of rapids and went in, her purple and blue tie dye-colored kayak bobbing and disappearing in the steep waves as she narrowly missed the rocks and careened around the bend ahead of him. It was important to give her enough of a head start that they wouldn’t be as busy avoiding each other as all the other obstacles and the stiff currents in the river at the same time.

Fully thirty seconds behind her, he hit the same current and followed. It was a four-mile stretch, with at least a dozen rapids along its length, four of them noteworthy enough to be labeled for experts only. And spring only acted to speed things up. His muscles straining, his body twisting and the paddle dipping as he leaned side to side and forward, Stuart tried to remember the quirks of each major rapid as highlighted by the guide back at Lovelace Resort where they were staying. They’d opted to go it alone, but had agreed to the pick-up downstream, about a half-mile past the last set of rapids. As runs went, it was relatively short, and less than forty-five minutes later he gasped, catching his breath as he passed through the last major one and the water smoothed out, becoming flat as the elevation leveled and the water grew deeper and slowed. Up ahead of him, Kitty sat to the side where the current had stilled and grinned at him. He lifted his paddle in the air and gave a great whoop-whoop. He reached her and nearly dumped her in the water when he hauled her in for a hard excited kiss. That was so wild! And you did great! I wish we had time to do that again!

Kitty laughed. I can’t wait to teach our kids how to kayak!

A soft look filled his eyes. Me neither. You’re going to be a great mom.

If we have a daughter, she’ll be a daddy’s girl, Kitty teased.

You bet! Come on, I’m starving. The quicker we get picked up and back the sooner we eat. I made reservations for lunch at Portia’s.

I can’t wait.

Together they moved into the slower current, sipping at bottled water they’d brought along, with a high protein bar they’d secured in their little zippered pockets for an extra boost of energy. Whitewater kayaking was as strenuous as it was exhilarating, and the surge of adrenaline they used up was exhausting. It had turned out to be a beautiful day, the temperature climbing into the eighties, the sun bright in a blue cloudless sky overhead. A thin trail of white made its way in a straight ribbon towards Marquette, less than five miles away—a jet carrying passengers to their next vacay destination or back home from some business trip.

Up ahead, the river meandered for the last half-mile, curving around to the south for a minute before straightening back out and approaching the landing where they would get out.

A flash of white in a large pine and dipping wings made them catch their breaths as a bald eagle flew from its perch and dipped into the water ahead of them, lifting a sizable salmon free, its silver underbelly flashing in the sun as it twisted. Wish I had a camera for that one!

Kitty sighed, catching his eye and tapping her helmet. It wouldn’t have done it justice. Some pictures are best kept right here where we can pull them out anytime we want.

True, he agreed as they followed the curve in the river. They observed the large bird’s graceful flight as she rose above the trees and disappeared from sight.

Do you suppose she’s feeding babies?

Or he. Both care for the young, and it is April.

She nodded and gave a contented sigh, holding her paddle aloft and taking a moment to stretch her arms over her head, the sun warm on her cheeks.

Around the bend a large wall of sand rose into the air, washing down to a narrow strip of rocky shore at its edge. Their eyes followed the yellow umber upwards, snagging on the trees that dotted the side of the steep hill in a mad tumble of graying limbs and roots where the earth had eroded away and brought them down. Near the top, others clung to the side of the upper bank, their roots partially exposed and gleaming.

Kitty had stopped paddling, frowning. What’s that? she asked, an odd note to her voice.

Stuart grinned. Could be box elder, or cottonwood. I’m not sure of the species, he teased. He worked in IT—he was no botanist.

Not that, she said sharply, her breath coming faster. There, Stuart, tangled in that tree in the center. That’s...a...it’s a body! she croaked, grabbing at her throat, her eyes wide, her face blanching.

Stuart shook his head as he finally saw what she did, too, swallowing. A Halloween prank, I’m sure...

She shot him a glare. In April? Don’t be a dunce! Look at the crows, Stuart. Are they part of the joke?

And he did, their shouts of raucous alarm making the black feathered beasts rise into the air, cawing annoyingly. Yellow eyes gleamed down at them with irritation at being interrupted at their meal.

Stuart’s stomach gave a mad lurch, and he gagged at the sight of empty dark sockets where eyes should have been. He’s naked, he managed. He glanced at his wife in time to see her bend over the side of the boat and heave up the contents of her stomach, the boat rocking precariously at the sharp motion.

She shot him a dark look. You didn’t miss the hole in the middle of his forehead, right? Someone shot a man, crucified him to the roots of a dead cottonwood tree overlooking the river for anyone to see, and that’s the best you got? Well, somebody fetch the man some underwear. I don’t think he cares.

That’s sarcasm. I don’t think I like it much. He shook his head with a shudder, looking away from the corpse dangling close to a hundred feet above their heads. He paddled faster. Come on. We need to get back and call the police and let them know about this.

Stuart.

He glanced behind at his wife and hesitated, gulping.

I think you’d better cancel those reservations. I’m not hungry anymore.

He waited for her to catch up, feeling ashamed for letting his panic get the better of him. He’d started to leave his wife behind.

Me neither. And here I thought the Belladonna was going to be my biggest thrill of the day.

Kitty snorted, her paddle cutting fast and smooth through the water. It wasn’t even close. And speaking of the pictures in our heads, what do we do to get rid of the ones we’d like to forget?

ELLE HELD THE BOARD steady while August used the screw gun to secure it in place. It was the last bit of the flooring on the new dock they were installing. Tomorrow, they’d be able to start on the rails. After that they’d be finished and able to paint. It’s really coming together. I should feel guilty that you’re doing all the work. Elle smiled down at his grizzled head, his broad shoulders bunching as he cinched the last one down and looked up, one bushy brow arching in amusement.

You probably should. Lucky thing for you you’re broke, and I’m a charitable sort.

Elle chuckled, straightening and placing a fist in the small of her back and stretching out the kinks.

There’s definitely something to be said for cheap labor.

August stood up to his full height, and Elle stepped back, looking way up. She wasn’t short, but at six foot six, August towered over almost everyone. All these months later and she still didn’t buy the homeless act that had brought him to her doorstep that past fall. But she wasn’t arguing either, since he could outwork five grown men on a bad day.

She looked towards the cabins, up aways past the long slope of yard on the hill, overlooking Ghost Lake. It was a tranquil spot most of the time, though Elle would be the first to admit that trouble seemed to have a way of finding them, even way out in the middle of the Hat Creek Wilderness Preserve. It was a protected tract of ground nearly five-thousand square acres square, and several miles from the closest town of Veil Falls.

Near one of the smaller cabins, a slight figure was working around the outside of the cabin in a little flower bed. Next to her in a little portable bassinet was the youngest member of their camp, Miss Gracie Williams, cute as a button at all of a couple of months old.

It’s time for dinner. I had a bagel for breakfast, and we skipped lunch, Elle stated decisively, glancing at August with narrowed eyes. The man was the devil when it came to finishing what he started. He didn’t like to quit when he was on a roll.

I don’t know...we could at least set the posts...

By yourself. A half-hour break won’t kill you. I bet you skipped breakfast, too, didn’t you? Think how much faster you’ll be after filling your belly.

He gave a dark chuckle and stored the drill, straightening. Fine. A half hour, no more. Daylight’s burning.

I’ve got a big pot of bean and ham soup in the slow cooker, and I made corn muffins last night. I just have to grab the salad and I’ll have enough to feed an army. Or at least one big stubborn mountain of a man.

He grinned, glancing down at her. Is that a fat joke? Because I worked hard to get these hips.

They moved off the dock and started up the hill and Elle looked around, frowning. Where’s Mia? She was just here a minute ago...

He nodded, looking towards the woods with an answering scowl. I swear that dog can’t be trusted to stay put.

He wasn’t wrong. She had a habit of disappearing the minute Elle’s back was turned.

She cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled as loud as she could. Mia...

Almost immediately, they heard an answering yelp from the direction of the woods, high in the pines. It came again, closer.

Elle cocked her head, her brows knitting. That doesn’t sound like her happy voice, she murmured with suspicion, watching for her dark chocolate coat to appear from the edge of the woods. Seconds later another howl came, more frantic than the last as she emerged along the trail that ran close to the shoreline near where Ghost Lake fed into the Little Hat River and the multiple creeks that split off from it in the park.

August gave a grunt. She’s running as if something is chasing her, but I can’t see anything, he mused.

Elle shook her head. There was nothing behind her, but Mia was definitely running all out, her tail tucked low, the hair raised along the ridge of her back. Elle could make out the whites of her eyes sprung wide as she grew closer, yowling as if she had a firebrand tied to her tail.

What the... Elle muttered, her hands going to her hips, her eyes straining several yards beyond her to...nothing.

Oh... August said all at once, standing straighter. Um...the grass.

Elle looked at the thick weeds several yards behind Mia’s pistoning hind-quarters, and her eyes narrowed on the waving fronds. The wind wasn’t moving, but something small and low to the ground was. When Mia finally broke into the yard, Elle gasped. No more than a few yards behind her, slithering for all it was worth, was the biggest, blackest, longest snake she’d ever seen.

She turned to August, her mouth open to speak...and stopped. She stared in consternation at his retreating back, running full out towards the cabins. She heard him shout to Tessa as he crested the hill.

She moved to follow, watching as he picked the baby up without pausing. Get in the cabin right now. I’ve got Gracie. He didn’t wait, already clearing the steps in a bound.

You great big lug! What are you doing? she screeched, dirty hands on her hips as she stared after him, open-mouthed.

Snake! he gasped. It was apparently the magic word to shut her up. Elle was close enough to watch the color fade to gray in her dusky skin and then she was high-tailing it up the steps behind him, leaving everything else behind. The bang of the cabin door was sharp and final.

With a snort of disgust, Elle bounded up the steps of her own cabin, Mia right on her heels. She could hear the slither of the snake as it followed. She crossed the threshold to the door and whirled, slamming the screen shut just in time. She heard the clatter of chairs and the bump of the table and found Mia, huddled as far beneath it as she could manage, shivering.

Elle turned and looked through the screen, hopeful that the snake had given up and had left. Instead, all five foot of it, as big around as her arm, had coiled itself, its head lifted and beady yellow eyes glaring straight at her with dark malice. Elle groaned. She wasn’t afraid of snakes per se. She liked garters fine. They ate the bugs and didn’t hurt anyone. But she wasn’t tangling with anything that big, and this one looked as if it was settling in to stay.

With a groan of disgust, she leaned close to the screen and looked towards cabin number seven, right next to hers and shouted, August, get out here and fetch a shovel and get rid of it.

He can’t! Tessa’s muffled answer came back through the closed door.

Why not?! Elle shouted back in frustration.

Because he’s locked himself in the bathroom with Gracie. I can’t get him to open it up.

That brought her up short. In all the time she’d known the man, she’d never seen him afraid of anything. She looked back at the snake, pursing her lips, and made a shooing motion with her hands. Go on, git, right back where you came from you...you snake in the grass!

The blue racer flicked its tongue at her, unmoving. Elle was sure it looked hungry. Just swell. She glanced at Mia, who was still cowering under the table. Are there any more presents you want to bring home for us?

Elle reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone and tapped her contacts sharply with her finger until she found the right one. It started ringing and she waited.

Yeah?

I need your help.

I’m busy right now. Can this wait?

Elle growled. No, Jacob Crawley, it can’t. I need you over here now. And bring a gun and a shovel.

There was a long, pregnant pause.

And...why?

Because August is a coward, that’s why.

Isn’t shooting him a little drastic?

Elle closed her eyes and groaned in frustration. It isn’t for him. Just...get here, okay?

He sighed on the other end. I’m on my way.

Fifteen minutes later, Jacob pulled up the long drive and parked. Seconds passed before he got out. Elle figured he was waiting to see who—or what, jumped out at him. Finally, he opened the door and headed in her direction.

Better watch out. It’s on the porch! Elle warned him. Where was the man’s gun? And she didn’t see a shovel anywhere in sight. Couldn’t the man even follow the simplest of directions?

Jacob stopped at the bottom of the first step and looked up, his wiry brows raising in disbelief. His mouth turned down. You called me for a little snake? I was right in the middle of the dinner rush and we were short-handed to begin with.

Elle glared down at him through the screen. It’s not little, she stated stubbornly. Can you kill it?

He shook his head. Blood thirsty, aren’t you? What did that snake ever do to you?

It tried to eat us. Elle nodded stubbornly.

He shook his head, and she was sure there was an eye roll in there somewhere. Without another word, Jacob bounded up the steps. It had the expected reaction. The snake twisted in its coils and immediately lashed out in his direction with unerring accuracy. But Jacob was quick on his feet for a big man pushing fifty. He stepped sideways neat as you please, reaching out at the last minute as the head sailed by, and snagging it right behind the head and holding tight. Immediately, the long coils undulated and wrapped around his wrist and forearm nearly to his shoulder.

Ugh, that’s sick. Watch it, he’s going to bite you. It’s a blue racer, isn’t it? Aren’t they poisonous?

Nope. They pack a mean bite, though.

Are you going to kill it?

He shook his head. No reason, and they are great for keeping the rodent population down. I’ll just release him in the woods.

Like, way in the woods. On the other side of the park, right?

Jacob didn’t answer. Got a gunny sack? I’d like to put him down sometime today. He’s got quite a grip on me. I think he’s cutting off my circulation.

Elle glanced back at Mia. She still hadn’t moved. Sure, it’s in the little shed. Keeping a firm eye on the snake, its tongue flicking every few seconds as it tested the air and still moving, trying to get away, Elle opened the screen door. One thing was certain, nobody else was rushing in to help.

A few minutes later he held the sack, the snake safely secured inside. He looked over at Tessa’s cabin. Where is August?

Elle followed his eyes and grimaced. Hiding. Can you believe it?

A slow grin split Jacob’s lips. "I knew he didn’t like them...Tessa, tell the man it’s safe now," he finished with a shout.

There was a pause and a dark rumble of words from inside. Tessa opened the screen door and stepped out onto the porch. She looked at the wriggling sack in Jacob’s hand suspiciously. He wants to know if it’s gone yet. You’d better get it out of here. Gracie is starting to fuss, and he still won’t open the door.

With a snort of laughter, Jacob pulled his keys out of his pocket and looked at Elle. You owe me.

How much?

He shook his head, his smile widening. Nope. Not money.

I have a pot of bean soup...

With ham?

Elle nodded. He shook his head.

Tempting, but that’s not it either.

Elle gave a sigh of frustration, her stomach giving a loud rumble, reminding her that they still hadn’t eaten.

What, then?

A day. You can take one off. I’d like to take the kayaks out around the lake tomorrow morning.

It was on the tip of her tongue to refuse, but he had her at kayak. The man she was determined to do without.

How early?

Before your second cup of coffee. Pack one to go for both of us.

Her brows rose at his bossy tone.

And I’ll bring us fresh chocolate chip scones from Java’s.

She sighed. The man knew an effective bribe, she’d give him that.

Fine, but not before eight.

I can make that work.

Elle watched his broad back as he loaded the gunny sack in the bed of the truck and got in, pulling