Chapter 10

We had tried to make the outside look as though the owners had left and not returned. However, a close inspection would show recent signs that someone had been living here. It now depended upon how closely they would look. I was not optimistic. They had come here. I felt that someone had seen something.

There were four of them and all four were outside the SUV they were using. They were all armed. Two went to the front door and hammered on it. "Open up or we break it down! We know you're in there!"

I whispered, "I'll take the two at the door. Bethany, cover me. Jane, take the one at the back door." I paused, "Ready?" They nodded. "Shoot!" Our shots rang out. My two went down quickly. Jane's took three shots. I opened the door and shot the last one as he came around the corner. All four were dead. Jane was throwing up. Death by close range rifle fire is not pretty. Bethany looked peaked. "Bethany, get outside and watch the lake!" Jane, pack our stuff. We're leaving." I went outside and checked the SUV. The motor was off but the keys were in the ignition. As I turned to head to the house, I heard shots from the direction of the water. Bethany was standing and had shot a jet ski rider toppling him into the water. Jane came out with a suitcase. I said, "Take it next door. Get inside and unlock the garage but don't open it. Load the truck. Come back and get the radios. Bethany, help Jane. I have guard." Her rifle had fallen from her hands as she saw the blood pool from the fallen rider that she shot. She picked it up and followed Jane.

They came back from next door and went inside. A couple of minutes later, they were carrying the radios as I pulled the antennas down and rolled everything up to go into the truck when I went over there. I tried to watch and listen in every direction. Bethany came out carrying a radio and the analyzer. A moment later, Jane was carrying the rest. When they returned, the antennas were down and ready for the truck. "Jane, did you get any clothes for me?"

"Yes, they're packed. I need to get them."

"Great. Bethany, take these and load them in the back of the truck. Stay over there. We'll be there in a moment." As soon as Jane came out, I helped her carry my clothes and some supplies to the truck. We loaded everything inside and were ready to go. I tuned my truck's two-meter radio to the frequency they were using. I heard, " ... no response. Something happened to Paul. No one answers from the lake and the trap should have been sprung. I cranked the truck, went to the garage door and opened it. I jumped back into the truck and we left. We headed due south trying to get away from any search. Jane called Amos and told them what had happened. He and Doris would sit tight. She didn't mention which way we were going and they didn't ask. When she ended the call, she turned her phone off and told Bethany to do the same.

I looked at her questioningly and she said, "There can't be many cell phones that have a charge left. They may be tracking by live cell phones."

"It's possible. Call Amos and Doris and warn them. Tell them that we'll call them tomorrow morning at ten fifteen sharp." She did and cut her phone back off. We rode south away from our lake. I hoped we could return some day and enjoy it in peace.