Free Hunted by T.M. Bledsoe

up there.”
    Sam was silent for a moment and then took a step back from Lanie so he could look down at her.  “I’m proud that you had the mind about you to want to take pictures, but nothing is worth risking your life for, Lanie,” he told her vehemently.  “ If this person had something to do with Stacy Miller’s murder, then he could very well have…I don’t want you to put yourself in that sort of situation ever again.  Do you understand?”
    Lanie nodded, trying not to let her chin quiver.  “I won’t.”
    “It wasn’t a smart move, squirt,” Sam said, shaking his head again.  “But, I’m…glad that you managed to get a picture of the license plate.  The car was gone when I got there, so with your pictures I can put out a BOLO.  If he’s still in town, we’ll find him and haul him in for questioning.”
    An unexpected stab of guilt lanced Lanie.  If the young man had nothing to do with what happened to Stacy Miller, then she was causing him some very unnecessary trouble.  And come to think of it, if he had been the one to…do that…to Stacy, then why hadn’t he done it to her?  He’d had the perfect opportunity.  Yet, he’d told her to go home because it wasn’t safe to be out there.  But, who knew.  Maybe the poor guy was crazy.
    Sam stepped back from Lanie and tried to force a smile to his lips, but it seemed to be rough going.  “Just swear to me that you won’t put yourself at risk like that again.  Okay?”
    “I won’t.  I promise,” she vowed, meaning it.  Those few seconds out there in the woods hadn’t exactly been fun for her and she had no desire to repeat them.
    “And I mean what I said, squirt.  You aren’t walking around town on your own.  You’re not going any further than downtown and school and I want you inside before the sun sets.  And I want phone calls so I’ll know what you’re doing.”
    “Okay,” she agreed.  “But, am I allowed to drive?  I have a lot of school stuff going on.  We’re planning the Homecoming float and all that stuff.”
    “You can do your school activities, but I want someone with you when you go out.  In fact, why don’t you have Devyn and Johnna stay here with for a few days?  I’ll be working and Gretchen can’t be here day and night…” Sam paused, a very strange look crossing his face.
    “What?” Lanie asked, her heartbeat speeding up.  “What’s wrong?”
    Sam swallowed hard.  “If this guy is responsible for what happened to Stacy, and you came face to face with him, then you can identify him.  And he knows that.”
    Something cold wafted through Lanie and her breath sped up.  “Wh-what does that mean?  I-I mean…I-I…wait.  Wait!  He…he was at The Pub this afternoon when we were there.  Everyone saw him!  The waitress saw him because I bought him some food and she took it to him!” she exclaimed hopefully.
    Sam’s dark brows shot up in surprise.  “You bought food for him?” he repeated, slightly confused.
    Lanie sucked in a breath, trying to get her thoughts in order.  “Yes.  He…he was sitting by himself in the corner and he looked…hungry.  So, I ordered him some food and the waitress took it to him.  Devyn, Johnna, Finn, and Brady all saw him there.  It wasn’t just me.”
    Sam took that in for a minute before pulling out his cell phone.  “But, you were the only one who saw him in the woods, with his vehicle.  And if something happens in that area, you’re the only one who can put him in the vicinity at a specific time.”
    Again, Lanie had that feeling of cold waft through her.  “Has s-something else happened?”
    “Not that I know of, but I’m having Deputy Sterling search the area right now,” Sam stated.  “I’ll have Deputy Smitty go and talk to the waitress at The Pub.  Maybe she talked to the guy.”  He turned a very serious expression to Lanie, worry heavy on his face.  “Call Devyn and Johnna and see if they can come stay with you for a few