Hard Road by Barbara D'Amato Read Free Book Online

many of the tunnel spaces underneath have simply been forgotten.
     
     
We huddled behind the pillar. It was rusty and flaky and something damp was running down one side, making dripping sounds as it hit the floor, but I was grateful for the icky pillar's existence.
     
     
Very little glow of light reached into our alcove. But the dim light was a lifeline. I couldn't imagine how horrible it would have been down here if we had been in total darkness. When I saw the glow dim slightly, my heart sank. I squeezed Jeremy's arm, hoping he would be silent.
     
     
If it were Barry moving around out there in the tunnel, wouldn't he call out to us? Wouldn't he call for Jeremy?
     
     
And if he called, should I answer?
     
     
If he called, would I be able to stop Jeremy from answering?
     
     
     
    5
LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS
If I caught sight of the man, and if it was Barry, I decided I would cover Jeremy's eyes. He mustn't see his father trying to kill him. And what we could do about it later, assuming we survived, would just have to be decided when and if that time came.
     
     
But, in my heart, I could not believe the killer was Barry. He was a gentle man. He had never shown the least sign of violence, beyond a certain childhood fascination with the high school wrestling team. In fact, he was probably back at the festival offices, handling the crisis and coordinating with the police. He would assume we had left the park, since Jennifer had told him we would. He would think we were halfway home by now, safe and sound.
     
     
We held absolutely quiet and perfectly still. I was so scared Jeremy might twitch, or call out, or sneeze, or just whimper, that I felt nauseated. Then, when he didn't, I was so proud of him, I kissed the top of his head.
     
     
If we ever get out of this, kid, you can have all the ice cream I can afford.
     
     
Why, in heaven's name, had I left my cell phone in the car? How stupid could I be? Oh well, like sour grapes thinking, I decided it probably wouldn't have worked down here anyway. Of course it certainly couldn't work if I didn't have it.
     
     
We waited. The dim light had returned, but the stalker could still be very near. He could have come into this smaller tunnel. Then I heard something rattle nearby, something like a tin can. I tried not to tremble.
     
     
Whoever it was, he was certainly in our tunnel now, somewhere beyond the alcove. Had he come in silently and then walked beyond, passing us? If so, was he now turning and creeping back? He couldn't be sure where we were, could he?
     
     
Jeremy whimpered. I froze. Oh, gee! Had the man heard the sound? I squeezed Jeremy's arm, telegraphing, "Be quiet."
     
     
Something ran past my feet. A rat? I almost screamed. But I held the scream inside, and Jeremy apparently hadn't felt the animal brush past.
     
     
Whatever it was slunk across the floor. I saw it go, and it looked too big to be a rat, but in the darkness I couldn't really be sure. Then from a few feet away I heard a man whisper, "Shit!"
     
     
We held still. An eon later, I realized that I had seen no shadow shift, no change in light intensity, for quite some time. Had he moved away? Maybe. Scared of the rat? Or more likely, convinced the rat had been the source of the sound Jeremy had made. I had not heard him walk away. Had he slipped farther into the dark tunnel? Or gone back the way he had come?
     
     
Was he lying quietly in wait? Possibly inches away?
     
     
Did I know whether he was ahead of us— or behind us?
     
     
No.
     
     
What now? We couldn't very well go farther into this smaller tunnel, if the stalker had gone past. He'd probably double back eventually, when he didn't find us. We couldn't go back the way we had come, to the larger tunnel. He could be waiting there for us to try to get out. Near us, somewhere to the south, was the Grant Park Underground, a very large, two-level subterranean parking garage that could house six thousand cars and had lots of