You Can't Hide by Theresa Sneed (uplifting novels TXT) 📕

out to her parents, but was concerned that her voice would give them an awful fright. Seriously. They had believed her dead all these years, and to suddenly hear her voice, would no doubt startle them.

She thought to turn back, too, in case they had doubled back another way. “But, I’m almost to the falls, and I might as well go there first before heading back to the farm.” Her voice seemed loud in the quiet trees, maybe that’s why the sudden rustling in the surrounding bushes startled her. The hairs pricked on the back of her neck.

The prison guard untied a string and tried to work the hood off over Merrick’s head. It was obvious he didn’t want him to remove it. He thrashed violently, as if trying to untether his arms to stop the man. It was in vain, though, and within seconds, his angry eyes sought for the guard.

It was a bit pathetic the way he jerked about, like an animal caught in a trap. The irony of it all was strangely comforting to Nancy. She stepped to the glass that separated her from the man who had robbed her of so much. It was obvious that he had no intention to look her way as he continued to strain his neck far to the side.

“They may have to sedate him first,” the chaplain said.

“No,” Nancy said, a quietness to her voice. Not taking her eyes from Merrick, she placed her hand on the window. “He has to stop sometime, and then, he will look at me.” She turned to the chaplain. “May I talk to him?”

He stared at her for a long time, but then stepped to the phone. On the other side, one of the prison guards answered it, and then flipped a switch under the row of phones.

The sounds of heavy breathing and the prison guards moving about, filled the room where Nancy and Winnie waited.

“Merrick,” she said. “Merrick Snyder.”

He kept his head as far away from her as possible.

“You will die soon, but before you do, I want you to look at me.”

No response from the other side of the glass, his head was still twisted away.

One of the prison guards glanced down at his watch. “If you’d like, I can hold his head to face you.”

Merrick jolted his head toward the man. “You will not.”

The other prison worker shrugged. “I’ll help.” Between them, they grabbed his head and forced it to face forward, while Merrick’s foul obscenities filled the room.

With his eyes full on her now, Nancy’s heart froze. Every part of her wrenched. She fell against the glass. An agent was quick at her side. “Are you okay, ma’am?”

She pointed a trembling finger at Merrick. “No!”

“Nancy?” Winnie rushed up beside her. She tried to pull her away from the glass.

“No, Winnie!” Fear gripped her. “Look!”

Winnie followed Nancy’s shaky hand to the man who had murdered her son. Her face reflected Nancy’s fear. She choked on her words, “But, it can’t be.”

The chaplain stepped between them. “What’s wrong?”

Nancy’s heart beat fast, everything started to spin. She clutched at the chaplain’s arm. “That’s not Merrick!”

Thirty-Two

Switched

At the farmhouse, they gathered around to watch the execution. Louise parted the curtains and looked out toward the path. “I don’t know what’s keeping them.” She leaned in to Sally. “You don’t have to watch this on your own, Sweetheart.”

Sally didn’t take her eyes from the screen. “I’m not alone.” She reached up and patted Louise’s hand. “It’s starting.” She pulled her down beside her on the couch. The guard was taking off the hood over Merrick’s face.

The room went quiet at Nancy’s scream.

Sally turned to Louise. “What did she say? What did my mother say?” She stumbled forward and fell to the floor. Louise grabbed her and pulled her near.

John bolted for the door, gun in hand. The FBI agent stopped him. “Wait, sir,” the agent said. He listened over the radio. “We have to get her out of here.” The agent pointed to Sally.

“Not by herself—not this time,” Louise said calmly. “I will go with her.”

Sam Sr. stepped beside his wife. “We will go with Sally. She’s not doing this without family.”

“Go.” The agent yelled, grabbing Sally’s arm and leading her to the door. “The rest of you—leave this premise immediately. Get as far away from Dover-Foxcroft as you can.” Everyone jumped up and dashed to the door, and in minutes, the driveway had emptied.

Sally whimpered. “He’s, he’s out there?”

“We don’t know for sure, but we’re not taking any chances. We’re going to take you and your grandparents to a safe location.” He turned to John. “Be careful, sir. The other agents will be here soon.”

But his caution had fallen on deaf ears, John was already pummeling toward the path that led to the woods.

“How, how could this happen?” Nancy said, sinking into the wall.

Winnie pointed to the imposter. “He looks a lot like him, Nancy.”

“Are you sure it’s not him?” the chaplain asked.

Nancy broke down in tears. “Absolutely, one-hundred percent sure. That man is not Merrick.”

With a wave of his hand, the prison guards unhooked the man and began to wheel him out of the room.

“Wait.” Nancy said, pounding her fist against the glass. “Who are you? And why would you die for him?”

“Oh,” the imposter said, sourly. “It’s not for Merrick.” But that’s all he would say, and they wheeled him away.

The chaplain appeared to be at a loss for words. “Uh, we’ll of course, interrogate him. We’ll get the answers.”

“I’m sure you will,” Winnie said, “but in the meantime—that animal is out there, isn’t he?” She stepped closer to Nancy and put her frail hand on her arm.

The FBI agent stepped aside and spoke into the radio. He turned back to them. “Okay, we’re on the move.”

“On the move?” Nancy knew what that meant. This couldn’t be happening again.

“Yes, ma’am. We have no idea where Merrick is, and we’re going to have to take