Dead Hunt

‘‘Let’s get that guy!’’
She took off through the door after the assailant, her purse flying behind her, before Diane could say anything. Diane followed at a quick pace.
She chased after Andie, even though it occurred to her that the attacker might have gone the other way, against the crowd, escaping out the back of the museum. She smiled politely at the people coming down the long hallway from the restaurant to the front door. Fortunately, no one tried to engage her in conversation. As she stepped through the front doorway, she saw Andie start running across the parking lot.
    Damn.
Diane took off after her. In the distance she saw the back of the attacker as he ran into the woods at the end of the lot. Diane increased her pace, vowing to start wearing running shoes no matter what outfit she chose. She caught up to Andie just as Andie was about to follow the assailant into the woods.
‘‘No, Andie. This man’s dangerous. Don’t go after him.’’
‘‘But—’’
‘‘No buts.’’ Diane put an arm around Andie’s shoulders. ‘‘Thanks for saving my life.’’
Andie was breathing hard and started shaking. ‘‘I had to come back after a phone number and I heard you scream.’’
‘‘Wasn’t there a security guard at the front desk?’’ said Diane.
‘‘No.’’ She shook her head. ‘‘I guess nobody’s going to make fun of my heavy purse again,’’ Andie said.
‘‘I know I won’t,’’ said Diane. Off in the distance through the woods she heard a vehicle engine start. ‘‘Call security. Don’t follow me.’’
Diane started through the woods. She knew where the car was. There was a dirt access road just beyond a few yards of trees. That’s where he parked his car, away from cameras. She ran through the woods as quickly as she could and still stay upright.
Definitely need my running shoes. Heels just won’t do.
She arrived at the spot just in time to see the vehicle go around the curve. It was too far away to see a license plate. But she could see it was a dark SUV, a Tahoe, she thought but wasn’t sure. The quarter moon didn’t provide quite enough light to make out anything but a shape.
She walked back through the woods to where Andie was waiting. Security was just arriving in a white Jeep Cherokee. Two guards jumped out.
‘‘What happened?’’ said the older one.
Both were relatively new. Chanell Napier, head of security, had hired them only last month.
‘‘I was attacked in the mammal exhibit,’’ said Diane, boring her gaze into them. ‘‘Andie, my assistant, rescued me. There wasn’t anyone stationed on the desk in the lobby.’’
‘‘I’m sorry,’’ said the younger man. ‘‘I just went to the office for a minute. It’s down the hall. It wasn’t that long.’’
He looked to be about twenty-two, probably a student. Many of the security staff were.
‘‘It was long enough,’’ said Diane. ‘‘I’m getting all of you red shirts until you straighten yourselves out.’’ Diane started walking back toward the museum.
‘‘What did she mean?’’ she heard the younger one say.
‘‘Something from Star Trek ,’’ his partner said. ‘‘I think we’re dead.’’
‘‘I’ll need to see the video,’’ Diane called back at them.
She was about to rethink the policy of hiring students. Several times in the past few months people had secreted themselves in the museum after closing.
    Jin was out in the woods trying to find tire tracks to make casts. Neva had taken Andie’s purse and found two hairs snagged by the metal parts. Diane, Garnett, and David sat and watched the tape of the intruder on the security monitor. Frank stood behind them lending another set of eyes. Unfortunately there was no video of the assailant’s face. Not even a fuzzy image for David to clear up.
    ‘‘This was the same guy as in the hospital?’’ said
    Garnett.
‘‘Yes, I’m sure of it,’’ said Diane. ‘‘And it sounded
personal. At first I thought it had something to do
with the artifacts, but now I don’t know.’’ She just
realized that she may have seen him earlier while she
was speaking with Laura and Vanessa—the fleeting
shadow she saw among the saber-toothed tiger’s flora.
She shivered.
‘‘What about the attack in your apartment? You
think it’s the same guy?’’ asked Garnett.
Diane hesitated a moment, startled at being brought
out of her thoughts. ‘‘This guy really wanted to kill
me,’’ she said. ‘‘I think if he had me