Serves you right. Logan took the lantern and one of the shovels. Never say never. He strode into the cornfield.

Coming? Gil asked Eve as he started after Logan.

She didnt move.

She could smell the earth where death waited.

She could hear the breeze as it rustled through the rows of tall corn.

She felt her chest tighten at the thought of sinking, drowning into that swaying sea of corn.

Eve? Gil was standing at the edge of the field, waiting. John wants you with us.

She moistened her lips. Why?

He shrugged. Ask him.

Its stupid for me even to be here. Im not going to be able to tell anything until I get back to the lab.

Sorry, he wants you there when he digs it up.

Stop arguing. Do it. Get it over with. Get out of this place.

She followed Gil into the cornfield.

Darkness.

She could hear the rustling sound Gil was making ahead of her, but she couldnt see him. She could see nothing but the tall stalks all around her. It was like being buried. Even with a map and directions, how could Logan manage to find anything?

I see a light ahead. Gils voice drifted back to her.

It was more than she could see, but her pace increased.

Get it over with. Get out of here.

She could see the light now. Logan had set the flashlight on the ground and was already digging, his shovel spiking into the earth and tearing at the roots of the cornstalks.

Here? Gil asked.

Logan glanced up at them and nodded. Quick. Its buried pretty deep so the farmer wouldnt dig it up when he was planting. You dont have to be careful. Its supposed to be in a lead-lined box.

Gil started digging.

She wished theyd given her a shovel, she thought after five minutes. Being busy would have been better than standing there, watching. Her tension was growing with every second.

This was stupid. There was probably nothing buried there and they were all behaving like people out of a Stephen King novel.

Ive hit something, Gil said.

Logan glanced at Gil. Hallelujah. He began digging faster.

Eve moved closer to the hole and saw rusted metal through the loosened dirt. Jesushellip;

Why was she feeling so shaken? Just because Donnelli hadnt lied about the location didnt mean the rest of the story was true. There might not even be a skull in the box and the chances of it being Kennedy were out of sight.

Logan was prying open the lock on the box.

Only it wasnt a box, she suddenly realized. It was a coffin.

A babys coffin.

Stop it.

Logan looked at her. What the hell?

Its a coffin. A babyhellip;

I know that. Donnelli was an undertaker. How else do you think he got a lead-lined box?

What if its not a skull?

Logans face hardened. Its the skull. Were wasting time. He broke the lock on the coffin.

She hoped he was right. The idea of a little baby buried out here alone and lost was too heartbreaking to bear.

Logan was throwing open the coffin.

No baby.

Even through the heavy plastic wrapping she could make out the skull.

Jackpot, Logan murmured. He brought the lantern closer. I knew it was

I hear something. Gil had raised his head.

Eve heard it too.

The wind?

Not the wind.

More purposeful. The same sound they had made as they had moved through the cornfield.

And the rustling was heading toward them.

Shit, Logan muttered. He slammed shut the coffin, grabbed it, and jumped to his feet. Lets get out of here.

Eve looked over her shoulder. Nothing. Just that menacing rustling. It could be the farmer, couldnt it?

Its not the farmer. Theres more than one. Logan was already running. Dont lose her, Gil. Well circle back through the field and come out on the road where we parked the car.

Gil grabbed her arm. Hurry.

They shouldnt be talking. Someone would hear them. But that was crazy. What difference did it make? They were making as much noise crashing through the corn as whoever was pursuing them.

Logan was zigzagging through the field and they were following.

Running.

Suffocating darkness.

Rustling.

Her lungs were hurting.

Were they closer?

She couldnt tell. They were making too much noise themselves for her to figure it out.

To the left, someone shouted behind them.

Logan tore through the corn at a right angle.

I think I see something. A different voice.

Oh, God, it sounded as if the man were in the row next to them.

Logan was turning, heading back the way they came.

Gil and Eve were on his heels.

Faster.

Eve was completely disoriented. How could Logan tell where he was going?

Maybe he couldnt. They might run into whoever was pursuing them at any minute. Maybe they should

Logan was turning again. To the left.

And they were out of the field and running toward the road.

The limo.

But over fifty yards away.

And a Mercedes was parked beside it. She couldnt see if there was anyone in it.

She glanced over her shoulder toward the field.

No one.

They were almost at the limo.

And the Mercedes door swung open.

Gil dropped her arm. Get the coffin inside the limo, John. He turned, pulled out his gun, and darted toward the man who was getting out of the Mercedes.

Too late.

A shot.

She watched in horror as Gil fell forward. He struggled to his knees and tried to raise his gun.

Oh, God, the man was pointing his gun at Gil again.

She didnt even realize she was moving until her hand grasped the gun and jerked it aside. The man turned toward her and her hand chopped down on the carotid artery in his neck. He grunted. His eyes glazed over. He was falling.

Ill drive. Get in the backseat with Gil. Logan was dragging Gil the few feet toward the limo. Try to stop the bleeding. Weve got to get out of here. Theyve got to have heard the shot.

Eve held the door for Logan and then dove into the seat beside Gil.

Jesus, he was pale. She tore open his shirt. Some blood, high up on the shoulder. What if he

Theyre coming! Logan shouted as the limo jumped forward.

She glanced out the window and saw three men pouring out of the cornfield.

Gravel flew as the limo tore down the road.

Logan glanced in the rearview mirror. How is he?

Its a shoulder wound. Not much bleeding. Hes conscious again. She glanced out the window once more. Theyve reached the road. Can you go any faster?

Im trying, he said through his teeth. Its like driving a damned yacht.

He had reached the paved road leading to the freeway, but the Mercedes was too fast. Its headlights were only yards behind them.

Then the Mercedes hit the side of the limo.

It was trying to force them off the road into the ditch.

It struck them again.

This time Logan barely managed to keep the car on the road.

Pull ahead, she said. Well be dead in the water if we end up in that ditch.

What do you think Im trying to do?

Thank God, the freeway was just up ahead.

The Mercedes hit the limo again and it spun toward the ditch.

Logan turned the wheel frantically and managed to keep the car from plunging down the incline.

That last hit caused them to skid to the other side of the road. Thats our chance, Eve said. Hit it!

He stomped on the accelerator.

Theyre too close. Logan was looking in the rearview mirror. Theyll catch us before we reach the freeway.

Thehellip; coffin, Gil murmured. Give them

No! Logan said.

Eve looked down at the coffin at her feet.

Give them the

Eve reached for the door handle.

What are you doing? Logan asked.

Shut up, Eve said fiercely. Gils right. They want this damn coffin. Theyre going to get it. Its not worth our lives.

What if they dont stop? Youve given it up for nothing.