Snowbound Security. Beverly Long

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СКАЧАТЬ they got to the grocery aisle, he turned to her. “I don’t want to have to think about who bought what before I eat it. So I’m happy to get the groceries.”

      “I can pay for our share,” she said. It appeared she didn’t want to be in his debt.

      “We’ll figure that out later,” he said. “Let’s just get what we need. I want to get home before the snow starts.”

      The grocery section of the store was busier, as if other people had the same idea. Bread, eggs and milk were flying off the shelves. He got some of each, as well as some packages of chicken and ground turkey, before heading toward the fruits and vegetables. He took some of most everything before moving on.

      They rounded the last corner of the four-aisle section and almost ran into another shopper.

      “Rico Metez, is that you?” a woman asked. “And why are you on crutches?”

      It took him a minute but he realized it was Maddy Bristol. He’d gone to high school with her. Thin, with long dark hair, she still looked very much the same as she did when she was eighteen. “Maddy, nice to see you. Just a little ankle thing, no big deal.”

      “Are you back in the area?” she asked.

      “Just visiting,” he said.

      She turned to look at Laura. “Hi. I’m Maddy. I went to school with Rico.”

      He was just about to jump in when Laura smiled. “Was he a health nut even then?” she asked, waving a hand toward the cart.

      “Only if you consider chili fries and chocolate shakes healthy.”

      “Basic food groups,” Laura said. “Nice to meet you. Good luck in getting home before the snow starts.” She pushed her cart forward.

      “Absolutely.” Maddy pulled a card from her purse and held it out to him. “Keep in touch, all right?”

      “Of course.” Rico took the card and followed Laura. Nicely done, he thought. She’d managed to be polite and engaging without giving up any information about herself or Hannah. His partners always teased him about being a smooth talker, but he was pretty sure he might have found his match.

      At the checkout, he used a credit card for all the groceries and his items; she paid cash for her and Hannah’s clothes, carefully counting out the one hundred and fifty-nine dollars. So few people paid cash for anything anymore. But if she was on the run from the law, she likely didn’t want anybody to be able to find her by tracing her credit card activity.

      And she’d borrowed his cell phone earlier, leading him to believe that she didn’t have one. It was dangerous to be traveling, especially with a child, and not have some way to call for help. But had she dumped that as well because of the risks of being tracked?

      They left the store and put everything in his SUV. He got behind the wheel and tossed Maddy’s card onto the console. While they’d been in the store, the wind had changed. It had picked up, was colder, and it looked as if a wall of gray-colored clouds was rolling in from the northwest.

      “You grew up around here?” she asked, standing by his still-open door.

      “Yes.” He wasn’t inclined to share details. He might be willing to expose himself to whatever threat she posed, but not his parents.

      “Colorado seems like a good place to be a kid. Mountains. Lots of sunshine.” She glanced at the sky. “Usually, right?”

      “More than three hundred days of sunshine a year,” he said. “Just not today. Do you want anything to eat before we take off?” he asked.

      She again looked at the sky. “Hannah and I had something earlier,” she said, sounding nervous. “But if you need to eat...”

      “I’m fine,” he said. “This time, you lead and I’ll follow you.”

      “Sort of like before,” she said wryly. “Except I didn’t know you were there.”

      He liked that she was a little scrappy. “Right. Easier now that I don’t have to stay so far behind you.” He closed his door and rolled his window down a couple inches.

      She walked to the Mustang, buckled Hannah into her car seat, then got behind the wheel.

      “Do you have a phone in case I need to call you?” he asked before she pulled her door shut.

      “Just blink your lights and honk your horn. I’ll pull over.”

      If she had a phone, she wasn’t copping to it. And her method wasn’t ideal on mountain roads where the shoulder was oftentimes narrow, but it was unlikely that he was going to have to contact her. “Okay. I’ll see you at the cabin.”

      * * *

      I’ll see you at the cabin. She was headed back.

      It would be a safe place for Hannah. Out of the storm, out of the public eye.

      But was it as safe for her? She doubted that. Rico had already beat her at the game once by seeing her reverse her direction and then deciding to follow her. However, him catching up to her and letting her know that the cop wasn’t interested in her car had been a godsend. Otherwise, who knows how long she’d have wandered the streets with Hannah, afraid to go back for her car.

      She knew she’d been frightened before. After all, one couldn’t get to the ripe old age of thirty-three and not have had the pants scared off of them at some point. But rounding that corner and seeing that cop looking into her car had been terrifying. Then minutes later, seeing Rico casually leaning next to his car, her only thought had been to run.

      She’d cut through yards and alleys, but he’d trumped her again.

      She’d wanted to tell him to go to hell but when she’d seen the cop car coming toward them, she’d had to take the chance. Had intended to get in his vehicle, apologize and be done with him. But then he’d offered her refuge at the cabin. I help people. That’s what he’d said.

      And how had she repaid that kindness? By continuing to lie to him. By twisting the real life story of one of her patients about being wanted for narcotics theft and telling him that Hannah’s parents were in Asia.

      Both whoppers.

      But he’d seemed to accept the explanation. Hadn’t even asked too many clarifying questions. And now, as she negotiated the mountain curves, she had plenty of time to stew on that. Was he not naturally curious, or did he easily just accept things at face value? Or was he playing her in some way?

      Hannah had fallen asleep again about ten minutes into the drive. She’d wanted to hold on to her new snow pants and after showing Ja-Ja, she now had them wadded up in a makeshift pillow.

      Laura felt pretty damn stupid for not having paid more attention to the weather. It was no excuse that in Tennessee, they never really had to worry about big snowstorms. She wasn’t in Tennessee anymore.

      Wouldn’t likely be back for a long time. Maybe never. That was sad but not her biggest loss.

      She felt the deep ache СКАЧАТЬ