Nora Roberts Land(117)
Kenny kept his gun trained on Meredith as he headed for the other snowmobile.
“That charge will leave evidence, Barlow.”
The deputy sneered. “You think we’d be stupid enough to use dynamite or C4? Kenny bought a special binary compound that doesn’t leave a signature. Learned about it in the military.”
“The Attorney General’s people will find something.”
“Like you said, we’ll be long gone by then. Unfortunately for you, only Kenny and I will have time to reach higher ground before the charges blow. Have fun.”
As the criminals sped off on their snowmobiles, Tanner raced over to Meredith, who stood frozen in place. Her wide eyes followed the vehicles’ speedy progress toward the ridge.
He grabbed her shoulders. “Look at me! You know this area. Where can we go?”
She didn’t move. He’d seen victims paralyzed by shock before, so he knew what was wrong. He dragged her along with him. Heading to the tree line seemed to be their only option.
Another shot kicked up snow in his face. He glanced up. Barlow was going to play with him all right.
Meredith suddenly came alive, gripping his arm. “Wait!” She pointed to the wall. “See that cave? We used to climb up to it in high school.”
She started running, and he followed. He forced himself not to look up the wall’s towering expanse.
“Can you climb?” She felt for the first toe hold, her red and cracked hands gripping gray, curved stone.
“Yes.” Adrenaline rose in him like a tsunami. “We don’t have a choice.”
Chapter 52
Jill slammed the cash register door closed. Everyone in the coffee shop grew quiet.
“Something wrong?” Margie asked.
“Just having an off day,” Jill replied for the thousandth time that morning.
Did everyone have to ask her what had crawled up her ass? Too bad she wasn’t about to share. At this rate, she was set to explode. She was mad at Mere and Gramps—and afraid. She’d checked her rear view mirror a hundred times on her short drive to work.
She still couldn’t wrap her mind around any of it.
After tossing and turning all night, some compassion had finally filtered in. Meredith was hurting over Asshole Tanner. It hadn’t been nice to kick her out.
After struggling to make a soy mocha—usually so easy—she kicked the counter. She didn’t like being at odds with Meredith or Gramps. Gramps was so stubborn. When she’d called him to tell him she was upset, he’d told her to get over it. Why in the hell would he tell her about a dangerous story? He’d never done it before. He wasn’t about to start now.
She fingered the amethyst pendant on the necklace Jemma’s mom had given her, which her friend had worn all the time, struggling not to cry.
Her hands worked better once she decided to make Meredith’s favorite latte. She poured her grandpa a plain ol’ coffee. Once she was finished, she headed out after letting Margie know. The sun warmed her face, and she felt an answering warmth inside—this was the right decision—but then someone pulled up alongside her, and her mouth pinched like she’d tasted spoiled whipped cream in the shaker.
“Hi,” Brian said.
She scanned his body from the blue fleece to his denim-clad legs, wondering if he ever had an ugly day. “Lost your way? The Chop House is south, not north.”
“I know that. I want to walk with you.”
“Oh, so now you want to chat, huh?”
Damn, this was the last thing she needed. But even though she was pissed at him, she still wanted to lather herself like body butter against that long, hard frame.
He tore off his sunglasses. His direct gaze punched her solar plexus. “Please.”
“What? I didn’t hear that,” she said, just to be bitchy.
“Puh-lease,” he ground out. “Jesus, how many times are you going to make me say it?”
“As many as I can,” she drawled.
He followed her into The Western Independent. People waved as she walked down the hall, Brian right behind her. When she reached Meredith’s office, she skidded to a halt.
Her grandpa was pounding his cane against her sister’s chair. “Damn girl!”
“What’s going on?” she demanded, her voice horse.
“I can’t reach Meredith.” Gramps said, shoving his cane aside. “She left a note about meeting Gene, but he’s on vacation today. I just called.”
Jill rushed over and set the coffees on the desk, sloshing them. “Do you think she’s in trouble?”
He pulled her against him. “Yes,” he said. “Let me think for a moment.”
“Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” Brian demanded from behind her.