In Seconds
- Автор: Новак Бренда
- Серия: Bulletproof #2
- Год: 2011
- Язык: французский
- Жанр: Остросюжетные любовные романы
Электронная книга - «In Seconds». Краткое содержание книги:
Laurel Hodges has changed her identity twice. She's been on the run for the past four years, trying to outdistance the gang members who blame her for the death of one of their own. She's finally found peace and stability in the small town of Pineview, Montana. But just when Laurel thinks she and her children are safe...the nightmare starts all over again.
The Crew, a ruthless prison gang with ties to Laurel's brother, will never forget and they'll never forgive. And now that they've finally tracked her down, they'll stop at nothing.
Sheriff Myles King, who happens to live next door with his thirteen-year-old daughter, appoints himself Laurel's personal guardian. His growing attraction to her could change his life—Myles is beginning to picture marriage and family. But it could also end his life. If he can't save her, everything he's built, everything he wants, could be destroyed. In seconds...
“She should be home. I’m standing at my kitchen window, looking out at her car right now.”
“I just tried her. She didn’t answer.”
“She’s been pretty depressed lately. Randall left again, you know.”
Her mother’s latest love interest. She hadn’t married this one, but they’d been together for a couple of years. “When?”
“Maybe two weeks ago? Found someone else.”
That must’ve been a blow to her mother’s self-esteem. It was usually Ellen who became dissatisfied. She was only interested in the initial wining and dining part of a romance and grew bored as soon as the mundane intruded. “Would you do me a favor, Sonja? Do you think you could walk over and see if you can rouse her?”
“Sure, honey. Here, call my cell. I’ll take it with me and let you talk to her.”
Vivian had the feeling that Sonja suspected Ellen was simply ducking her call. They’d had so many problems, almost anyone would think that. She didn’t try to disabuse her of the notion. Instead she wrote down the number Sonja rattled off, hung up and dialed again.
“It’s raining,” Sonja complained when she answered the second time. “Let me grab a coat.”
Vivian covered the mouthpiece to signal Rex that she was making progress. Then she waited while her mother’s neighbor trudged next door. She heard the knock, heard Sonja calling Ellen’s name, but she couldn’t make out any response. Several seconds later, Sonja confirmed that there hadn’t been one.
“Can you see inside?” Vivian asked.
“’Fraid, not. The blinds are pulled. I told you, she’s in a real funk.”
What now? Her mother was retired and living on social security and what she’d been able to glean from her many divorces. If her car was there, she should be, too. “Could you go around back, please? Something isn’t right.”
“Sure.”
Vivian listened to the swish of Sonja’s clothing as she moved. Then Sonja’s voice came through loud and clear. “Oh, boy.”
“Oh, boy?” Vivian straightened. “What does that mean?”
“Looks like the door’s been broken.”
Tendrils of fear slithered around Vivan’s stomach and squeezed until it hurt. That was when she knew her ulcer was coming back. She’d been too anxious this week; it was bound to happen. But that was the least of her worries right now. “Broken as in…someone forced their way inside?” She almost didn’t recognize her own voice…?.
“I don’t want to scare you but…”
She sounded scared herself. “Maybe you shouldn’t go in. Maybe you’d better call 9-1-1.”
That brought no response.
“Sonja?”
“Wait a second. There’s a terrible stench. And I see something.”
Vivian bit her lip and gripped the phone even tighter. “What is it?”
“Oh, God!” Sonja wailed. “Someone’s stabbed her. She’s dead.”
“They didn’t even lock the door. That means we’re basically invited in, don’t you think?” Ink chortled as he let himself and L.J. inside the cabin they’d come across earlier.
L.J. didn’t answer. He hadn’t said a word since Ink dragged him from the edge of the clearing where he’d been watching the pretty teenager sitting on her deck.
Attempting to ignore his partner’s sour mood, Ink visited the kitchen. “Hey, they’ve got enough beer in here to last us a month.” He opened the refrigerator door wide, so L.J. could see for himself. “Look at this.”
L.J. didn’t bother to glance over. Slumping onto the couch, he stared straight ahead.
Ink closed the fridge. “Quit pouting about that little bitch, will ya?”
“I’m just wondering why we always have to do what you want. You can threaten people, kill people, whatever. First you killed that lady in L.A. Then—”
“I didn’t kill her.”
“You told Horse she had information. You knew he was sending a couple Crew over there. What did you think they were going to do? Dance with her?”
“They did exactly what I expected. And, just like I told you, she did have information.”
“A phone number that goes to a restaurant?”
“It’s what brought us here, ain’t it?”
“Yeah, and I bet that old guy at the cabin’s glad we came.”
Ink didn’t want to think about the old guy at the cabin, but L.J. brought it up all the time. “Listen, you can have that sweet young thing when we’re ready to leave the area. Then it won’t matter what you do because we’ll be gone before the sheriff can come after us.”
“And when will that be?” L.J. grumbled.
“I’ve told you. After I kill Laurel Hodges and her kids and send their heads to her brother.”
L.J. grimaced. “That’s sick, man. Are you really gonna cut off their heads? Even the kids?”
“Why not?” Searching for clues that might tell him how many men they’d soon be facing, and what those men were like, Ink limped into the living room and began snooping around. He found a pair of waders, an extra fishing rod, a paper sack with a few pennies, a receipt for bait and a bag of chips.
A joint lay on top of the entertainment system. Ink thought that might come in handy.
L.J. watched him circle the room. “Getting that woman killed was bad enough. But the old guy? After seeing that shit, I wouldn’t put anything past you.”
“What’s the matter?” He grinned. “Can’t handle the violence?”
Two grooves formed between L.J.’s eyebrows. “That’s not it. It’s just…we been here a week and you still don’t know where this Laurel woman lives. Unless she’s dumber than dirt, she’s changed her name, so it’s not like we can just ask around. And it hasn’t done any good to stake out the Golden Griddle. How will we ever find her? Ask everyone we meet to see if they know a woman who’s tall and thin with long blond hair? That could describe lots of women. And she could’ve gained a ton of weight or changed her hair color.”
“Maybe she can change her hair color and her weight, but she can’t change her height. She’s got to be five-ten. That doesn’t describe as many women as you think.”
“Oh, yeah? You might be surprised.” His sulk more pronounced, he folded his arms.
“Besides, I’ve seen her,” Ink said. “I’d recognize her.”
“That might work if she ate at that restaurant, but we haven’t spotted her there.”
“We could spot her somewhere else.”
L.J. barked a laugh. “What’re the chances? You gotta be realistic, man. All you got is the phone number Horse’s men forced out of Laurel’s mother. That’s not much. Maybe if they could’ve gotten the kids’ names, we’d have a chance, but the old lady wouldn’t give that up.”
“I’m going to remember the daughter’s name myself. You’ll see.”
“That’s what you’ve been saying since I met you, bro.”
“I will. I heard Laurel say it once. I was right there in her living room.”
L.J. waved him off. “So we got nothin’, like I said.
We’re just wastin’ time.”
Ink gritted his teeth. As far as he was concerned, L.J. didn’t deserve to call himself a member of The Crew. The Crew didn’t whine like this kid. That was the problem these days. They were letting in guys who had no balls whatsoever. “You’ll see. I’ll think of the name eventually.” But he didn’t have a lot of hope. He’d been racking his brain for the past four years to no avail. All he knew was that it was short and unusual…?.
God, it drove him nuts. At times, it was on the tip of his tongue. And why would she change it? She probably didn’t even remember using her daughter’s name in front of him. He’d only been at her house for one or two minutes. “Pineview ain’t that big,” he pointed out.