details, Burke.”
“This info is better than you’d get from anywhere else.” The man coughed and wheezed, sounding like he’d been battling emphysema for decades. “I should charge you extra.”
“I dare you to try.” Kevin bit his tongue in order to keep from rattling off obscenities. He would never have used this low-life if he’d had better options. “Tell me what you’ve acquired so far.”
Burke was silent for a moment, and then as if deciding earning less money was a better choice than crossing Kevin, quickly gave a name of some Virginia county Kevin had never heard of.
“You’d better be right.” He despised acting on information he couldn’t verify, but in this particular case, he’d make an exception. It was time for Sierra to pay. “I’m heading out. Call me on my cell when you get specifics. I want to know exactly where she is.”
“Will do.”
“And remember, if anyone comes knocking, I never asked you for Malone’s whereabouts. If you rat me out, I’ll kill you myself.” Kevin disconnected.
Within minutes, he’d arranged for transportation. The private jet would cost a small fortune, but it would be worth it. He could already feel Sierra’s tender flesh beneath his fingers. His heart rate accelerated. He was close. He could feel it. Nothing and no one would keep him from Sierra, and this time, there would be no escape.
8
Sierra paced the motel’s threadbare carpet. The damp, stuffy air choked her, and she turned the knob to start the antiquated air conditioning unit. The contraption rattled as it blew out cool air, but at least it worked.
After she’d talked with Piper, Sierra had called Allie, but the voicemail had picked up and she’d had to leave a quick message. Sierra wished she could’ve spoken with her friend in person, after all Allie had intercepted Chase, allowing her to escape.
In a moment of sudden panic, Sierra wondered if Chase had done something to Allie. But, that didn’t make sense. Chase had shown no interest in Allie, other than changing the bakery’s back light, free of charge. Sierra’s racing heart calmed, but more questions arose. If Chase had meant to do harm, why would he go out of his way to install security lights? And, if he had been in Shenandoah Valley almost as long as she had, as Luanne suggested, why hadn’t he approached her sooner?
With a myriad of questions mulling in her mind, acid churned in her stomach. The muffin she’d nibbled on earlier hadn’t filled her, and her belly rumbled, greedy for nourishment. Sierra set aside the curtain and peered across the street. Dale’s Hardware Store, Dr. French’s Veterinarian Center, and Summit Bank comprised the businesses on one street side. A diner named Carl’s occupied the opposite corner. The sign out front claimed homemade country cooking, but when Sierra considered going there her palms broke into a sweat. What if Chase was scouring the area? What if he had contacted Kevin and they were both on the hunt?
A convenience store stood next to the diner with only a few cars in the lot. A quick stop in there would limit her exposure. She gathered a few bills from her satchel, picked up the room key and opened the door. Her skin crawled as if someone had their eyes on her already, and she hadn’t taken a step outside. Shaking off her unease, Sierra darted across the parking lot.
The door chimed as she entered the store. A teenaged clerk mumbled a greeting without peeling his eyes from the newspaper’s sports page, while a country-western tune crooned from overhead speakers. She concentrated on finding something edible. Wilted hot dogs spun in greasy circles in a glass enclosure, looking as if they’d been on the rollers for weeks. Her stomach revolted and she looked over the pre-made sandwiches. A turkey and rye had expired two days ago and the egg salad on wheat looked as if someone had taken a bite out of it before re-wrapping it in cellophane. Disgusted, Sierra
Piers Anthony
Gillian Galbraith
Kaye Blue
E. E. Knight
Mackenzie McKade
B. V. Larson
Linda Carroll-Bradd
Steve Weidenkopf
C. D. B.; Bryan
Sándor Márai