Alessandras grandmother, her fathers own mother, called him a tight-ass. Not in those particular words, but that was the gist. Shed liked her sons beautiful Bahamian-born wife and had, McBride knew, run interference for her granddaughter up to and including his and Alessandras wedding daywhich was an entirely different memory.
As if shed been following his thoughts, Alessandras lips curved. You can puzzle it out for the rest of your life but youll never understand him. She threw McBride the poultice and stood in a single graceful motion. Suns set, you need rest and I want a shower. Im also hungry. All I found in your truck were nacho chips, candy bars and some energy drinks.
Never know when youll need a quick buzz.
Mmm, I found the whiskey bottle, too.
Buzzes come in many forms, Alessandra. Youre right, though, we need to get out of here. The pain had less of a rapier-sharp edge after he worked his way into a crouch. He tucked the poultice in his shirt pocket. Can you drive a loaded 4x4?
He knew she was watching him for signs of disorientation. He must have passed the test, because she began folding the blanket. On good roads, yes. On a wilderness obstacle course, well find out.
He could go with that. Do you know where we are?
More or less. She caught his arm when he stood and the rapier took a nasty swipe at him. I dont suppose theres any chance youd consider returning to Rapid City.
He slanted her a dark look that brought a fleeting smile to her lips.
Figured as much. In that case Can you walk?
Like a man whod taken several pulls from that whiskey bottle. And her touching him didnt make him any steadier. Her fathers thoughts for her mother were Puritanical compared to the ones currently flying through McBrides head. He knew and vividly remembered every inch of her butt, her legs, her breasts and, God help him, her hands. Shed learned lightning fast how to drive him straight to the edge and over.
When the pain sheared through him again, he welcomed it. Keys are in the ignition, Alessandra. If youre sure youve got your bearings, we need to head southwest.
Thats the direction Rorys taking, huh?
Fat drops of rain began to fall from the bruised clouds above. Rorys heading for a border. Although climbing into his truck was roughly equivalent to scaling Mount Rushmore during an ice storm, McBride persevered. Hes zigzagging, wants me to believe hes going to Canada, but my moneys on Mexico.
She stopped pushing to peer around his arm. Are you serious? You expect me to go to Mexico?
Did I mention I was sorry?
Did I mention I put some of Dr. Langs suppositories in that medi-pack?
He managed to chuckle rather than wince. Give me a viable short-term destination, Alessandra.
She sent him a last biting stare, then swung on her heel to point. Bodenes about fifty miles southwest of here. Spruce Creeks thirty, but in a slightly different direction. Joans rustic Dead Lake cabins our best bet. Its a twisty twenty-mile drive from this old camp.
Sounds good, he said. Secluded. Ghoulish, too, but hopefully not portentous.
Rain began to pelt the roof and windshield. In the drivers seat, Alessandra tied back her hair in a long ponytail. Now how in hell could something so simple strike him as so damn sexy?
Once again, she seemed to know what he was thinking. Her lips twitched when she shoved the truck in gear. Eyes forward, McBride. Were off to Dead Lake, and Eddies nowhere to be seen.
Which was, McBride reflected as he scanned the eerily silent clearing, the thing that concerned him most right now.
JOANS CABIN HAD a bathroom, a galley kitchen, a huge stone fireplace and a pull-out sofa that faced the hearth.
Home sweet home. Alessandra dropped her gear on a small window table. Its compact, but not all that different from my fathers house. Theres even a loft. Humor invaded her tone. No ladder.
Overhead lights flared at the touch of a switch, as did the propane water heater.
Quick trip into town for supplies, and I can have my long-awaited shower.
McBride, whod recovered even more rapidly than shed anticipated, made a more purposeful circle of the room.
Theres a lot of glass, he noted. And trees for cover.
Theres also a good chance we left Eddie in one of those potholes we slammed through last night. She halted him by setting her palm on his chest. The rains stopped, theres a general store just over a mile from here and, honestly, given a choice at this moment, Id rather die from a bullet than from starvation. Weve seen, youve scoped, lets go.
Youd make a lousy marshal, Alessandra.
Ill take that as a compliment. But she waited while he checked out the porch and small yard before returning to his truck.
Ill drive, McBride told her. Put on my leather jacket and hat, and try not to let anyone in town see your face. We go in and out, no hesitation. Basics only.
Alessandra tipped back the brim of the hat hed dropped on her head and frowned. Have you been spending time with my father?
Better yours than mine. Which way?
She indicated a narrow mud and gravel road. At his raised brow, she smiled. I came here with Joan in June.
Did you go into the store?
Several times. The owner cant see anything clearly thats more than a foot in front of him. She gauged his mood, then went for it. Hows your father doing these days?
He shrugged. In jail, out of jail. Last I heard, he was being held in Panama. Something about flying an illegal substance across the border inside a shipment of Colombian coffee beans.
Alessandra thought back. McBrides dad had brought his fourth wife to their wedding. After the ceremony, hed made a pass at her Bahamian aunt. As with most things, it hadnt worked out for him. Angelica had given him a resounding slap while wife number four poured a drink over his head. And all of that before the photographs had been taken.
Maybe time in a Panamanian jail will straighten him out, she mused aloud.
If you think that, youve been living in the animal world too long. McBride indicated a weather-worn structure. Is that the store?
Thats it. Dead Lake Feed, Seed and General Wares.
Theres only one vehicle out front.
The year-round population here is about fifteen. The in-out thing should be relatively simple.
There was no one behind the counter when the cowbell jangled to announce their entry. Flies buzzed against torn window screens, and the refrigeration units, relics from the 1960s, made a loud humming noise.
Tugging McBrides hat lower to cover her face, Alessandra picked up two large baskets and headed for the grocery section. She filled up, then picked out some personal stuff.
Her arms were already straining when she turned a corner and spied the clothes and underwear. Although her choices were limited, pretty much everything she needed was available. Except that she had to climb up to the top shelf to dig out the right sizes. She even snagged a pair of suede hiking boots and a sleeping bag.
On her way to the cash counter she found McBride with his hip perched on a dusty windowsill as he scanned the deserted road outside.
On her way to the cash counter she found McBride with his hip perched on a dusty windowsill as he scanned the deserted road outside.
He turned his head, saw the overflowing baskets and grinned. Thats your idea of in and out?
Why, yes, thank you, Id love some help. She handed him the heavier basket and shook her arm to get the circulation back. Is there a cashier?
Not that Ive seen. I could have loaded a pickup with stolen merchandise by now.
Mr. Singer? She tapped the service bell. You have customers.
When no one approached, Alessandra peered over the counter to her left. And spotted a pair of feet.
Damn. McBride! Without waiting, she flipped up the pass-through.
The elderly storeowner lay facedown on the floor. She was searching for a pulse when the stockroom door burst open.
Alessandra glimpsed torn jeans and heard a snarling curse. Then her eyes snapped up, and she saw the gun.
ACTUALLY, IT WAS a rifle, and the thief nearly dropped it in his rush to escape.
Packs of cigarettes spilled from the inside of his zipped jacket. He hurdled Alessandra and the store owner, scrambled under the pass-through and took a swing at McBride.
She would have jumped up, but the owners bony fingers snared her wrist and held fast.
Boy got hold of some funny mushrooms, he whispered hoarsely. His ma called me right before he barged in. She reckons hes seeing pink elephants about now.
Hearing a thwack, Alessandra raised her head. No surprise, the thief hadnt gotten past McBride. Dont think so. Stars, maybe. She returned her attention to the fallen man. Are you hurt?
Winded. With her help, he got slowly to his feet. Thought it best to take a dive when the boy barreled in and knocked me aside Oh, there we go, neat as you please. He beamed at McBride, who was crouched next to the dazed youth. Now, you put those smokes back where they belong, young man. Ill take the rifle, he said to McBride, who was currently holding it. Its just a BB, but thats plenty dangerous when your bones are as brittle as mine. Repositioning his glasses, he hobbled over to the counter. These your baskets?
The mans store-bought smile widened when he realized how much merchandise he was looking at. Seems this is my lucky night, after all. He squinted at Alessandra. You and your man fixing to camp a spell?
YesI mean, no. She glanced at McBride but couldnt read his expression in the dusky light. Yes, were going to camp. But not here. Inspiration struck. Were on our way to Canada.
The old man sighed his disappointment. After hed totaled the items, she understood why. Nothing on special this week, huh?
Got a good price on hip waders.
Well pass. McBride handed over the necessary cash.
Stick to portabello mushrooms, Alessandra advised the youth, who was slumped in a chair by the door waiting for his mother to arrive.
McBride practically airlifted her through the door and into his truck.
I have a feeling youre not happy.
Two people can identify us, Alessandra. That wasnt the scenario I was going for.
They bounced through a large dip and back onto the road. Relax, McBride. The old man couldnt begin to describe us, and all that kid saw was two Damn. She hissed out a frustrated breath. I called you McBride back there, didnt I?
That you did, darlin.
A 4x4 pulled out of a hidden road ahead of them. The driver wove from side to side for half a mile before finally veering into the parking lot of a ramshackle bar and grill.
Wanna risk it? McBride surprised her by asking.
She suspected he knew how shed respond. All those rusted-out pickups in the lot make the place look very Eddielike. Still, if he did follow us, maybe well get lucky, and hell stop in, drink himself under the table and never make it to the general store.
Always a possibility.
Out of nowhere, an indescribable sensation swept over her skin, as if a cold breeze had just passed over her grave.
Puzzled, she looked back toward the bar. No one was in the vicinity, only the rusty pickups and a tired-looking motorcycle. So why did she suddenly feel as if some evil entity was tracking their every move?
Chapter Four
One hot shower, one makeshift meal and one weird feeling later, Alessandra found herself pacing the cabins interior like a caged tiger. Time alone to think wasnt necessarily a good thing, and shed thought a lot in the five minutes it had taken McBride to shower.
He hadnt shaved, though, she noticed when he emerged bare-chested and with his jeans only half-fastened.
What? Her unintentional stare had him looking down at himself. Did I forget something?
No, but she needed to. It shouldnt be legal for a man to be so sexy. Since she shouldnt be thinking that way, she drew a deep breath and resumed her pacing. Youre not bleeding.
A smile played on his mouth. You make that sound like a bad thing.
You should wear a bandage.
Towel in hand, he held his arms out to the sides. Say the word, Alessandra. Ill even let you slip your poultice under the gauze just to show how much I trust you.
Drumming up her own smile, she met his eyes. Youre very brave, given the circumstances.
And your deteriorating mood, he added.
More like strained. Its only been one day and, to this point, our separations been fairly amicable.
He moved closer, his gaze fixed on hers with a smoky intensity that would have unnerved her if she hadnt been prepared for the sexual punch.
You wont get around me with smoldering looks, McBride. After four years of marriage and eighteen months apart, Ive developed an immunity.
You make me sound like measles.
Youre a different kind of danger, but still not something I need in my life right now.
He continued his unswerving advance. What is it you want, Alessandra?
She opted to take the loaded question at face value. To go home.
Thats not possible. What else?
Stability.
If you wanted that, youd have stayed in Indiana and married the boy next door.
He was getting very close. Wisdom dictated she move away. She didnt.
Trying to skew my thoughts wont work, either, McBride.
Another faint smile appeared. Its not your thoughts I want to skew.
Okay, this was getting out of hand. She had every right to be annoyed at him for sucking her into the crazed vortex of his life. Her friends and his insisted he had a death wish, and while Alessandra didnt disagree, she saw it more as a burning need to prove that he was the antithesis of his father. Wherever the truth resided, however, now wasnt the time to delve into it.
Hooking a wistful finger in the chain around her neck, she toyed with the delicate links. You didnt have to change your lifestyle or your goals for me. I told you that before we separated. Im not a cop or a U.S. marshal, though I do applaud both professions. I used the wrong word when I said I was looking for stability. What I should have said was sanity. You know the deal, McBride, a halfway normal life where Id be met at the door after work by my pet, not by a homicidal junkie whos been hiding out behind our trash cans for the better part of the day, looking for a way to extract his revenge on the person who offered his girlfriend a deal in exchange for information.