Read Online Blood and Justice by Rayven T. Hill - Free Book Online
Authors: Rayven T. Hill
Ads: Link
they needed to be back by then.
There was little traffic on these roads. They met only a few vehicles after they left the city and made their way toward Service Road.
“OK, go slow now,” Annie said. She was looking for any possible route off the road.
Going slow wasn’t something Jake was good at, but he tapped the brake, and they crept along the road.
“Stop here!”
Jake brought the vehicle to a standstill on the shoulder of the road and Annie stepped out. She had noticed a spot where the fence was broken down. There seemed to be a narrow access path into the tree-covered fields. She stood at the side of the road and studied it. Too narrow for a vehicle, and no wheel ruts, tire marks, or other indications it’d ever been used for anything other than maybe a footpath, or a deer crossing.
She climbed back in the car. “Keep going,” she said.
Jake threw the car in first gear and pulled back onto the road. He peered at her over his Harley Davidson sunglasses. “Well?”
“Not there,” she said. “Get your eyes on the road.”
After another minute or so Annie spied another possibility. “Maybe there,” she said, “but keep going. We’re almost at the end. We can come back later.”
After a couple more minutes, they reached an intersection where a north-south road marked the border of the block of land they were interested in.
“That’s all,” Jake said. “I’ll turn around.” He made a three point turn and headed back the way they came. He pulled over when they reached a path that led from the main road, stretching through the bramble of vegetation, into the trees beyond. Wide enough for a car, but just barely. A carpet of wildflowers ran along the fence beside the path.
Standing by the side of the road, examining the pathway, Jake said, “This may be it.” He knelt down and studied the ground, testing it with his fingers. “The ground is pretty hard here. It may’ve been a car, or it may’ve been a tractor, but something has been through here.”
“Can we drive in there?” Annie asked.
“Sure can. Let’s go.”
Annie’s Ford did just fine on the highway, but it wasn’t designed for off-road driving. They bumped and jarred their way through the overgrown foliage. In places, the vegetation threatened to hide the road, but Jake held the vehicle on the trail, moving slowly toward the timberline.
When they reached the treed area, the greenery thinned out, and the course progressed into an expansive forest of Maples. Fallen trees, branches, twigs, dying leaves, and a still quietness surrounded them. The thickness of the leafy trees above, darkened the afternoon sun.
“Let’s look around,” Annie said, as they stepped from the vehicle.
“Over there,” Jake whispered and pointed.
Just barely visible, maybe fifty yards away and past an elevated area, a chimney could be seen. As quietly as possible, they moved forward toward the top of the rise. Looking down, they saw a small cabin. There was no sign of anyone around.
Jake whispered, “I’ll go take a look.”
“I’m coming too.”
Jake frowned at her. Then, avoiding twigs and branches, they made their way down the rise, working around to the side of the cabin where there was a small window. The cabin was dark. Jake and Annie crouched below the window and listened. A pair of squirrels chased each other a few yards away. A bird was twittering, looking for a mate somewhere in the near distance. The cabin was quiet.
Rising up slightly, Jake peeked in the window. A pile of empty metal pails sat along the far wall. In the center of the room stood a large cast-iron stove. Chopped wood was piled along one wall. “It’s a sugar shack,” he whispered.
He moved quietly around to the front of the building, testing the door. It was unlocked.
“Stay here,” he said.
This time she obeyed.
He turned the rusty knob carefully and eased open the door. A mouse skittered away, across the dirt floor, and found safety under the pile of
There was little traffic on these roads. They met only a few vehicles after they left the city and made their way toward Service Road.
“OK, go slow now,” Annie said. She was looking for any possible route off the road.
Going slow wasn’t something Jake was good at, but he tapped the brake, and they crept along the road.
“Stop here!”
Jake brought the vehicle to a standstill on the shoulder of the road and Annie stepped out. She had noticed a spot where the fence was broken down. There seemed to be a narrow access path into the tree-covered fields. She stood at the side of the road and studied it. Too narrow for a vehicle, and no wheel ruts, tire marks, or other indications it’d ever been used for anything other than maybe a footpath, or a deer crossing.
She climbed back in the car. “Keep going,” she said.
Jake threw the car in first gear and pulled back onto the road. He peered at her over his Harley Davidson sunglasses. “Well?”
“Not there,” she said. “Get your eyes on the road.”
After another minute or so Annie spied another possibility. “Maybe there,” she said, “but keep going. We’re almost at the end. We can come back later.”
After a couple more minutes, they reached an intersection where a north-south road marked the border of the block of land they were interested in.
“That’s all,” Jake said. “I’ll turn around.” He made a three point turn and headed back the way they came. He pulled over when they reached a path that led from the main road, stretching through the bramble of vegetation, into the trees beyond. Wide enough for a car, but just barely. A carpet of wildflowers ran along the fence beside the path.
Standing by the side of the road, examining the pathway, Jake said, “This may be it.” He knelt down and studied the ground, testing it with his fingers. “The ground is pretty hard here. It may’ve been a car, or it may’ve been a tractor, but something has been through here.”
“Can we drive in there?” Annie asked.
“Sure can. Let’s go.”
Annie’s Ford did just fine on the highway, but it wasn’t designed for off-road driving. They bumped and jarred their way through the overgrown foliage. In places, the vegetation threatened to hide the road, but Jake held the vehicle on the trail, moving slowly toward the timberline.
When they reached the treed area, the greenery thinned out, and the course progressed into an expansive forest of Maples. Fallen trees, branches, twigs, dying leaves, and a still quietness surrounded them. The thickness of the leafy trees above, darkened the afternoon sun.
“Let’s look around,” Annie said, as they stepped from the vehicle.
“Over there,” Jake whispered and pointed.
Just barely visible, maybe fifty yards away and past an elevated area, a chimney could be seen. As quietly as possible, they moved forward toward the top of the rise. Looking down, they saw a small cabin. There was no sign of anyone around.
Jake whispered, “I’ll go take a look.”
“I’m coming too.”
Jake frowned at her. Then, avoiding twigs and branches, they made their way down the rise, working around to the side of the cabin where there was a small window. The cabin was dark. Jake and Annie crouched below the window and listened. A pair of squirrels chased each other a few yards away. A bird was twittering, looking for a mate somewhere in the near distance. The cabin was quiet.
Rising up slightly, Jake peeked in the window. A pile of empty metal pails sat along the far wall. In the center of the room stood a large cast-iron stove. Chopped wood was piled along one wall. “It’s a sugar shack,” he whispered.
He moved quietly around to the front of the building, testing the door. It was unlocked.
“Stay here,” he said.
This time she obeyed.
He turned the rusty knob carefully and eased open the door. A mouse skittered away, across the dirt floor, and found safety under the pile of
Similar Books
