Read Online Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Brandilyn Collins
Tags: Christian - Suspense
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not seen he cared this much? "Iâ"
"Don't." His hand jerked up, palm out. I could see his shirt move from his heartbeat. "Don't answer now. I'll be here for a few more days. Just think about it."
My head nodded.
"And don't worry about money, I have enough to start out. That $10,000 award for the PulitzerâI saved it for us."
For us. So many thoughts went through my mind I couldn't begin to sort them out.
Trent's gaze dropped. Awkwardness crept between us and hung there. I played with the collar on my blouse. I didn't want to deal with this, not now. How did Trent think he could take me away from Stevie, anyhow? Who'd look after my brother if I was in New York?
Unless he was in jail.
Trent pushed to his feet. "I need to go." He wouldn't meet my eyes. "Thanks for supper."
Numbly, I rose. "No problem. Thanks for comin. Tell Sally and Ray hi for me."
"Sure."
We reached the door. I placed my hand on the deadbolt. "Do they know you're goin to New York?"
"I just told them. They're excited for me."
The last sentence sounded almost defensive. "I'm excited for you, too, Trent."
He firmed his lips. "See you soon, Deena."
"Yeah. See you soon."
I watched while he walked down my porch steps. As he climbed into his old Ford he gave me a small wave. I waved back.
The door relocked and bolted, I leaned against it and closed my eyes. The smell of spaghetti lingered. Suddenly it was sickening.
With draggin steps I entered the kitchen. I eyed the dishes in the sink and shivered. The sauce looked like blood.
As I rinsed plates and scrubbed pans, two thoughts pulsed in my head. Oneâno way I could go with Trent, and he had to know that. And twoâif he cared so much about me, would he do anything for me?
Like help me with my brother, no matter what Stevie had done.
FRIDAY
APRIL 22, 2011
Chapter 11
Tully
Thursday night I sat up like Mike told me to, his gun on the coffee table. Who were we fooling? My muscles turned to rocks while I waited, and the baby wouldn't stop kicking.
I couldn't keep doing this. I was already about to fall apart.
Finally in bed next to Mike, I couldn't sleep. Again. How could I relax, beside a killer? When I did doze off, I had nightmares. Twice I jerked awake, sure I felt a knife at my neck.
Friday morning I dragged around, hot and fat and weepy. In the shower I couldn't stop crying. I dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. Put makeup on my neck, trying to hide the bruises. I hoped my OB-GYN wouldn't notice. He'd be busy at the other end.
"Wait." Mike spoke up as I was fixing to leave. "I'm goin with you."
"To the doctor?" Mike never went along. He couldn't stand to see a man checking me.
His face darkened. "Got a problem with that?"
"I was going to meet Mercy at the soda fountain afterwards." Mercy was a friend from high school. Worked afternoons at the Bay Springs Dollar General Store.
"I don't want you seein Mercy."
"Why?"
"You need to stay home, off your feet, remember? You got no business runnin around with friends."
"I stay home all day with my feet up on the couch."
"Good. That's the way Doc wants it."
My eyes burned. Mike was going to cut me off from everybody. As much as I'd hated Erika, I wished I had her courage. She'd have stood up to him.
Maybe she did. Now she was dead.
I picked up the phone.
"What're you doin?"
"Calling Mercy to tell her I can't see her today."
Or tomorrow. Or ever.
As we headed out to the truck, something inside me gave way. This was it, and I'd better face the truth. Either I'd live the rest of my life like thisâor I had to do something about it.
Chapter 12
Deena
No sleep for me Thursday night. How's someone supposed to sleep when she thinks her brother's a killer? I watched my digital clock tick through the hours, its red numbers like demon eyes. At 1:00 I knew Stevie was guilty. By 2:00 I'd convinced myself he couldn't have pulled off the murders. He wasn't smart enough. Would have left bloody prints everywhere. Besides, why would
"Don't." His hand jerked up, palm out. I could see his shirt move from his heartbeat. "Don't answer now. I'll be here for a few more days. Just think about it."
My head nodded.
"And don't worry about money, I have enough to start out. That $10,000 award for the PulitzerâI saved it for us."
For us. So many thoughts went through my mind I couldn't begin to sort them out.
Trent's gaze dropped. Awkwardness crept between us and hung there. I played with the collar on my blouse. I didn't want to deal with this, not now. How did Trent think he could take me away from Stevie, anyhow? Who'd look after my brother if I was in New York?
Unless he was in jail.
Trent pushed to his feet. "I need to go." He wouldn't meet my eyes. "Thanks for supper."
Numbly, I rose. "No problem. Thanks for comin. Tell Sally and Ray hi for me."
"Sure."
We reached the door. I placed my hand on the deadbolt. "Do they know you're goin to New York?"
"I just told them. They're excited for me."
The last sentence sounded almost defensive. "I'm excited for you, too, Trent."
He firmed his lips. "See you soon, Deena."
"Yeah. See you soon."
I watched while he walked down my porch steps. As he climbed into his old Ford he gave me a small wave. I waved back.
The door relocked and bolted, I leaned against it and closed my eyes. The smell of spaghetti lingered. Suddenly it was sickening.
With draggin steps I entered the kitchen. I eyed the dishes in the sink and shivered. The sauce looked like blood.
As I rinsed plates and scrubbed pans, two thoughts pulsed in my head. Oneâno way I could go with Trent, and he had to know that. And twoâif he cared so much about me, would he do anything for me?
Like help me with my brother, no matter what Stevie had done.
FRIDAY
APRIL 22, 2011
Chapter 11
Tully
Thursday night I sat up like Mike told me to, his gun on the coffee table. Who were we fooling? My muscles turned to rocks while I waited, and the baby wouldn't stop kicking.
I couldn't keep doing this. I was already about to fall apart.
Finally in bed next to Mike, I couldn't sleep. Again. How could I relax, beside a killer? When I did doze off, I had nightmares. Twice I jerked awake, sure I felt a knife at my neck.
Friday morning I dragged around, hot and fat and weepy. In the shower I couldn't stop crying. I dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. Put makeup on my neck, trying to hide the bruises. I hoped my OB-GYN wouldn't notice. He'd be busy at the other end.
"Wait." Mike spoke up as I was fixing to leave. "I'm goin with you."
"To the doctor?" Mike never went along. He couldn't stand to see a man checking me.
His face darkened. "Got a problem with that?"
"I was going to meet Mercy at the soda fountain afterwards." Mercy was a friend from high school. Worked afternoons at the Bay Springs Dollar General Store.
"I don't want you seein Mercy."
"Why?"
"You need to stay home, off your feet, remember? You got no business runnin around with friends."
"I stay home all day with my feet up on the couch."
"Good. That's the way Doc wants it."
My eyes burned. Mike was going to cut me off from everybody. As much as I'd hated Erika, I wished I had her courage. She'd have stood up to him.
Maybe she did. Now she was dead.
I picked up the phone.
"What're you doin?"
"Calling Mercy to tell her I can't see her today."
Or tomorrow. Or ever.
As we headed out to the truck, something inside me gave way. This was it, and I'd better face the truth. Either I'd live the rest of my life like thisâor I had to do something about it.
Chapter 12
Deena
No sleep for me Thursday night. How's someone supposed to sleep when she thinks her brother's a killer? I watched my digital clock tick through the hours, its red numbers like demon eyes. At 1:00 I knew Stevie was guilty. By 2:00 I'd convinced myself he couldn't have pulled off the murders. He wasn't smart enough. Would have left bloody prints everywhere. Besides, why would
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