Read Online Never Let Go by Deborah Smith - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Deborah Smith
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snapped up. Her eyes glittered with anguished fury and her voice vibrated. "I didn't seduce you so that I could steal the truck keys when you were distracted. Don't you ever call me that name again. And stop acting as if you're the only one who has suffered."
Dinah shoved the truck door open and stumbled out. She sank to her hands and knees, fighting nausea.
Dimly she heard Rucker's booted feet hit the truck's running board as he climbed out after her. He knelt beside her and held her forehead in his wide, strong hand. The other hand clasped her waist, steadying her.
"I warned you to keep your distance," he reminded her, but his voice was hoarse. "I also warned you that I could be cruel."
"I know. All right." She moved away from him and got wearily to her feet. He stood also, his hands clenched. Dinah waved him aside and climbed into the truck without help. He slammed the door.
By the time Rucker settled in the driver's seat, she sat facing forward with her shoulders squared. "I won't try to sneak away from you again. And I won't touch you again," she said with great dignity. "I swear it."
The roar of the truck's engine was the only answer she received.
***
Potsbog, Tennessee was so small that it made Mount Pleasant look like a metropolis, Dinah thought. They stopped at the town's one gas station and convenience store. Dinah went to the restroom, where she assessed her face in a mirror and estimated her age at about ninety-five.
When she went inside the store Rucker stood at the cashier's counter, a gasoline credit card in his hand. Dinah swept a gaze behind the counter and noted the computerized equipment with dismay.
She stepped close to Rucker, took the credit card from him, and smiled sweetly at the elderly man behind the cash register. "Excuse us, sir." He didn't smile back.
Rucker followed her outside, frowning. "What's wrong?"
Dinah returned the card and looked up at him grimly. "Jeopard undoubtedly has access to a computer network that will let him know the minute you use that. As soon as the clerk runs it through a credit check Jeopard can find out where we are."
After a stunned moment. Ricker's eyes narrowed. "I guess Valdivia trained you well."
Dinah nodded. "Just use cash. No problem."
"A problem. I have exactly ten dollars and I just bought twenty dollars worth of gas. I didn't have time last night to get any extra cash, and I gave most of what I had to Boaz. I figured on using a bank card to get-more."
"Checks?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Didn't bring my checkbook."
They shared a worried gaze. "The last thing we want is for the cashier to call the sheriff," Dinah noted.
"Let me handle this. I never met a country boy I couldn't reason with."
Drawing himself up, Rucker sauntered back inside. Dinah trailed after him.
"Friend, I've got a problem," he told the cashier jovially. "My wife forgot to pay the gas company this month and she says they'll pounce on my charge card like a duck on a june bug. And she spent most of my cash on a fancy breakfast this mornin'. I said, 'Edna, you don't need that extra side of ham.' But she's got an appetite like a fat nanny goat, so—"
"Boy, you ain't got enough to pay for your gas, and that ain't my problem," the cashier interjected. 'That's the sheriff's problem."
"Please, sir," Dinah said quickly. "We need to get home to my sick mother, up in Kentucky. Have you got any work we could do to pay for the gas?"
"Nope."
"Has anyone in town got some work? We can do anything. My husband here, Bo, he's good with his hands."
"Either of y'all ever worked a diner? Cookin', waltin' tables?"
"Sure," they said in unison.
"Man down the street needs somebody this mornin'. His people didn't show up for work. Maybe he can help you. But that don't solve my problem."
Dinah lifted Rucker's arm and pointed to the heavy gold Rolex on his wrist. "We'll leave this as collateral. And we'll let you hold the keys to our truck until we come back with some cash."
The clerk
Dinah shoved the truck door open and stumbled out. She sank to her hands and knees, fighting nausea.
Dimly she heard Rucker's booted feet hit the truck's running board as he climbed out after her. He knelt beside her and held her forehead in his wide, strong hand. The other hand clasped her waist, steadying her.
"I warned you to keep your distance," he reminded her, but his voice was hoarse. "I also warned you that I could be cruel."
"I know. All right." She moved away from him and got wearily to her feet. He stood also, his hands clenched. Dinah waved him aside and climbed into the truck without help. He slammed the door.
By the time Rucker settled in the driver's seat, she sat facing forward with her shoulders squared. "I won't try to sneak away from you again. And I won't touch you again," she said with great dignity. "I swear it."
The roar of the truck's engine was the only answer she received.
***
Potsbog, Tennessee was so small that it made Mount Pleasant look like a metropolis, Dinah thought. They stopped at the town's one gas station and convenience store. Dinah went to the restroom, where she assessed her face in a mirror and estimated her age at about ninety-five.
When she went inside the store Rucker stood at the cashier's counter, a gasoline credit card in his hand. Dinah swept a gaze behind the counter and noted the computerized equipment with dismay.
She stepped close to Rucker, took the credit card from him, and smiled sweetly at the elderly man behind the cash register. "Excuse us, sir." He didn't smile back.
Rucker followed her outside, frowning. "What's wrong?"
Dinah returned the card and looked up at him grimly. "Jeopard undoubtedly has access to a computer network that will let him know the minute you use that. As soon as the clerk runs it through a credit check Jeopard can find out where we are."
After a stunned moment. Ricker's eyes narrowed. "I guess Valdivia trained you well."
Dinah nodded. "Just use cash. No problem."
"A problem. I have exactly ten dollars and I just bought twenty dollars worth of gas. I didn't have time last night to get any extra cash, and I gave most of what I had to Boaz. I figured on using a bank card to get-more."
"Checks?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Didn't bring my checkbook."
They shared a worried gaze. "The last thing we want is for the cashier to call the sheriff," Dinah noted.
"Let me handle this. I never met a country boy I couldn't reason with."
Drawing himself up, Rucker sauntered back inside. Dinah trailed after him.
"Friend, I've got a problem," he told the cashier jovially. "My wife forgot to pay the gas company this month and she says they'll pounce on my charge card like a duck on a june bug. And she spent most of my cash on a fancy breakfast this mornin'. I said, 'Edna, you don't need that extra side of ham.' But she's got an appetite like a fat nanny goat, so—"
"Boy, you ain't got enough to pay for your gas, and that ain't my problem," the cashier interjected. 'That's the sheriff's problem."
"Please, sir," Dinah said quickly. "We need to get home to my sick mother, up in Kentucky. Have you got any work we could do to pay for the gas?"
"Nope."
"Has anyone in town got some work? We can do anything. My husband here, Bo, he's good with his hands."
"Either of y'all ever worked a diner? Cookin', waltin' tables?"
"Sure," they said in unison.
"Man down the street needs somebody this mornin'. His people didn't show up for work. Maybe he can help you. But that don't solve my problem."
Dinah lifted Rucker's arm and pointed to the heavy gold Rolex on his wrist. "We'll leave this as collateral. And we'll let you hold the keys to our truck until we come back with some cash."
The clerk
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