Read Online Sacrificing Sloan (Sloan Series Book 3) by Kelly Martin - Free Book Online
Authors: Kelly Martin
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him.
And smack him hard.
I decided against that, and had my foot out to nudge him, when Mackenzie came back into the room. She had bread in one hand and mustard in the other. Sweat glistened on her forehead, which was odd. Even though it was May, it wasn’t that hot. “Ham.”
“Huh?”
“Ham, Sloan. Ray is out of ham.”
“Oh no! I forgot!” He sighed. “Being shot and all… ugh… don’t worry about the sandwich.”
“No…” she laid the bread and mustard on the little table next to the door. “You need to eat.”
“It’s okay…”
“It’s not. I have my car. I’ll just run to the store. It won’t take long. I’ll be back soon. Sloan, anything you want while I’m out?”
I shook my head because I didn’t trust myself with words.
“Okay. I’ll be back soon.” In a second, she was out the door. I heard her car start and back out of the driveway.
“You were asking what I was doing…” Ray sat up on the couch and stood up. He didn’t need any help.
He didn’t…. need… any… help.
“What are you doing?” I asked because it was a reflex. When someone saw something that wasn’t expected, it was a very common and accepted question. Except this time, as much as it pained me, I knew exactly what he was doing—only I didn’t know his entire plan at the time.
“You know what I’m doing. I got Mackenzie gone. We can leave before she gets back and be at Chapel Falls in no time.”
“And then what? Hike the trail down? I hate to break it to you, Ray, but it is still raining and it won’t stop raining for a few days. Those trails are nothing but mud pits.”
“Then we get dirty.” He bit his lip and took my hand, raising me to standing. Once there, he placed both hands on my shoulders and leaned down, so he could look me straight in the eyes. I hated when he did that to me. “My brother is out there, Sloan. From what you told me, the police aren’t looking for him. Not really. I’m not going to leave him. I can’t leave him. And I think we both know he’s not dead. He can’t be dead. I won’t believe it, and neither will you… so that means we have to find him. If it’s raining and muddy, that means he’s been out there in it for this long. If the fall didn’t do him in… Please Sloan, we’ve been over this. Just… help me. I need you.”
I need you. It was the same words he’d told me at the hospital when Mackenzie had gone to get the nurse. I need you.
What could I say to that? Ray was old enough to make his own choices, and so was I. And he was right. Aaron needed us.
“Go get on some warm clothes.” I said, trying not to regret agreeing to do this. It was one thing for just me to go after Aaron, but it was another to have Ray with me.
He smiled, actually smiled at me, and kissed my cheek. “Thank you! Give me five minutes. I want to be gone before Mackenzie gets back.” He ran faster than I thought he could up the stairs, and I heard a door close.
That feller had lied, when he said he needed Mackenzie’s and my help to walk him in the house… I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
I might have been leaving with Ray, but in my heart of hearts, I knew Mackenzie needed to know what was going, or at least that we were alright.
I dug through the drawers until I found one piece of paper—well, it was the back of a receipt, but it worked—and a pen. I scribbled a note and left it where Mackenzie could see.
True to his word, Ray came down the steps five minutes later with boots and a thick coat on. We left before Mackenzie got back from the store.
Please, God, let her forgive me.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Aaron
1:10 PM
“ A ARON!”
I sat up, sweat poured down my forehead, my bare arms, and through the white t-shirt Mr. Lawrence let me wear. I tried to calm myself down, but it was really hard. It was just a dream. Just a dream.
When did I go back to sleep?
I knew I was tired, but the last thing I remembered was talking to Boyd. When did I go to
And smack him hard.
I decided against that, and had my foot out to nudge him, when Mackenzie came back into the room. She had bread in one hand and mustard in the other. Sweat glistened on her forehead, which was odd. Even though it was May, it wasn’t that hot. “Ham.”
“Huh?”
“Ham, Sloan. Ray is out of ham.”
“Oh no! I forgot!” He sighed. “Being shot and all… ugh… don’t worry about the sandwich.”
“No…” she laid the bread and mustard on the little table next to the door. “You need to eat.”
“It’s okay…”
“It’s not. I have my car. I’ll just run to the store. It won’t take long. I’ll be back soon. Sloan, anything you want while I’m out?”
I shook my head because I didn’t trust myself with words.
“Okay. I’ll be back soon.” In a second, she was out the door. I heard her car start and back out of the driveway.
“You were asking what I was doing…” Ray sat up on the couch and stood up. He didn’t need any help.
He didn’t…. need… any… help.
“What are you doing?” I asked because it was a reflex. When someone saw something that wasn’t expected, it was a very common and accepted question. Except this time, as much as it pained me, I knew exactly what he was doing—only I didn’t know his entire plan at the time.
“You know what I’m doing. I got Mackenzie gone. We can leave before she gets back and be at Chapel Falls in no time.”
“And then what? Hike the trail down? I hate to break it to you, Ray, but it is still raining and it won’t stop raining for a few days. Those trails are nothing but mud pits.”
“Then we get dirty.” He bit his lip and took my hand, raising me to standing. Once there, he placed both hands on my shoulders and leaned down, so he could look me straight in the eyes. I hated when he did that to me. “My brother is out there, Sloan. From what you told me, the police aren’t looking for him. Not really. I’m not going to leave him. I can’t leave him. And I think we both know he’s not dead. He can’t be dead. I won’t believe it, and neither will you… so that means we have to find him. If it’s raining and muddy, that means he’s been out there in it for this long. If the fall didn’t do him in… Please Sloan, we’ve been over this. Just… help me. I need you.”
I need you. It was the same words he’d told me at the hospital when Mackenzie had gone to get the nurse. I need you.
What could I say to that? Ray was old enough to make his own choices, and so was I. And he was right. Aaron needed us.
“Go get on some warm clothes.” I said, trying not to regret agreeing to do this. It was one thing for just me to go after Aaron, but it was another to have Ray with me.
He smiled, actually smiled at me, and kissed my cheek. “Thank you! Give me five minutes. I want to be gone before Mackenzie gets back.” He ran faster than I thought he could up the stairs, and I heard a door close.
That feller had lied, when he said he needed Mackenzie’s and my help to walk him in the house… I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
I might have been leaving with Ray, but in my heart of hearts, I knew Mackenzie needed to know what was going, or at least that we were alright.
I dug through the drawers until I found one piece of paper—well, it was the back of a receipt, but it worked—and a pen. I scribbled a note and left it where Mackenzie could see.
True to his word, Ray came down the steps five minutes later with boots and a thick coat on. We left before Mackenzie got back from the store.
Please, God, let her forgive me.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Aaron
1:10 PM
“ A ARON!”
I sat up, sweat poured down my forehead, my bare arms, and through the white t-shirt Mr. Lawrence let me wear. I tried to calm myself down, but it was really hard. It was just a dream. Just a dream.
When did I go back to sleep?
I knew I was tired, but the last thing I remembered was talking to Boyd. When did I go to
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