Read Online Search Me by Katie Ashley - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Katie Ashley
Tags: Romance, Literature & Fiction, Action & Adventure, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Women's Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Women's Adventure
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me. He started squirting the lighter fluid over the crates of Mountain Brew. Then he tore out a wad of matches and struck them against the base of the book. A flame sputtered blue to red and then orange.
“When this goes up, start for the door,” he commanded before flinging separate matches onto the alcohol streams.
They sparked blue as they careened along the floor, gaining momentum. When the flame reached the box, it and the surrounding crates exploded into a fiery orange ball with curling black smoke. It took only a few seconds for the back of the warehouse to be engulfed. “Now!” Maddox shouted.
I shoved the backdoor open, causing the alarm to blare loudly. I didn’t have to glance behind me to see where Maddox was because he appeared at my side in an instant. Frantically, I scanned the parking lot. “Your Jeep?”
“I left it at Maudie’s and walked.” He gestured to the ridge in front of Maudie’s house rather than the gravel driveway. “This way.” Our feet slipped and slid through the mud from last night’s downpour. More than once, I lost my footing and fell face first into the grass. Each time, Maddox jerked me back up and kept us going.
Maudie’s house loomed in front of us. We pounded up the front porch steps. Digging into his pocket, Maddox fumbled for his keys. Once he unlocked the door, the house alarm started beeping until he entered the code. He turned back to me. “You get the map. I’m going to grab a little ammunition, and then I’ll have the Jeep waiting.”
I nodded and headed down the hall to Maudie’s bedroom. The moment I opened her door the scent of her perfume bombarded me. It hung so heavy around me that I felt like at any moment she would appear. Rising sobs burned in my throat, but I pushed myself forward to the antique dressing table across from me. Above it hung a painting of an Indian maiden wrapped in the arms of the warrior she loved.
I gave it a momentary glance before snatching it off the wall. I flipped it over to read the commission date. “10…17…49,” I murmured as I twirled the knob that reminded me of the dial on my locker, back and forth and past zero. I heard the catch and then the safe door swung open. I grabbed the map and then a thick blue envelope with the words Fletcher & Smith Attorney’s at Law . I was about to close it when a flicker of green caught my eye. It was stacks of hundred dollar bills. Not knowing what lay ahead for Maddox and me, I grabbed them as well.
With one last glance at Maudie’s room, I hurried out into the hallway. I stuffed everything into my purse that had miraculously stayed wrapped around my neck and shoulder. As I rounded the corner into the living room, I could hear Maddox revving up the Jeep’s engine in the garage. Rushing through the kitchen, the wail of police car and ambulance sirens filled my ears.
For the first time all evening, I felt a little hope.
I jogged out of the kitchen and into the garage. When I hopped in the jeep, Maddox asked, “You get the map?”
“Yeah, it’s in my purse.”
He then threw the gear into reverse, sending us flying backward into the driveway. Just as he spun the steering wheel around to straighten up the Jeep, we faced what could only be Jensen’s coal black Mercedes sedan.
“Oh, shit!” I cried. We didn’t face off for long before an arm came out of the passenger side window and pointed a gun at us.
“Duck!” Maddox ordered, and then we both doubled over as far as we could. My stomach muscles constricted in agony.
When the bullet pierced the windshield, it sounded like a canon going off all around us. I screamed, startled from the noise and shards of glass falling down on me. After a few breathless seconds, Maddox questioned, “You okay?”
I jerked my head up and gave myself a quick examination. No cuts or blood. “Yeah,” I squeaked.
“Hold on tight.” Maddox gunned the engine, sending us lunging forward past the Mercedes. My heartbeat accelerated along
“When this goes up, start for the door,” he commanded before flinging separate matches onto the alcohol streams.
They sparked blue as they careened along the floor, gaining momentum. When the flame reached the box, it and the surrounding crates exploded into a fiery orange ball with curling black smoke. It took only a few seconds for the back of the warehouse to be engulfed. “Now!” Maddox shouted.
I shoved the backdoor open, causing the alarm to blare loudly. I didn’t have to glance behind me to see where Maddox was because he appeared at my side in an instant. Frantically, I scanned the parking lot. “Your Jeep?”
“I left it at Maudie’s and walked.” He gestured to the ridge in front of Maudie’s house rather than the gravel driveway. “This way.” Our feet slipped and slid through the mud from last night’s downpour. More than once, I lost my footing and fell face first into the grass. Each time, Maddox jerked me back up and kept us going.
Maudie’s house loomed in front of us. We pounded up the front porch steps. Digging into his pocket, Maddox fumbled for his keys. Once he unlocked the door, the house alarm started beeping until he entered the code. He turned back to me. “You get the map. I’m going to grab a little ammunition, and then I’ll have the Jeep waiting.”
I nodded and headed down the hall to Maudie’s bedroom. The moment I opened her door the scent of her perfume bombarded me. It hung so heavy around me that I felt like at any moment she would appear. Rising sobs burned in my throat, but I pushed myself forward to the antique dressing table across from me. Above it hung a painting of an Indian maiden wrapped in the arms of the warrior she loved.
I gave it a momentary glance before snatching it off the wall. I flipped it over to read the commission date. “10…17…49,” I murmured as I twirled the knob that reminded me of the dial on my locker, back and forth and past zero. I heard the catch and then the safe door swung open. I grabbed the map and then a thick blue envelope with the words Fletcher & Smith Attorney’s at Law . I was about to close it when a flicker of green caught my eye. It was stacks of hundred dollar bills. Not knowing what lay ahead for Maddox and me, I grabbed them as well.
With one last glance at Maudie’s room, I hurried out into the hallway. I stuffed everything into my purse that had miraculously stayed wrapped around my neck and shoulder. As I rounded the corner into the living room, I could hear Maddox revving up the Jeep’s engine in the garage. Rushing through the kitchen, the wail of police car and ambulance sirens filled my ears.
For the first time all evening, I felt a little hope.
I jogged out of the kitchen and into the garage. When I hopped in the jeep, Maddox asked, “You get the map?”
“Yeah, it’s in my purse.”
He then threw the gear into reverse, sending us flying backward into the driveway. Just as he spun the steering wheel around to straighten up the Jeep, we faced what could only be Jensen’s coal black Mercedes sedan.
“Oh, shit!” I cried. We didn’t face off for long before an arm came out of the passenger side window and pointed a gun at us.
“Duck!” Maddox ordered, and then we both doubled over as far as we could. My stomach muscles constricted in agony.
When the bullet pierced the windshield, it sounded like a canon going off all around us. I screamed, startled from the noise and shards of glass falling down on me. After a few breathless seconds, Maddox questioned, “You okay?”
I jerked my head up and gave myself a quick examination. No cuts or blood. “Yeah,” I squeaked.
“Hold on tight.” Maddox gunned the engine, sending us lunging forward past the Mercedes. My heartbeat accelerated along
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