Read Online The Lies That Save Us (The Broken Heart Series) by JL Redington - Free Book Online Page B

made what food she had managed to get down come right back up her throat. 
    “I think I’m done,” she said with a smile.  “Are you ready to go?”
    She hadn’t been looking at him, but when she looked up he was studying her face.
    “You’re sure doing a lot of thinking over there,” he said, trying to sound light.
    “Yeah,” she said casually, “guess I was just hungrier than I thought.”
    “Oh, sure,” he said with a laugh, “you ate all of two bites.  You must have been famished.”
    She was standing up and heading to the register as he spoke.  He threw the tip down on the table and quickly caught up to her.  He paid for the meal and they headed for the car.  The effect of  the pain killers gone, they decided he could try driving for a while and see how it went.  He backed out of the parking space and headed for the freeway.  It wasn’t long until they were at freeway speed.  They would try to make it most of the way through Utah, at least as far south as they could.
    “You know, you don’t need to pay for every meal,” she said turning to look at him.
    “And why not?” he said most gallantly, “Isn’t that the chivalrous thing to do?”
    His grin was incredible, causing her insides to tighten in a most deliciously uncomfortable way.
    “It’s not about that,” she said, forcing her concentration, “it’s about sharing the expenses.  This trip isn’t your responsibility, it’s mine.”
    In that instant in the restaurant, Alexa had changed.  She was no longer the weak, fearful woman he had put in the car back in Startup.  She was now a woman on a mission.
    “What happened back there?” asked Cayman curiously.  He was exiting the freeway, opting for back roads with less visibility than a freeway.
    “What do you mean?  You know what happened.  I saw my father again, or someone that looked like him.”
    They had been on the road for about an hour, talking for some of the time, sometimes lost in thought.   Now they sat in silence and finally Alexa spoke.
    “Where’s the map?”
    “In the glove box, why?”
    “Because at the next major city, you’re going to drop me off at a car rental place and I’m going on by myself.”
    Cayman came unglued.
    “No you’re not!” he said firmly.  “Alexa, there are people after you, after that album.  You can’t do this by yourself.  You need someone with you!”
    “And how would you know I can’t do it by myself?”  she asked turning to him.  “I made it through my father’s murder, the trial and conviction of my fiancé, the purchase of the diner, a whole butt load of heavy duty issues.  What makes you think I can’t do this myself?”
    “Well, for one thing, you don’t have a gun, and if you did, could you even shoot straight?”
    The car was in the middle of nowhere and Alexa said, “Pull over.”
    “Why?”
    “Just do it.”  She was determined.
    Cayman pulled the car over.  Alexa got out and opened the passenger door.  She fumbled around in her overnight bag until her hand hit the cold steel of her small hand gun.  Grabbing a pop can from the garbage bag in the car she set it firmly on a rock off the side of the road.  Crossing to the other side of the road she lifted the pistol she’d just pulled from her bag, aimed and shot the pop can off the rock.  She crossed back to where the can lay on the ground, picked it up and placed it back on the rock, the bullet hole facing her.  She went to the other side of the road again and shot the can just as she had before.  The pinging sound of the bullet hitting the can resounded through the canyon.  She crossed the road one more time, picked up the can and took it to Cayman, who was standing dumbfounded outside the driver’s side of the car.  She handed him the can.
    There was just one bullet hole in the can.  She’d shot the can twice in the same spot.  He was impressed.
    “Wow-” he said, stopping abruptly as he looked up and into the barrel of her