Death in Wine Country (Wine & Dine Mysteries Book 5) by Gemma Halliday

Author:Gemma Halliday [Halliday, Gemma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gemma Halliday Publishing
Published: 2020-04-13T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

My heart missed a whole series of beats as I listened in the darkness. Sure enough, I heard an engine nearby, wheels crunching over the dirt road. Ava killed her flashlight and moved to the front window. She lifted the faded floral sheet just enough to see outside. "Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh?" I squeaked out.

"Blue pickup."

Uh-oh.

My fingers fumbled as I quickly zipped the bag back up and pushed it under the bed where I'd found it.

"Turn your light out!" Ava warned, her voice barely above a whisper.

I did as she asked, only my hand shook so badly that my phone slipped from my hands, dropping to the floor with a clatter as it landed under the bed next to the duffel bag.

Crap.

Ava leapt onto the mattress and stopped near the open window, ready to hoist herself out.

"Hurry up, Emmy," she warned, pulling herself up on the sill.

"I dropped my phone."

"What?"

"It's under the bed!"

I heard the truck motor die, followed by the sound of a vehicle door opening. It slammed shut, and footsteps crunched on the gravel.

"Emmy, let's go," Ava begged.

"You go." I shoved my car keys at her. "Go to the Jeep. I'll be right behind you." I had no idea if I would be right behind her, but there was no point in both of us getting caught.

In the dim light I could see her bite her lip. "I can't leave you."

"I'll catch up," I promised. "Now go!"

Reluctantly, she did. I didn't wait to watch her shimmy out the window, instead diving under the bed and reaching for my phone.

My fingers curled around it just as the sound of the door handle turning rattled the silence. I heard it open, the screen smacking against the side of the mobile home, then boots smashed against the vinyl flooring.

I pushed myself under the mattress as far as I could get and prayed that Tripp wouldn't see me.

"Sorry," Tripp said, presumably into his phone, as I could only see one set of boots. "I have no idea what they plan to do with Dante." There was a pause, then, "I told you, Mrs. Cross, it's up to Animal Control."

Mrs. Cross. He was talking to Carrie.

"No, I don't know if they'll release him." Tripp sounded irritated as he flipped on a light.

From my position I watched him kick off his dusty boots before moving to the refrigerator. A can cracked, the hissing of gas escaping the open lid muffling his voice as he said something else into the phone. I heard gulping as he listened to Carrie's answer, then he told her, "Look, I'll call them tomorrow, but there's no promises they'll even talk to me. That's the best I can do." I could only guess what she said on the other end, but a beat later he mumbled a goodbye and then threw the phone onto the table.

Then there was silence.

My stomach cramped with fear as I wondered how the heck I was getting out of this. I watched Tripp's boots walk toward me. Then he dropped himself onto the bed, the mattress squashing above my head.

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