Diamond In The Rough (Bodie Kendrick - Bounty Hunter Book 3) by Dundee Wayne D

Author:Dundee, Wayne D. [Dundee, Wayne D.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Bil-Em-Ri Media
Published: 2013-06-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Under Kendrick’s direction, the group made a quick-break camp on the high foothills plateau where there was good water and passable graze. All were encouraged to rest, eat well, and enjoy the opportunity for taking it easy. They’d been fully warned that, at the signal from Kendrick which would come somewhere around midnight, they would be rousted to quit the camp hurriedly and then, guided by star- and moonlight, descend silently and unseen back down to the desert floor where they would strike north for the Pinalenos. If all went well, they would be several miles away from Dos Cabezas by first light.

While the others relaxed and rested as they’d been urged to do, Kendrick prowled anxiously, rolling things over and over in his mind. Maybe he was being too cautious, maybe not cautious enough. If the former, then they were wasting precious time when they could have started directly for the Pineros and been part way there by now. If the latter … well, that would reveal itself soon enough if it turned out to be the case.

With his spyglass, while there was still light, Kendrick once again stood alone on the rim of the plateau and closely studied the descent they would follow, re-crossing the main trail between the town and heaviest concentration of mines, continuing down and out into the desert, always angling north. He plotted their course over the terrain for as far as he could see. At first they would leave no tracks on the hard, rocky surfaces to be found throughout the foothills. Once out onto the desert floor, however, it would be a different story. But he’d make sure that anyone who came looking would have to search and search hard before they picked up where any sign started.

As darkness settled, Amelia put aside the notebook in which she was always jotting entries and walked out to where he was, bearing a cup of coffee for him.

“You keep telling everyone else to get some rest. Shouldn’t be doing the same?” she said, handing him the cup.

“I will. Right shortly.” Kendrick drank some of the coffee. “Thanks. That’s real good.”

Amelia pushed her hands into the pockets of the fleece-lined coat she was wearing and shivered slightly. “I can never get used to how fast the desert turns cold once the sun goes down,” she said.

“Maybe it’s meant to help a body forget how hot it turns in the daytime,” Kendrick suggested.

“Yes, it surely does that,” Amelia agreed. “And tomorrow, when we’re frying out there in the sun, tonight’s cold will be all but forgotten, too … Guess I just like to complain.”

“From what I’ve seen,” Kendrick said, “you hold up pretty well to just about anything. Don’t sell yourself short.”

After regarding him for a moment, Amelia said, “Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Fair enough. What it was meant to be.”

She continued to study him. “I thought you didn’t really like me very much.”

One corner of Kendrick’s mouth lifted briefly. “Didn’t quite know what to make of you at first, that’s all.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.