Don't Let In the Cold by Keely Parrack

Author:Keely Parrack
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2022-07-07T00:00:00+00:00

27

7:33 p.m.

Voices. Someone was trying to talk but kept getting shut down. No dog sounds. I raised my brows at Jade. We crept up closer, huddling below the window, the wind smothering any noise our footsteps made.

“He did try to bite me.” A chair scraped on the floor. “Take us to where you’ve hidden it, or he’ll freeze to death out there, even with that nice coat. Do people still make dog-hair coats?” Too bad Nico didn’t actually get bitten.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Otis was just doing his job, following orders, protecting his master. Like you’re supposed to, Alex. When our animals turn on us, they have to be disciplined. You turned on us, Alex?” There was a small hovering silence. “No? ’Cause it looks like it from here.” AJ’s smooth voice resonated off the metal walls.

“It burned up with everything else.” Alex’s voice was a little shaky.

There was a thud, grunt, and a bark. Otis was there inside. Alive. Thank God.

“But,” said AJ, “you told us about it. All the other stuff, the TVs and the Celestron telescopes were a given, but Einstein’s telescope got your attention. It was your idea. Your promise.” He sucked the air through his teeth. “I just don’t see you letting anything happen to it.”

So it was all Alex’s fault. I leaned in closer. The metal wall almost touched my cheek.

“It’s the girl’s.” I could barely hear Alex. “I can’t do that to her.” Nothing to do with letting me down then.

“It did survive! I knew it!” Nico sounded so pleased with himself. “Don’t be an idiot. Just give it up and you can walk away.”

“He’s right. You owe us big-time—once, for not getting Einstein’s telescope after you bragged you would, and then for lying to our faces right now.” AJ was all calm menace. “Don’t try to be a hero. Tell us where it is, or we’ll go back and ask your friends. I bet they would gladly give it up. I’m sure they wouldn’t want the dog to be hurt, or anyone else.”

“No, no, no, no.” Alex crumbled fast. “Leave them out of it.” So we were friends.

Jade whispered in my ear, “We have to save them.”

Really, when it was obviously Alex’s fault? I looked at Jade’s anxious face and nodded. Jade was doing it because it was the right thing. I was doing it for her.

“I’ll tell you where it is.” Alex sounded so resigned. But he’d put himself in this trap. No one made him break into the cabin. “As long as you promise not to hurt anyone else.”

Nico laughed. “Yeah, like we owe you anything.”

Jade and I looked at each other with complete understanding. We had to act fast. I raced to the truck and opened the driver’s-side door. Of course they’d leave it unlocked with the key still in the ignition. Who would steal from them in the middle of a snowstorm? I was surprised a gun wasn’t lying across the passenger seat. Jade ran to the passenger side and jumped in, slamming the door behind her.

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