Once Burned (Task Force Eagle) by Vaughan Susan

Author:Vaughan, Susan [Vaughan, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Gullwood Press
Published: 2013-04-30T03:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

“Thanks, gentlemen.” Jake stood and set his mug on the blue-and-white checked tablecloth.

“Sorry we wasn’t much help,” Sonny said. The oldest of his granddad’s old friends, the octogenarian had the morose expression of a basset hound.

“Worth a try. But I enjoyed your stories about Grampa and my old man. They mean more than I can say. My brother will enjoy them too.”

Otis stood and shook his hand. “If we think of anythin’ else, I’ll call you. Hope you find the answers you need.”

“I appreciate that.” Jake tossed down enough cash to cover everyone’s bill and a tip.

Outside the Cuppa-’n-Suppa, he checked his watch. Ten fifteen. An hour’s chat over two cups of java and a piece of lemon-meringue pie had added zero to what he already knew.

He might as well have finished cleaning up the rest of the plaster and lath debris at Gram’s house. Next came the new walls. Piecing wallboard together in a room with more nooks and crannies than an English muffin would be cutting out and putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle. The more he considered the problem, hiring someone sounded better and better.

He should check in with Lani. She was way too blasé about safety.

No ringing. The call went directly to voice mail.

What the hell.

He could blame spotty service along the rural coast. But the connection worked when he called last night. She wouldn’t turn off her phone. His gut knotted.

He hustled across the parking lot to the Cherokee. A U-turn nearly slammed him into a pickup piled with new lobster traps. Waving an apology to the cursing driver, he whipped out onto the main road. He nudged the speed-limit envelope until the Come-Again sign outside the village blurred past him.

He tried Lani’s number again. Same deal. The knot in his gut bunched tighter. What was going on? Gunning the engine, he sped down the twisting road. When eons later the farmhouse came into view, he didn’t exhale a sigh of relief. No sign of Lani or the Beetle.

Brakes squealed and stones sprayed as he slammed to a stop in the driveway. Shoving the gear shift into first, he flipped off the engine. Ignoring the Cherokee’s protesting shudder, he flew out the door and up the porch steps.

He pounded on the door. “Lani! Are you there?”

Nothing. Silence.

He tried the doorknob. Locked. Through a crack between the door and the frame he could see the deadbolt set. He checked the front door. Buttoned up as well.

He headed around the house. If she’d left in a friend’s car, hers should be in the garage. That didn’t explain why her phone was off. Dammit to hell, she should’ve called him if she went somewhere. She’d agreed to the precaution. Or maybe he dreamed that. She went her own way. Too much.

As he approached the attached barn, he heard a vehicle farther down the road. Across the field he caught a glimpse of a tailgate as a truck disappeared around the turn. Must’ve come from the dirt track beyond the field.

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.