One Hot Forty-Five by B.J. Daniels

Author:B.J. Daniels [B.J. Daniels]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2009-12-14T18:00:00+00:00

VIOLET DROVE ONLY A SHORT WAY before she stopped again. The area looked desolate, but this whole country did. For miles there was nothing but snow, broken occasionally by a house or tree.

“You aren’t going down there,” Roberta said from the front passenger seat.

Dede looked to see what Roberta was referring to. An old farmhouse sat among some outbuildings in a gully nearby.

“I need to see my mother,” Violet said in a strange, little-girl voice that made both Dede and Roberta look over at her in alarm. “I know she’s down there.”

“Your mother will call the cops, and we’ll all be caught,” Roberta said, getting angry. “I thought we were going to—”

Violet pulled the keys out of the ignition and opened her door. “You don’t like it, take a hike,” she said as she got out.

“That woman is crazy,” Roberta said as Violet slammed the door and headed off down the hill toward the house where apparently she’d grown up.

Roberta slid down in her seat and closed her eyes as if planning to take a nap.

Dede saw her opportunity and began to work at freeing her hands. Violet had tied her with cotton rope that was now cutting off her circulation. With both her wrists bound, she had no chance of getting away from these two, and she hated to think what would happen if she stayed with them much longer.

She had to agree with Roberta. It was crazy, Violet going down there. No matter how it went, Dede worried it would go badly for Violet’s mother. Or Violet.

And if Violet’s mother called the cops, Dede and Roberta would be caught, as well.

“You know she talks to her grandmother who’s been dead for years,” Roberta said sleepily.

Dede knew Violet talked to someone who wasn’t there. “She must have loved her grandmother.”

Roberta laughed so hard the SUV shook as she sat up a little. “Her grandmother is the one she really wants to kill, but it’s tough to kill someone who’s already dead, you know? That old hag must have been a real piece of work. Violet’s still scared of her.”

Through the frost-rimmed window, Dede watched Violet approach the house. “What do you think her mother will do?”

Roberta shrugged. “What would you do if the daughter who’d tried to kill you came calling?”

Run like the devil, Dede thought.

Roberta seemed to realize that Dede was up to something. She glanced back at her.

“Could you untie me? This is really uncomfortable.”

Roberta frowned. “I don’t think so.”

“We’re all in this together.”

“Not even close. I’m not sure how you ended up in the loony bin, but you’re not one of us.”

“Please. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Uh-oh,” Roberta said, turning her attention back to the farmhouse below them. “Did Violet just walk in the house?”

Violet was nowhere in sight, and Dede could make out movement behind the curtains. She listened for the sound of a gunshot, closing her eyes, wishing she was anywhere but here.

Lantry popped into her thoughts, bringing with him the memory of the kiss. She’d made a mistake not staying with him and taking her chances.

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