Ravenous by John Inman

Author:John Inman [Inman, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 9781644055748
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2020-06-01T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

“DO YOU need food or water?” Terry asked.

The woman and daughter were standing at the side of the trail, about a quarter mile up from where Terry had parked earlier. Jonas was in the act of pouring gasoline into the tank of the woman’s bright yellow Camry at the spot where it had run out of fuel. There was a large smear of dried blood on the car’s front fender, which Terry thought it best not to ask about.

It was only after they were out in the sunlight that Terry recognized the woman. He didn’t know her name, but she was one of the town’s librarians and worked in the public library. He remembered she had helped him find a book on Thoreau once.

If the woman recognized him, she didn’t let on. In fact, she didn’t let on much of anything. She looked like she had been through a lot, and it had left her dazed. Her eyes were a little crazy, and they kept shooting back to her daughter to make sure the child was safe.

“We’re sorry about your husband,” Terry said softly, not wanting to draw the attention of the girl, who was sitting on the ground petting Bruce.

The woman nodded. She opened her mouth to speak, decided those weren’t the words she wanted, then weakly admitted, “He didn’t stand a chance.”

“No,” Terry said, flashing back on Bobby’s death. “I don’t suppose he did.” He watched Jonas fiddle with the gas can for a minute, then turned back to the woman. “Will you drive down to the foot of the mountain where the authorities are and turn yourselves in?”

She nodded. “There’s nothing left for us here. We have to leave. I have to get Jilly out.” Again she turned her eyes on her daughter. The woman’s face was dirty, her clothes streaked with clay from the cave. The child was even dirtier, but at the moment she seemed okay. She was humming softly to herself while she patted Bruce.

The mother showed no interest in who Terry and Jonas were or what they thought they were accomplishing by staying on the mountain. She didn’t seem aware that the two strangers had saved her and her daughter’s life. She was concerned with getting away and nothing else. Terry suspected she was about one more surprise away from a nervous breakdown, and Terry couldn’t blame her. Sometimes, at least before Jonas came along, he used to think he was at that point too.

He let his gaze fall on the girl, who was still humming and cradling Bruce in her lap. Bruce was looking very pleased with himself, Terry thought. And for good reason.

The girl’s eyes were wide and bright as she tore them from the pug and centered them on Terry’s face. “You should give him an extra treat tonight,” she said, indicating the dog. “For saving our lives, I mean. He was very brave.”

Jonas and Terry both smiled. Jonas said, “He was, wasn’t he?”

The girl nodded, and then a tear slid down her cheek.

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