Secret Agenda by Paula Graves

Author:Paula Graves
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Suspense
ISBN: 9781459227606
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-05-02T00:41:59+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Bending over the pan of homemade firecrackers, Evan lit the long matchstick. With a hiss, it flared, lighting up the dark porch for a second. He took a deep breath, touched the flame to the fuse and dashed out of the kitchen.

He nearly ran into Megan as she bolted toward the bedroom. He caught her as she stumbled, pressing his nose into her wild curls, breathing in the warm herbal tang of her shampoo. It had become a familiar scent, he realized, a part of the fabric of his existence over the past two days.

He parted from her with reluctance, heading to the window while she dashed toward the closet. He waited in breathless silence for the sound of the first firecracker going off.

Even though he was expecting it, the loud bang from the other room made his heart jump. He heard Megan’s soft exhalation by the closet. There was a muted click and suddenly, from over their heads came a low, rumbling roar.

More firecrackers exploded, coming from three different sides of the house. Overhead, there were thuds as whoever was in the attic reacted to the whirling fan blade now chopping only inches from their heads. Behind him, Megan padded quietly into place, bending down to pick up her bag and his.

Outside the window, Evan saw movement. The two men in the woods were running off, one heading to the back of the house, the other toward the front.

“Now,” he whispered to Megan, pulling the window open. It moved soundlessly, to his relief.

He pushed the screen out. He couldn’t hear it hit the ground over the sound of the firecrackers. He turned to Megan and lifted her over the sill, bag and all, then handed her his bag. He climbed out the window and pulled it closed behind him.

“Go!” he whispered, taking his bag. He slung the canvas strap over his shoulder and raced after her into the woods.

They had about a fifty-yard head start and the advantage of Megan’s familiarity with the mountainside. But it didn’t take long for their pursuers to realize they’d been tricked, and about halfway down the mountain, they heard the sound of bullets hitting the trees around them, though the sound-suppressors on the intruders’ rifles muted the shots.

“This way,” Megan growled, grabbing his hand. She took him over a sudden drop of about five feet, landing like a cat on both feet. He hit more awkwardly, his left ankle twisting.

Luckily for him, they weren’t going much farther. She pulled him with her into a small hole in the rocky face of the mountain and flattened her back against the cave wall.

“We should be okay if they don’t have dogs,” she breathed. “Did you see any dogs?”

“No.” He wiggled his ankle, testing it for injury. It was sore but it seemed to function well enough. “We can’t hole up here forever.”

Her elbow dug into his side as she pulled something from her pocket. Her cell phone—the display panel lit up, bathing her face with blue light.

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