The Perfect Outsider by Loreth Anne White

Author:Loreth Anne White [White, Loreth Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Suspense
ISBN: 9781459227569
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-05-02T01:13:31+00:00

Chapter 7

“It’ll be risky,” June said as she outlined her plan.

They were sharing breakfast at a small stone table outside, near the water and partially shaded by the rock overhang. From their vantage point they had a full view of the valley and would be able to see anyone approaching. Even as they enjoyed each other’s company, they remained watchful.

Eager was lying at June’s feet, a warning system himself as he listened to their environment.

“But if you hike out of Hidden Valley that way—” she pointed in the direction Molly had gone earlier “—you reach Little Gulch in about four hours. It’s a slightly bigger town than Cold Plains, maybe three thousand residents, and it has a small airstrip. I’ll give you a pack and supplies, and you’ve got GPS.” She hesitated. “And I’m going to let you take Eager.”

He set his coffee mug down. “Why?”

“Because it will bolster the story I gave the Cold Plains police chief, Bo Fargo.” She rubbed her brow. “I told him the reason for my absence was that Eager got bitten by something, and that I’d taken him to stay overnight at the vet’s in Little Gulch because I’ve had clashes of opinion with the Cold Plains vet—something I need to mend now. So, if I hike back into Cold Plains and pick up my truck, I can—”

“Truck?”

“I live a double life, Jesse. It’s complicated. I rent a place on Hannah Mendes’s ranch on the outskirts of town. Hannah covers for me all the nights and some days that I am here at the safe house. And I work two days a week for the Cold Plains Urgent Care Center’s ambulance service as a paramedic, so I need to put in appearances for that. The job is what allegedly brought me to Cold Plains.”

“Plus there’s your volunteer SAR work.”

She nodded. “And there’ve been a fair number of searches these days for which they called me because I’m the only volunteer with a validated K9.”

“You can’t keep this up, June. You’ve got to find a way to slow down.”

“There’s no way out now, Jesse. Only one way to go and that’s to the end.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Once I’ve got my truck, I’ll drive around the mountains to Little Gulch, allegedly to fetch Eager from the vet. I’ll make sure someone sees me heading out of town without Eager, and I’ll make it known that I’m going to pick him up. Meanwhile, when you get to Little Gulch, go wait for me at a place called Dixon’s Pub and Beer Garden. It’s a bit of a dive, but it’s dog-friendly and it’s right on the outskirts of town—it’ll be one of the first places you see, big pink neon sign, can’t miss it. I’ll meet you there later this afternoon.”

She took another sip from her mug, and Jesse noticed her hands were shaking slightly.

“June, you really need to rest. You’ll—”

“I’m fine,” she said briskly. “Tonight is the annual Cold Plains corn-roast festival.

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