Free EMBELLISHED TO DEATH by Christina Freeburn

I found him. Or at least the vehicle.”
    â€œWhere are you?”
    I told him my position and how I discovered the vehicle. “I’m going to get a picture of the plate for you. Also, there’s a small trail in the wooded area. I’m not sure where it leads to but I can find out. There might be a way to get here from the main or side road.”
    â€œGet the hell out of there!”
    â€œI will. I just need—”
    â€œNow, Faith. If you’re right, the person will return. Soon. The cops are leaving, the person will return to their hiding place.”
    â€œIt’s not a very good one.”
    â€œStop arguing and run.” Bob ended our phone call.
    Bob was right. The best thing was to hightail it out. A criminal without a well-thought out scheme was just as dangerous as one with a great plan. And if my assumption on the who was correct—Morgan—he’d already let me know what he had devised for me. He could kill me, then plant enough evidence in the car to frame me for the poor woman’s murder.
    I scrambled way out from the bushes and weeds. The truck and trailer loomed before me. Morgan, or whoever owned the car, would notice a truck almost kissing bumpers with their “hidden” vehicle. I had to back the trailer up.
    I yanked opened the door. Grabbing the strap above the door, I hauled myself inside. As I pivoted to get seated, someone shoved me. I fell against the steering. My breath whooshed out.
    â€œQuick, move over,” Bob said.
    I smacked his arm then moved myself into the passenger seat. I rubbed the sore spot on my chest.
    â€œSorry,” he said.
    Before I settled into the seat, Bob zipped the truck backwards. I pitched forward, bracing my hands on the dashboard. “Are you trying to kill me?”
    â€œNo.” Bob expertly navigated our mobile store unit out of the alleyway. “But Ted will kill me when he finds out I got you involved in this.”
    â€œActually, I’m doing all of this on my own free will. The best person to keep me out of jail is me.”
    Bob cast a quick look in my direction. “Care to explain that?”
    I didn’t get a good read on his expression, but I needed to tell someone and my options were limited. And as Bob said, he did get me into this. “You’re looking at the prime suspect of the hit-and-run.”
    â€œAre you sure Steve is the only one who hit his head on the asphalt?”
    I rolled my eyes. “Yes.”
    â€œHow can you be a suspect when you were almost run down by the same vehicle? Detective Bell might be annoying, and hardheaded, but he’s not an idiot. He’s going to know that there’s no way you could’ve been driving that car.”
    â€œApparently, I hired the person driving the car.” How could Bob hold a conversation and maneuver the truck and trailer backwards? I had trouble just getting the mammoth beast to move forward down the alley. Bob managed to turn around and park it with the truck facing out. The end of the trailer almost touched the bumper of the hidden vehicle.
    â€œIt sounds like you heard this theory from someone, and I want to know who. It doesn’t sound like something Bell would say.” Bob turned off the engine.
    I squirmed in the seat. “Well, he says he’s an FBI agent but I’m not sure I believe him.”
    Bob’s head jerked toward me. “What?”
    â€œThat car behind us looks lived in, and the FBI doesn’t threaten people to get confessions. At least I don’t think so. It’s not like I’ve ever had a run-in with them.”
    â€œThreatened you?” Bob’s expression darkened. “Who? When?”
    â€œHe said his name was Morgan. He followed me into the trailer a little bit ago.”
    Bob hissed in a deep breath then released it. “Did you see the guy’s badge?”
    â€œHe showed me something but I didn’t get a good look at