Free Emily Kimelman - Sydney Rye 02 - Death in the Dark by Emily Kimelman Page B

rust that pattered its side panels made me think it wasn’t anybody’s baby.
    “Ah, I see.” Malina looked around the lot suspiciously.
    “Don’t do that,” I said. “Act natural. Come on.” I walked toward the truck like I owned it. Not that there were many witnesses to my stroll. The tent was packed and anyone outside was much more interested in the rides and games than our trip across the parking lot.
    Approaching the driver’s side, I pulled on the door handle but the owner was smart enough to lock his doors. Malina went around to the passenger side and found another locked door. “What do we do?” she asked.
    Old trucks like this you could usually pop with a simple wire hanger but I didn’t have one. “Does your bra have an underwire?” I asked Malina.
    She sighed and I figured this was not the first time her undergarments had been used in the process of a crime. She was on the hidden side of the vehicle and with a couple of well-practiced moves, was out of her bra. I heard ripping and then she passed the thin wire over to me. One quick glance around to double-check no one had noticed our behavior and I slipped the wire between the window and the doorframe.
    It took me about ten seconds to pop the lock. The click of success was a wonderful sound. Reminded me of an ill-spent youth. This was the first time I’d ever needed to steal a car. My skills were honed joyriding. What boredom will do to the teenage mind….
    I climbed in and unlocked Malina’s door. She hopped in and smiled at me. “Now comes the hard part,” I said inspecting the ignition. “Any chance you have a screw driver in your drawers?”
    Malina laughed. “No, but I have a nail file.”
    I looked up to see her holding it. “Brilliant.” I used the nail file to get the truck going. Only one of the headlights worked and the thing smelled like sweat, meat sandwiches, and spilled beer but it was our ride and I was proud of myself for stealing her. I pulled out of the fair and headed back toward town.
    “Turn left,” Malina said.
    “I’ve got to pick up Blue first.”
    “Okay,” Malina agreed. I pulled the aging pickup truck in front of the hotel and left it running while I ran in to grab Blue. He was excited to see me and happily jumped into the back of the pickup when I patted on the truck’s bed.
    “Head back toward the fair,” Malina told me. I watched Blue enjoy the fresh air in my rearview mirror as we drove through the congested streets. However, once we were out of the city and picked up speed Blue laid down, becoming invisible to the world. “What will we do if we find them?” Malina asked.
    “The important thing is to help the girl.”
    “Yes, but how? There are three of them and two of us.”
    “I’ve got a gun, a dog, and the element of surprise.”
    “I’ve got a gun, too.”
    I glanced over at her. “That’s good,” I said.
    She nodded at me. “Thank you for your help.”
    “Thank me if we survive, okay?”
    Malina nodded.
    Past the fair, the night engulfed the road. Malina pointed ahead. “Turn there.” I slowed down and pulled on to a rutted road which lead into the rocky hills that line the US/Mexican border. There was no sign of life as we bounced down the path.
    Blue stayed low in the back and Malina clutched the door handle to steady herself. Up ahead the road cut between boulders. My visibility was shortened by the sharp turns so when I came around a bend and saw the SUV blocking the road I had to slam on my breaks. Our truck kicked up dust and pebbles as it slid to a stop.
    I barely had time to register the figure running toward my open window when Blue launched himself onto it. They went down, Blue on top, the man under him screaming. Slamming the old truck into park, I opened my door and began to pull my gun when I saw Benito taking aim at Blue. It only took two steps to grab his arm and aim the gun toward the sky. He looked at me with rage-filled eyes.
    A shot rang out into the night, the