Free Fat Louise by Jamie Begley Page A

turned and quickly repeated her words in Spanish. Many of the women spoke up in agreement, and then the woman told Jane, “We all want to leave rather than stay with the monsters who have stolen us from our homes.”  
    With that, Cade opened the door, motioning for them to exit. They filed from the room, following Cade through the night as he skirted the houses until they were back at Bailey’s house.  
    Cade opened the door to Raul’s SUV. “Get in.”  
    The women climbed into the large vehicle with Jane helping those who had trouble. The one who had spoken up got behind the wheel when Cade asked who could drive.  
    “We’re not going with them?” Jane asked.  
    “No. We have to split away from them.” Cade, seeing her stubborn look, gave her an aggravated sigh. “It helps them, too. If they get caught with us, they’ll immediately be killed. Instead, they’ll probably be brought back here.”  
    Neither scenario made Jane happy, but she nodded in understanding.  
    Going to the back window, she handed a woman the cloth-filled bag of food, keeping a couple of the candy bars for herself. Once the young woman gave her a timid smile, Jane moved away.  
    “Are you ready now?” he asked sarcastically.  
    “Yes.”  
    “Then stay here while I go get our ride.”  
    He turned to the woman who was going to drive. “As soon as I pull in behind you, drive in that direction.” Cade pointed in the direction opposite from the one they would be going.  
    The woman nodded, gripping the wheel tightly.  
    Cade took off at a fast-paced jog. As soon as he was out of view, Jane saw headlights heading in their direction from the main house.  
    “Shit.” What were they supposed to do now? She really became frightened when she saw it was two pairs of headlights.  
    Javier’s men must have discovered they were missing.  
    Cade pulled up next to her from the opposite direction in a newer model truck than the last one he had borrowed.  
    He rolled the window down to yell, “Get in!”  
    Jane knew that, if they tried to run, they would be caught since there was a vehicle to follow each of them.  
    She reached in her pocket, pulling out the weapon she had found in the ammunition room, then took a step toward the cars that were almost on them. They were close enough that she could make out Raul’s furious face.  
    Cade jumped out of the truck. “What are you doing?”  
    “Get Bailey.” She hit the back window of the women’s SUV. “Go!”  
    She pulled the pin, throwing it at Raul’s car before running to the side of the truck, crouching down just before the explosion filled the air.  
    “What in the fuck did you just do?” Jane’s ears were ringing from the deafening blast of the explosion, but she caught the drift of what Cade was saying as he dove for cover, barely missing being decapitated by a flying tire rim.  
    The SUV with the women took off with a wrenching of gears when several guards came running out of the second car. Fury blazed through Jane.  
    “Give me a minute,” she told Cade, pulling out the other grenade. She looked at it quickly then pulled the pin.  
    “Have you lost your mind?” Cade yelled.  
    Jane threw the grenade toward the men who were running toward them, watching as the soldiers ran for cover. They were rocked off their feet, thrown back by the explosion. She didn’t feel the least bit sorry for them as they lay in their own blood and body parts. Bailey had said the men respected violence; well, let them respect that a woman had beaten them at their own game.  
    “Okay, we can go now.” She turned to look expectantly at Cade.  
    He waited for a second before coming out from behind the truck.  
    “Do you have any more?” he asked from between clenched teeth.  
    “No, that was it.” Jane lied. The way he was looking at her was kind of scary.  
    “Bailey, move it!” Cade yelled, opening the truck door for her. Bailey ran forward from her hiding spot