Free Between Hope & the Highway by Charissa Stastny Page A

slid into the bathroom and hid behind the door. Subtle reminders of the normal things my brother had lost depressed me. The girl was wrong. My brother had driven before. I’d actually given him lessons on Dad’s 1998 Ford Super Duty truck when he was only eight, and he’d been a natural. If the accident hadn’t messed him up, he’d be a better driver than me.
    Movement outside made me hold my breath. Benny’s door shut. A few seconds later, the girl’s closed. I scrambled out of the bathroom and hightailed it downstairs. It irritated me that my brother was so chummy with her, but with his handicap, Benny probably yearned for someone to talk to besides family.
    Feeling unbalanced by memories, I walked out the back door and crawled into the hammock I’d set up last night. It reminded me of the one I’d claimed back in high school after fights with Dad. The blue spruce had grown over the years and now sheltered my hiding spot from the deck.
    Gazing into the starry sky, I wondered about Damon. I’d found him in town two days ago skunk drunk and shooting off his mouth to some out-of-towners. I schmoozed them into not beating him up and drove him out to the old homestead to sober him up. It wouldn’t be used until calving season, so the chance of Dad catching wind that my friend was holed up there was minimal. Damon needed a time-out from life. He was really starting to worry me.
    In the middle of my thoughts, I heard the rumble of the sliding glass door. Peeking over the edge of the hammock, I picked out a shadow pacing the wooden deck.
    “Sure.” It was that troublesome girl talking on her phone.
    I settled into my hammock, content to eavesdrop on her one-sided conversation.
    “Don’t worry. I’ll get the money. They have no idea how tenacious I can be.”
    When she laughed, I frowned.
    “It shouldn’t be hard. You taught me well.” She laughed again. “That’s why I love you.”
    Was she talking to a lover?
    “They’ll never know what hit them. I’ll arrange everything and have the money transferred to you soon.” She giggled. “Oh, yeah. They’re gullible.”
    Was she talking about my family? Did the conniving impostor plan to embezzle from Dad…or worse? He’d certainly fallen for her charms. I clenched my fists as she kept talking.
    “No, don’t do that. Last time, things didn’t end well when she got involved. Leave it to me. I know how to work them.” She paced the perimeter of the deck. “Ha! Don’t compare him to me. He has a thing for old widows who are dying to leave him their inheritance.”
    It took all my self-control not to jump up and strangle her.
    “Me? I wish. I do better with horses. You know that. That’s why I’m here.”
    And that’s why I’d make sure the traitor left.
    “No. I’ll celebrate when I get the money. Maybe a Mediterranean cruise? Now don’t spoil the surprise. Okay. I love you more.” She shoved her phone into her back pocket and disappeared back inside.
    Throwing my legs over the hammock, I scratched my head. Going straight to Dad would be a mistake. He never listened. Mom didn’t need anything else to worry about, and Benny wouldn’t believe me because the girl had already bamboozled him. The only way to save my family would be to make life so miserable for Miss Ruthersford that she’d leave of her own accord.
    Cogs turned in my brain, and I rubbed my hands together. The drive to the movies on Saturday would be the perfect opportunity to initiate my Get-Rid-of-Con-Artist plan. All I had to do was get invited along. That shouldn’t be difficult to accomplish.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 16
    Bentley
    It was hard to contain my excitement as I watched Lizzie secure Addie’s seatbelt. “Now don’t take it off,” she told my sister.
    I chuckled as Addie grunted and mimicked the way Liz wagged her finger.
    Once Lizzie hopped into the driver’s seat, I opened my door. “Hold on.” My brother had asked me to text him when we were