Free Hot Pursuit by Lynn Raye Harris

she might not.
    Damn it.
    Sarah left the store and started walking down
the darkened road. Town was a good mile away, but she wasn’t
scared. She’d lived here her whole life, and she knew the terrain
well. It was dark, with old oaks dripping Spanish moss over the
roadway, but the gators were out in the swamp.
    Not only that, but it was entirely possible
someone she knew would drive by on the way to town. Not Mama, thank
God, because the Moose Lodge was the other way.
    Sarah swatted a mosquito, cursing and
grumbling at the heat and humidity. Oh yes, Mama wouldn’t be able
to resist this story once she was done with it. Sarah could already
see that shiny new phone in her hand. A car rolled up behind her
and slowed.
    “Hey, you need a ride?”
    She didn’t look at the guy. “No, thanks.”
    “It’s kinda lonely out here.”
    “I’m fine.” Her heart kicked up, slamming
into her chest. How far had she walked? She looked back. The road
curved away and the gas station was lost around the bend.
    “Maybe you can tell me where I can find
someone then.”
    Sarah kept her arms tight to her body and
didn’t answer. Damn Kyle for leaving her.
    “I’m looking for Evie Baker. Do you know
her?”
    Sarah ground to a halt. The guy in the Taurus
was huge, the arm hanging out the window as big around as her
thigh. From inside the car, a woman with a ponytail watched her.
Movement from the backseat revealed another man, not as big as this
one. The man in the backseat raised his hand to his face. A
cigarette glowed red as he sucked on it.
    “Why do you want her?”
    “She’s a friend of mine.” It was the woman.
Her voice was raspy, like she smoked a lot. “I used to work with
her in Florida, at her restaurant.”
    “What was the name of it?”
    “Evangeline’s.”
    Sarah considered that. “So why didn’t you
call her before you showed up?”
    “Tried. She’s not answering her cell phone.
I’m just passing through and wanted to see her before we go on our
way.”
    Sarah rolled her shoulders. Her cheek
throbbed where she’d slapped at the mosquito. Another one buzzed by
her ear, a big mother this time. “I might know where she
lives.”
    The woman smiled. “So get in.”
    “I shouldn’t.”
    “Suit yourself. But if you could just give me
her address, I’d appreciate it.”
    Sarah looked down the road. It was a long way
to walk. The car was inviting. If it was just men, no way would she
go with them. But there was a woman. A woman who knew her
sister.
    Still, she was wary. “It’s on Fourth Street.
One-ten.”
    “Thanks. You sure you don’t want a ride?”
    Sarah looked both ways down the road. There
was no traffic tonight. If she kept walking, someone might come
along. But they might not, and she was tired of getting bitten by
mosquitos.
    Besides, this woman knew Evie. Why else would
she come to a rinky-dink town like Rochambeau?
    “All right,” Sarah said. Then she crossed to
the car and slipped inside.

CHAPTER FIVE
     
    EVIE SAT IN MATT’S BMW and watched the steady
parade of cars roll away from the scene. In spite of the heat, she
was cold. She hadn’t stopped shaking since Matt had materialized
from the darkness and broken Jimmy’s arm. Adrenaline still coursed
through her system, wreaking havoc on her nerves. Matt had told her
it was normal, but she felt so out of control. She felt like she
should be able to stop it, but she couldn’t.
    She flipped down the visor and checked her
reflection. She had dark smudges of mascara under her eyes, her
hair needed combing, and there were grass and dirt stains on her
dress where Matt had dragged her down to the ground. She picked up
a napkin from the stack Matt had brought her and poured some
bottled water on it. Then she tried to scrub out some of the stains
while she waited for him to return.
    She’d probably have to buy Julie another
dress. Knowing her cousin, this wasn’t a Gap dress either. It’d
probably cost her a week’s worth of tips.
    She watched