Free Dread Champion by Brandilyn Collins Page A

Welks’ car up Highway 1. “She’s got no money; no way can she divorce him.With the prenuptial agreement, she wouldn’t get a penny.”
    â€œTrapped, nothing; she’s got a great life. Look at the house she lives in. Where’d she and Tracey live when she was just a waitress? And where would she have gotten the money to open her adoption agency?”
    Lonnie folded her arms. “If they start one of their out-and-out fights, we’re leaving, you hear?”
    â€œFine. But you know them—they could be cooing like lovebirds by the time we get there.”
    They passed the turnoffs to various beaches. About three miles past Zmudowski State Beach, the Welks’ car turned left onto a narrow road.
    The Browards followed. The road undulated through strawberry and artichoke fields spread under the canopy of night. The heady, wild scent of eucalyptus trees filtered through Lonnie’s barely open window; she could see their white bark peeling in smooth rivulets down their large trunks. After about amile the road turned into adirt lane bordered by more trees. The Welks’ car rolled to where the road ended at sand. Todd Broward pulled in behind and parked. The narrow beach was on their left. Large black boulders framed the beach’s near side, starting at the end of the lane and stretching into the surf. The far side of the beach ended in a rocky cliff.Darren lumbered into the trees near the road and picked up loose firewood. Todd would start the fire with his cigarette lighter.
    The smell of salt water hung in the air, fresh and clean. The sand near the water looked undisturbed and perfect, apparently blown smooth by wind earlier in the day. Now the air was calm. Lonnie held Todd’s hand as they navigated the sand, the surge-hiss of the ocean captivating. Lonnie was beginning to feel glad they’d come.
    The mood soon shattered. Shawna was clearly in no mood to play the cooing lovebird. As the two couples sat on logs in front of a crackling fire,Darren downing four beers pulled from a six-pack in the trunk of his car, all she could do was peck at him. The drunker he got, the more he started to peck back. Before long they were pacing in the sand, waving their arms and yelling at each other.Well, Shawna paced; Darren lurched. His anger turned black, vicious. Lonnie grew frightened.
    â€œCome on, Shawna, we’re leaving.” Lonnie plucked at her friend’s sleeve. “We’ll take you home.”
    Shawna wrenched away, eyes fixed on Darren, her mouth in a thin line. “I’m staying right here. We’re going to have this out, once and for all.”
    â€œTha’s right, she’s not goin’ anywhere,” Darren drawled, flames from the fire playing across his reddened cheeks.He hulked against the inky sky, flexing his fingers.
    Lonnie caught her breath. She’d never known Darren to hit Shawna before, but she felt something new in the air. Something pulsing, like the tide against the beach. “Come on, Shawna,” she pleaded. “Go with us.”
    It was no use. Todd pulled Lonnie away, saying the Welks were both adults. He never imagined Darren would hurt Shawna. They’d have their fight; then Shawna would drive Darren home.…
    L ONNIE B ROWARD SWALLOWED and closed her eyes. The courtroom fell silent. Despite all the interruptions from the defense, Kerra had found Lonnie’s testimony painfully riveting. She could practically reach out and touch the woman’s guilt over surviving that night while her friend had died. Kerra rubbed her arms, suddenly chilled. She understood Lonnie’s suffering all too well.
    â€œMrs. Broward?” Stan Breckshire prodded. “You were telling us the last thing you saw?”
    â€œYes.” Lonnie took a deep breath. “As I slid into our car, I heard Shawna screaming and Darren screaming back. I couldn’t understand their words. And then we started to drive away. I