Free Escape From the Badlands by Dana Mentink Page A

I’ve brought you into all this, Kell. But will you believe me now? Will you take Charlie and get out of here before you get hurt?”
    She stared into his face and saw his earnest plea. Her fingers tingled where his chin rested there. She slowly pulled her hands away. “I’ll have to see it for myself.”
    He smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
    She shook her head to clear it. “Hang on. I’m not saying I believe any of this, but for the sake of argument, how would sabotaging Besty’s bike serve any purpose at all?”
    He heaved a sigh and rolled the cup between his palms, as though fighting off a chill.
    “Shane? What aren’t you telling me?”
    Unexpectedly his face softened into a wistful smile. “How can you tell I’m holding something back?”
    “It’s the same look Charlie gives me when he’s filled his pockets from the cookie jar.”
    He laughed. “You know, you’re a real good mom.”
    The comment stunned her for a moment. He’d told her once that his mother was the greatest woman he had ever known. She wondered why sadness shimmered in his eyes when he’d said it. “Thank you.” She fiddled with her own cup to buy herself a moment, unable to stop the angry thought that rose up in her mind. If he thought she was great mother material, why had he run? Why had he tossed her heart away and taken off when she’d decided to raise Charlie? He didn’t have to sign on to be a father, but abandoning her had been a coward’s choice. She wanted to lash out, but it was not the time. She cleared her throat.
    “So why do you think someone would try to sabotage Betsy’s bike?”
    “I don’t,” he said, crushing the empty cup in his palm. “The bike was mine. She took it by mistake.”
    Shane watched Kelly pace the small courtyard, making various calls back to camp to report on Betsy’s condition. The doctor confirmed that Betsy was indeed fine, bruised and banged up, but otherwise okay. Though he recommended strongly that she skip the race the following day, his shrug told them he realized the futility of forbidding Betsy from any such activity.
    It was several hours before she was released and they began the car drive back. Kelly avoided looking at Shane, and he could tell he’d upset her with his revelation. Betsy sat in sullen silence in the backseat. Shane eased into some small talk, which got only one-word answers. He went for a more direct approach.
    “So Betsy, how did you meet Ackerman?”
    She blinked. “Why do you want to know?”
    “Just curious.”
    Betsy looked out the window as she answered. “He came to a coffee shop where I worked last year, and I heard him talking about the race. I sort of tagged along and volunteered to help out, got to know everyone.”
    “What was the last race like? Heard they had a horseback-riding event.”
    She looked at him sharply. “Yes, but that didn’t last long.”
    “Why? I could go for some riding.”
    She shrugged and fingered the bandage on her brow.
    Shane decided to go for broke. “I heard there was a girl murdered last year—someone connected to the race.”
    Betsy’s expression did not change, but something in her eyes flickered. “That was bad, but it wasn’t a racer. The woman was supplying horses for us and someone murdered her. No connection really. Haven’t lost anyone in the race yet.”
    Kelly piped up. “I was reading through the files from last year’s medic. He noted that a girl was hospitalized. Her name was Ellen, I think.”
    Shane barely concealed his surprise. Kelly must have looked up Ellen’s name. Was she starting to believe him?
    “Ellen got sick.” Betsy closed her eyes.
    Shane tried hard for a nonchalant tone. “Do you still keep in contact with her?”
    “No. I never liked her much. She was a liar. I’m just going to take a nap now. Thanks for driving me, by the way.”
    Shane caught Kelly’s eye, but they didn’t speak. Betsy hadn’t confirmed anything new, though Shane hadn’t been aware that Ellen had been