A Wrong Turn Towards Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

to-?”
    “No,” he said quickly. “Nobody’s coming to get you. There ain’t going to be anybody left to get you.”
    She stared at him closely, now anxiously searching for signs of another fight. Did Bodie---do something to those men? But he didn’t seem any worse for wear.
    “That night I saw Sully Pranger in the shadows trying not to be seen, I assumed he had some mischief in mind for you. I knew he messed around with the Klan, so later when you said you saw someone suited up in the woods that seemed to be what it was all about.
    “Only someone’s shot dead in those very same woods, which would mean that you either shot him twice from the safety of your car—which would make you a sharp shooter…or you were bold enough to go into those woods after a man suited up in Klan gear, shoot him, and then get back in your broken down car that won’t even start to wait for a tow truck. Not very likely, not to me and not to Derrick either, especially when I told him I’d seen Sully with my very own eyes.
    “Of course the fool tried to lie—but he was wearing the hood and not the robes—and anybody from around these parts would recognize that skinny, knock-kneed fool. Evidently Derek believed me because he turned to Sully and commenced to beating the living shit out of him. I suppose Sully just didn’t factor in that Derrick would be crazy enough to come after you or that I would be sticking around. All I know is that once the fighting started I took off to look for you.”
    Shaun’s eyes were large. “If he kills…Sully, then they’ll need to kill us, too,” she croaked.
    Bodie was shaking his head. “Sully’s a pretty tough son-of-a-bitch. Derrick will have a hard time killing him with his bare hands.” Bodie turned and continued searching for a campsite. “Besides, their friends weren’t too anxious to kill anyone and I don’t think Derrick—for all his talk—was either.
    She nodded, hoping that he was right and than sat down heavily on a fallen log. It was if all of the energy had left her body and she was nothing more than limp limbs.
    “Tired?” He paused to look at her while clearing away some branches and leaves from a small, relatively bare area.
    She nodded quietly. He gave her a curious look before continuing his work. When he was done he had a bare circle with a pile of dead branches and kindling in the center. It wasn’t cold out and wasn’t likely to get cold even though it was dark, but he figured the firelight might help Shaun. It would at least keep the critters at bay.
    After a moment he came over and crouched before her. “What’s wrong? You hungry?”
    She nodded.
    “I’ll see if I can find some morels. You ever have them?”
    She shook her head.
    “They’re delicious,” he spoke gently. After a moment he stood. “I’ll be back.” He thought that she might be in shock. He didn’t know for sure but he wouldn’t be surprised. She might be a tough cookie from Chi-town but the mountains had a special kind of crazy that was unlike any other place on earth. He might not be able to make sense of urban crazy…but redneck crazy was unfortunately very familiar.
    A short time later Bodie had collected a good amount of mushrooms. He had done it fairly quickly, fearful of leaving Shaun alone for too long. Morels went for a pretty penny in the city but on the mountain they were snack food and he had collected enough for them to have a veritable feast.
    After returning to the makeshift camp he saw that Shaun had moved from her place on the log and was now sitting on the ground clutching her knees up to her chest.
    “You cold?”
    She nodded with hooded eyes.
    He crouched before her again. “Shaun? Are you okay?”
    “Tired,” she muttered.
    “Okay.” He placed the load of mushrooms on the ground beside her and then quickly began unbuttoning his coveralls.
    Her eyes followed his movements curiously. She seemed suddenly more alert. “What are you doing?”
    He stepped out of the