Bayou Born (Fleur de Lis Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

really rattled the fillings in her teeth?
    She shuddered, and then counted, “One. Two. Three. Four.”
    Four miles? The wall of darkening clouds seemed closer. Lightning’s long skeletal fingers could strike from miles away. That’s what she feared most. People died every year due to lightning strikes, and after all, Florida was the lightning capital of the United States. The college would be a safe harbor to ride out the storm—if she managed to make it to the door before it started to pour.
    She stopped behind a car at the red light on Highway 90 and gripped the steering wheel. “Change. Change,” she shouted over the music of her favorite classical Bach CD. “Change! Darn it!”
    The signal light flickered to green. Immediately after the car ahead moved forward, she made a right turn. She watched the clouds lumber across the sky as she drove past tall loblolly pines swaying in the quickening wind. If one fell, it would block the road leading to the community college.
    “Almost there.” She readjusted her tight grip on the steering wheel and resisted the urge to floor the gas and fly along the straight-of-way. She’d been warned on her visits to the college that sometimes the local police set up radar traps to catch unsuspecting speeders—college students were the primary goal, but they didn’t discriminate if they caught a faculty member or two every now and then. It had been suggested to her that since the police bulletin in Sunday’s paper listed names of speeders, faculty members might want avoid their names in print. Not the best impression for students.
    She’d never been ticketed in her life, but with the storm bearing down, maybe it was worth the risk today.
    On her right, only yards away, the town’s airport runway ended perpendicular to the road. The oversized airstrip allowed commercial jets, cargo carriers, and even military aircraft to land. She’d read that tidbit on the internet when doing research to familiarize herself with Lakeview. In contrast to the small number of only five thousand city residents, the runway was a behemoth. And it made her tense each time she drove past it on the exposed stretch of road.
    Watching her speed carefully, she recalled her second visit to the college. A huge gray, military-cargo plane had rumbled down the tarmac. Black wheels turned with dizzying ferocity. The engine roared as the plane picked up speed. They were on a direct collision course.
    Cargo plane verses Volvo—no contest.
    She had slammed on her brakes. Just before she panicked completely, the gray hulk gained lift, cleared the road and trees like a prehistoric bird taking flight. She’d bet money the pilot had a good laugh. He probably saw fear in her eyes and thought she peed her pants. He’d be half-right.
    Today, thankfully, no plane was in sight.
    “Finally!”
    Before her, the gates to the college stood open. A large, carved stone sign welcomed everyone to Lakeview Community College. The spotlights on the sign flickered on as she passed. Could she outrun the storm? With no one else on the road, she floored it. She had a better chance of talking herself out of a ticket with a college security officer than with the local police.
    A deep rumble shook the earth. With her tires throwing gravel, she spun into the Student Union parking lot. She grabbed her stuff and hoped to beat the on-coming deluge.
    Her purse and tote bounced against her back as she sprinted to the building. Halfway there, fat drops started to fall.
    Splat .
    Cold rain stung her bare arms. When she made it to the canopy covering the building’s back door, her clothes were mostly wet.
    “Nothing like a summer baptism,” she grumbled as she rummaged through her tote looking for a package tissues. No such luck.
    She pushed wet hair behind her ears, and then slapped wetness off her arms. How had she forgotten to put an umbrella in her car?
    When she opened the door to the Student Union, cold air hit her. Not only didn’t she