Chosen Read Online Free PDF Page B

front door opened again. A man in a low-slung cowboy hat and a denim jacket walked in and sat at a table in the far corner by the pool table. He seemed relaxed but alert. Emma realized it was Will. Maybe he wasn’t a total idiot after all.
     

    Will got away from the parking lot without being followed and it worried him. The men were still close to Emma. Who was stuck with no keys to her car. Shit .
    He drove around a few blocks to make sure he wasn’t being followed before heading back to the building. Emma was close enough to hear the gunshots. She probably looked for somewhere to hide. The bar seemed a logical place.
    He pulled into the bar lot, parking in the corner close to the street, and walked around to the back of the building to check out Emma’s car. As he suspected, it was empty. Flashing lights of police cars swept between the gaps of the motel units. He walked toward the front of the bar and stood between two motel units, hoping to get a better look. The SUV sat in its original spot. Police milled around, but it didn’t appear like they had apprehended anyone, which meant there were men with guns still on the loose.
    While surveying the bar parking lot, he formulated a plan. A man and woman emerged from the entrance, headed toward their car. The man fumbled with his keys as Will approached him. “How much for your hat?”
    The man looked up surprised. “What?”
    “I need a hat. How much for yours?”
    The man blinked as he digested the question. “I dunno. It’s a nice hat. A hundred bucks.”
    The hat had seen better days. Will knew it wasn’t worth that much but didn’t have time to haggle. He saw a denim jacket lying on the back seat and pointed to it. “I’ll give you a hundred and fifty if you throw in the jacket.”
    “It’s hotter than a coon dog chasing a bitch in heat. Whatdaya want a jacket for?”
    “I’m cold-blooded.” Will pulled out his wallet and dug out his money. The man handed over a wadded-up jacket that reeked of horse. Will handed him the money, took the hat off the man’s head, and put it on his own. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
    Will shrugged into the jacket as he walked to the entrance. It was a tight fit but it would work if he could overlook the stench. He pulled the gun out from under his shirt and tucked it into the waistband of his jeans. The jacket would hide the gun and it was easier to reach now. He only hoped he wouldn’t need to use it with the police right next door.
    His eyes adjusted to the dim light of the bar when he entered, and he spotted an empty table between the front door and the pool table. Surveying the hazy smoke-filled room, it took almost a minute before he realized the woman at the back of the room was Emma. Her hair was down and she had changed shirts. The fact that she was sitting with some slime bag had thrown him off, too, which he was sure was her intention. He was impressed. He noticed the men in the black shirts, but so far, they hadn’t noticed him. They weren’t paying much attention to Emma either so she must have fooled them too. Will suddenly realized that he didn’t see Jake. His gaze returned to Emma and they locked eyes for a brief moment of recognition before she turned back to the man next her.
    A waitress approached him. “What can I get you?”
    “A beer.”
    “Any particular kind?” She put her hand on her hip, appraising him.
    Cocking his head, he winked. “Surprise me.”
    The waitress walked to the counter. Will guessed there were close to thirty people in the room. He had to get Emma out without attracting interest from the men looking for her. The waitress came back with his beer. He placed his money on the table. “What do you know about that guy?” He pointed to the man sitting with Emma.
    “Who? Carl? He’s a dirty ole coot. I can’t believe that woman is talking to him.” She shook her head in disgust. “She looks way too high-class for him.”
    Will took a swig from his beer bottle.