Chosen Prey Read Online Free PDF

over her skin. "Anywhere. Can you drop me off at the bus station? If there's not a bus heading out soon, I'll hitch a ride out of town."
    "I'm not about to let you get caught again." He drummed the fingers of one of his hands on the steering wheel. "We need to get you to the police. You can get a restraining order."
    "No!" Panic rose up in Lyra's throat like a flock of birds. "You don't understand. That will mean nothing to The People. They'll take me the moment I'm alone and haul me to the compound in Oregon. I have to leave Bisbee."
    He studied her for a long moment. "I'll take you someplace safe for the night. But first we'll head to my ranch and ditch this thing. Sticks out like a sore thumb."
    Lyra shook her head. "No. I can take care of myself."
    Dare gave her a look of impatience. "I got you into this mess. I'm going to help you get out."
    " No ." This time she put more emphasis on the word. Her backpack started to slide off her lap and she caught it by one of its straps. "How about dropping me off at a friend's house?"
    "Do you have anyone you can trust?" he asked in a harsh tone. "Anyone who would take you in, someplace those cult bastards can't track you down?"
    The word "trust" always made her stomach queasy. It had taken her time, but she had developed a few relationships with women who she thought of as friends. "Suzette, the potter," she started out slowly, "but she dropped one too many hits of acid in the sixties—not always there, mentally. Nicole, but she's on her honeymoon in Vegas." Lyra frowned, trying to come up with a solution. "Maybe Becca. She owns the small grocery store up Tombstone Canyon. She's always been helpful and nice."
    "If you left behind an address book," he said, "it's likely they could track you to your friends."
    Her eyes locked with his. "Then they'd be in danger." Her face went pale. "Mrs.
    Yosko! What if they go back and hurt her?" Tears bit at the backs of her eyes. Tears of frustration at the fact that she didn't know what to do and couldn't help Mrs. Y herself.
    "I've got to call her, at least to see if the police arrived." She flipped her cell phone open and started to dial, but Dare handed his phone to her.
    "This is a secure line," he said.
    She closed her own phone and reached for his. "Thanks." She dialed Mrs. Y's phone number. The elderly woman answered and Lyra's voice shook as she asked, "Are you okay?"
    "Why wouldn't I be?" Mrs. Yosko said.
    Lyra blinked and clenched the cell phone tighter. "I—well… the doors, the mess…
    have the police arrived?"
    "They're here," the woman said. "Also got some men fixing the doors. Just a random breaking and entering, of course. The landlord understands everything perfectly, and insurance will take care of it all."
    "I'm so sorry." This time Lyra couldn't help the tears in her eyes or in her voice. "I didn't mean for you—I should never have put you at risk. I just didn't think—"
    "That's enough." Mrs. Y's voice had never sounded so sharp. "You did nothing wrong and I won't have you beating yourself up over it. You deserve a good life, and it's time you did something about it. It's time to stop being on the run."
    Lyra couldn't think of a word to say, she was so stunned by Mrs. Yosko's words.
    The woman's tone softened. "You take care of yourself. I expect to hear good news from you… soon."
    "I'll miss you," Lyra said so softly she wasn't sure Mrs. Yosko could hear her.
    "I'll miss you, too, girl," came the reply before she hung up the phone.
    For a long moment Lyra stared at the cell. Finally Dare took it from her and flipped it shut. He studied her and then opened the cell and punched in a number.
    "Lancaster here," he said when someone apparently answered. "I need you to look into something called the Temple of Light. It's a cult out of Oregon. Might be in our county now, or at least a branch of it." Lyra's heart pounded with every word, and her eyes widened. "Find out whatever you can."
    A pause, then Dare said, "Thanks,"