Defending No Where (The No Where Apocalypse Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

I’d scare the living crap out of her.
    Safely out of the woods, I dashed to the north side of the structure. Still, nothing from my spotter. I rested against the cool logs, deeply breathing in their musty odor. Maybe I should treat the wood, I wondered, but the thought passed quickly as I refocused on the task at hand.
    Standing on my tiptoes, I inched my way to the front, hugging the logs. I paused and could hear Daisy speaking, but not Libby. Maybe her mother had distracted her. That was okay, I figured. There would be distractions with the Barster gang.
    Peeking around the corner, I spied Daisy. She was wringing her small hands together and pleading with someone, perhaps Lettie or Violet?
    “You don’t need to do this,” she said, her voice soft but nervous. “We can give you what you want.”
    That didn’t make any sense. She must be talking to Violet. What was that damn un-agreeable teen up to now?
    I gave myself up and rounded the corner. It was only then that I saw them all.
    Daisy, Libby and a strange man wielding a knife, the sharp tip held against Libby’s throat.
    Playtime was over.

Day 1,014 - continued

    Slowly I raised my hands above my head, palms open towards the scene and the man with the knife.
    “Let’s take it easy here, friend,” I managed calmly, inching toward a shaking Daisy. “No one needs to get hurt. Just tell us what you want and we’ll take care of it.”
    His threatening dirty grin shook me to the core. “Yeah, play nice and no one will get hurt,” he replied in a gravelly tone, “especially this sweet little girl here.”
    He stayed behind her, the knife held firmly to Libby’s throat. “Have someone fetch me a big old plate of food,” he continued, licking his lips. “And fill me up a bag of goodies for when I leave.”
    He waved the knife at Daisy and me. “Why don’t you turn around nice and slow like, buddy. Let me see if you got a weapon on you.”
    I did as requested, knowing my 45 was exposed on my belt behind me.
    “Give that gun to that pretty little mother there,” he continued. “And have her hand it to me.”
    We did as ordered. Daisy’s hands shook as she gave the gun to the intruder.
    “Please don’t hurt my daughter,” she begged. “Please.”
    His grin broadened as he studied Daisy. “I ain’t gonna hurt her. Not if I get what I want, sweetie pie.”
    Daisy moved back beside me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
    I felt Daisy trembling. Nodding my understanding, I moved slowly for the front door. When I turned to open it, Violet stood on the other side with the plate of requested food. She stared at me stone-faced.
    “I’ll give it to him,” I whispered.  
    Violet stared past me and flinched. “I’ll take care of it,” she replied, pushing her way outside.
    When I turned, I noticed the man putting something around Libby’s quivering throat. She wasn’t weeping yet, but her cheeks were streaked with tears.
    “This little necklace is going to keep us all honest,” the stranger continued, snapping it shut behind her head. “If you give me what I want, I’ll release it from her, down the road a little bit. If you try anything funny…well, you won’t be able to take it off without killing her.”
    I studied the maniacal device. Two dark strands of thin wire ran parallel around Libby’s neck. Every two inches or so, two thicker pieces of wire stuck up. It looked like something modified from a small-game trap. The wires that stuck up from the device made my stomach flip nervously.
    “If you try to take this off,” the man continued, rising from behind Libby, “it’s gonna spring these wires. And they’re going to shoot into this little sweetie’s neck. And then you’re gonna have a bloody mess on your hands.”
    Daisy wept beside me; Violet shook uncontrollably next to her. Lettie must have still been inside, watching Hope. We had a problem, and as far as I could tell, the only solution was to give this drifter what he wanted. No