Forsaken Read Online Free PDF Page A

which it left him. “Let it go.”
    Riley paused, mid stroke. “Why? It won’t take—”
    He shifted in the seat and reached for the keys. “Because we’re sitting ducks. I’d love to play hero and tear through the back wall of this shed if someone starts shooting from the front, but that oak tree back there won’t give much.” He shot a bone-piercing look in her direction. “Get on the floor, and keep your head down. Once I start this truck there’s no turning back, and we’re in for a rough ride.”
    Was there any turning back now ? She almost laughed, but his serious expression wiped the thought away. Without a word, she slid to the floor and tucked her knees to her chest, hugging them close. The large opening of the shed faced the side yard, and from their position near the rear of the property, they weren’t far from the crest of the next hill.
    If her daddy’s gun was in the hands of a killer, they just might need that hill. The rifle was accurate at a distance far past the cover of the far slope.
    “I hope I can still feel my way down your back path,” Gage said, peering into the night, “because I’m not going to hold this maniac’s hand by using the headlights.” He looked down at her and grinned. “Fortunately, I had a refresher trip this afternoon.”
    “Lovely. Thanks for the reminder.”
    He shrugged and turned the key. “How could you forget? Now, hang on.”
    She didn’t have a chance. The instant the engine caught, the truck tore out of the shed. They took a hard right, away from the house, the suspension absorbing several rough bumps as they slid sideways over the thick, unkempt grass near the rear of the yard. From her vantage point, Riley could see only the black sky outside the truck, but it wasn’t hard to figure out where they were by the feel of the terrain under the tires. Old ruts on the path caused several unforgiving jolts, each one slamming her against the door and glove box with increasing intensity.
    Gage didn’t let up. He kept a white-knuckled grip on the wheel, and—judging from the scream of the engine—the pedal to the floor. The ride was relentless, but the angle of their ascent told her they had to be near the top of the hill. Any second now, they would crest it and be out of the sights of the killer behind them—
    With a horrific blast, the back window imploded. All sound seemed to fall away with the raining glass, and for a split, surreal second the world was mute. It wasn’t until the truck slowed and took a sudden, thoughtless turn to the left that Riley tore her attention from the gaping hole. The steering wheel jerked erratically, fighting the lay of the land.
    Only one thing hampered the wild rotation.
    With horror, she realized it was the cumbersome weight of Gage’s body.

Chapter Three
    Driven by instinct, Riley scrambled for the steering wheel. She refused to consider the worst—acknowledging the sight of Gage face down was out of the question—and focused instead on gaining control of the truck before it wrapped itself around a tree. Lodged on the floor of the full-sized cab, the only thing she managed to reach was Gage’s arm. Desperate and hoping for leverage, she pulled hard on the dangling limb.
    The limb pulled back. “What are you doing?” Gage hissed, glaring over the bend in his elbow. “I told you to stay down.”
    Startled, she rocked back to the floorboard. Broken bits of safety glass rattled under her. “What do you mean, what am I doing?” She gulped air. “My God, I thought you’d been shot. What are you doing?”
    “Playing dead.”
    “ What ?”
    “I’m letting our guy pat himself on the back a little. If he thinks he got me, it might buy us some time.”
    She hadn’t thought of it, but of course he was right. Their erratic route had convinced her, and she had a front row seat. From a distance, the act must have been impeccable. They were near enough to the top of the hill to simply idle over it to make their escape,