Hide and Seek Read Online Free PDF Page A

lead on us. We should keep moving.”
    In moments, Holt negotiated Raleigh's rush hour traffic. He gripped the wheel as a new thought slammed him. Besides his pressing goal of getting to Richmond before curfew, he had, by some cursed turn-of-events, just inherited two new problems, a high-strung, shell-wielding female and her son.
    ****
    Caprice sat next to Shawn at the table. She sipped the soda and relished the fizzling sweetness while she attempted to gather her composure. If she could just forget Lugo’s iron grip at the airport then she could decide what to do next. Saints help her ! She was fresh out of brilliant ideas.
    Shawn touched her arm. He jabbed the spread fingers of each hand toward one another.
    "The bad man scared you, but he can't hurt us now." She struck the pinky side of her right hand down onto her left palm. "Holt stopped him."
    Admiration lit his eyes as he pumped his fists in front of his chest. Holt is strong .
    She owed Holt her deepest thanks, but what had prompted him to return? Meanwhile, she needed a new plan. Think, Caprice. Think!
    When Shawn grew drowsy, she signed for him to rest in the bunk. "Don’t worry. I will stay here."
    Stay here. Stay here . The words beat a rhythm. Shawn needed shelter, food, and security. As she set his antibiotics into the refrigerator door, a steely determination filled her. This refuge-on-wheels would do nicely until she could get to her sister’s house, but convincing the northbound Holt to take her to Georgia was an additional hurdle.
    Within minutes, they exited the highway and drove to a gas station. Holt stood and rubbed his left shoulder. His deep-set eyes were unreadable. His beard masked his expression, putting her at a loss to comprehend his thoughts.
    "We'll talk after I top off the tank,” he said.
    Caprice stepped down the short hallway and inspected the camper. Except for a towel on the floor, the bathroom appeared clean. There was a shower and tub. More and more, she liked the camper’s self-containment and the concealment it offered.
    Granted, Alan's man would report to him about a motorhome, but Americans were vacationing now. Recreational vehicles came in all models, colors, and sizes as they traveled the byways.
    Soon they left the pumps, and Holt parked under several turkey oaks. He removed a Coke from the refrigerator then leaned against the counter to study her. When his brows rose in inquiry, Caprice flushed. Aware that she had been doing her share of staring too, she sat at the booth, putting distance and the table as a barrier between them. Right now Shawn needed a decent bed to sleep in, and she would see that he got it.
    "Thanks for helping us back there," she said. "How did you know?"
    "A near accident with your ex-husband's vehicles. Ever seen that guy before?"
    "Yes. His name is Lugo. He was at Casa de Fuego earlier today." She rubbed damp palms onto her jeans. "When Alan and I were married, Lugo and the others stopped by the house at odd hours for closed-door meetings."
    “You're from West Virginia." Before she could speak, he waved his hand. "Don't deny it. I saw the license plates on the Cadillacs. You say your ex is involved in politics. Local, state or federal? What's his last name?"
    "That's too many questions!"
    Holt regarded her from behind hooded eyes. "He must be one bad hombre.”
    She raked her fingers through her hair as if the action would help center her thoughts. "We left Charleston four days ago. I've been driving in circles trying to lose Alan's men. Last night we were in Columbia, South Carolina, the night before we stayed in...” She shrugged. “It’s a blur. I don’t remember what city, but we couldn’t take a room. Alan has contacts, information brokers, who trace charge transactions. I can't use any of my cards."
    "Where did you sleep then?"
    "Once we stayed near a park, but there were vagrants."
    Holt's beard veiled his expression, but Caprice sensed his curiosity. “You’re gonna ‘road bowl’