Short Cut to Santa Fe Read Online Free PDF Page B

along the road above the gully, a young, sturdy blonde, was pointing out things of interest to distract her tired and hungry toddler. “See, sugar,” she cooed, “there’s a big, black crow down there, and he’s— Oh, Jesus. Billy,” she went on, trying to keep her voice as steady as she could. “Sweetheart, I think you’d better stop. There’s something down there ought to be seen to.”
    He caught the tone under her cautious words and brought the truck screeching to a halt on the shoulder.
    Her eyes narrowed in disgust as she got a closer look. “There’s nothing down there,” she cooed once more at her baby. “Look, darling, up there. It’s an airplane. Look up in the sky. A great big airplane. Not down there. The nasty old crow’s gone. There’s nothing to see. Look up in the sky.”
    â€œLooks like someone killed him for his clothes and money,” said the state trooper, staring at the partially clad corpse. He pointed at the bloody depression in the back of the head. “Knocked him out and undressed him and just dumped him off of the road. Left him to die. Look at that—you can tell where the poor bastard tried to crawl for help. Take a look around. Maybe we’ll see what he used to hit him with and save everyone a lot of time.”
    â€œPretty risky,” said his partner, shaking his head. “What if he’d survived? Then he could describe the guy who hit him.”
    â€œProbably thought he was dead. It’s not that easy to tell, sometimes. That’s why people get buried alive,” he added with relish. “Anyway, you get bashed on the head hard enough, you don’t remember much. That must’ve been what happened to you,” he snickered, poking his partner in the ribs.
    â€œYeah, well, thanks a hell of a lot,” said the partner, looking a bit green.
    â€œProbably stole his car, too. A hitchhiker, I’d say. We’ll check on hitchhikers. That’s it for now,” he said loudly. “I’d like to thank you folks for stopping and contacting us. Ginny, Billy. And say hello to your ma for me, Ginny. We know how to find you and we’ll be in touch if we need to.” The young couple and their baby climbed back into their pickup. The crow watched from a distance, sitting disconsolately on a bare branch.

Chapter 3
    â€œDamn,” said Harriet. “How could they do that? They could have waited thirty seconds for us.”
    But John was no longer standing beside her. He was on the other side of the room, deep in conversation with a sour-looking individual. “And thank you so very much for all
your
help,” he was saying in a voice thick with sarcasm. “In that case, we might as well take the children ourselves and drop them off.”
    The answer was inaudible.
    â€œDo you know your intersection when you see it?” he asked.
    â€œI do,” said a very white-faced Stuart. “And I’m sorry—”
    â€œNo time for apologies,” said Sanders. “Just follow that bus.”
    The four of them ran as fast as they could, weighed down with one huge suitcase and two gym bags, and scrambled into the van.
    The assistant airport manager watched them disappear down the road. A twinge of guilt, quickly replaced by anger, caused his forehead to tighten. He shrugged and prepared to finish up for the night.
    Harriet slung the gym bags in the backseat, the children scrambled in after them, and by the time John had the suitcase in back and the door on the passenger side closed, they were moving down the long approach road from the airport. “Which way do we turn up here?” she asked.
    â€œI’m not sure,” said Caroline nervously, “but— There it is. Its got its left-turn light on.”
    â€œThen left it is,” said Harriet.
    â€œI hope this isn’t out of your way,” said Caroline. The cares of the world seemed to