The First Prophet Read Online Free PDF Page A

neighbor didn’t get a license
     plate, so that’s no good. She did, however, say that she thought the cop in charge
     talked to both Sarah and the blond stranger before theyleft, so there’s a solid chance the locals know where Sarah’s supposed to be. Especially
     since she probably hasn’t been ruled out as a suspect herself.”
    “Yeah, they will check the obvious first.” Brodie nodded slowly.
    “So we need eyes and ears inside the local police department,” Cait said. “They probably
     wouldn’t know me, so—”
    Brodie was shaking his head. “I don’t think so, Cait. We need to move too fast; planting
     someone on the inside takes time. But…I might know someone who already has eyes on
     the inside.”
    “Someone you can trust?”
    He smiled faintly, as though he found the question amusing. “I don’t deal with people
     I can’t trust. Come on—we need to get out of here before that squad car makes its
     next scheduled pass by here. And let’s find a landline; I don’t want to use the cell
     for this call.”

    When Sarah came out of her bedroom wearing a bulky sweater and jeans, Tucker didn’t
     mention the watcher outside. It was not out of some outdated—and no doubt unwanted—sense
     of chivalry that he kept silent, but simply because he was convinced Sarah would not
     be surprised by the knowledge. She knew she was being watched; he thought she knew
     why, or had some suspicion why—and it had nothing to do with frightened neighbors.
    It was an answer he wanted.
    Sarah glanced toward the fire without comment as she passed through the living room,
     then turned on a couple of lamps and went into the kitchen area.
    “I didn’t know how you took yours,” Tucker said, lifting his coffee cup in a slight
     gesture.
    She poured a cup of coffee for herself, taking it black. “No problem. Look, it’s after
     six; I have some ready-made stew and bread in the freezer, if you’re planning to stay
     for supper.”
    Tucker had to smile at the wording. “I’d hate to impose.”
    “No, you wouldn’t,” she said, either another shrewd guess or certain knowledge. Whichever,
     it was accompanied by a slight smile as Sarah began getting out a pot and the frozen
     stew, and turning on the oven for the bread.
    Tucker reclaimed his stool at the breakfast bar, sitting beside a cat who was neatly
     washing his paws and face after his own meal. “Okay, so I wouldn’t hate it. I’ve got
     the nerve of a burglar, according to most of my friends. But I was trained right;
     if you’re going to do the cooking, I’ll do the dishes.”
    “Suits me.” She put the bagged stew into the microwave to thaw, then leaned back against
     the counter and sipped her coffee, looking at Tucker across the space separating them.
     “Are you planning to spend the night?”
    That question would have bothered Tucker, except for the fact that she sounded totally
     uninterested in the subject. “That depends on you.”
    “I told you I didn’t mind being alone. There are nomonsters in the closet or under my bed; I just checked.” She wasn’t smiling.
    Neither was Tucker when he said, “There’s one outside. Watching. Wearing a black leather
     jacket.”
    Her eyes seemed to flicker slightly. “You saw him?”
    “Yes. A few minutes ago, before it started getting dark. Who is he, Sarah?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Why is he watching you?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Tucker shook his head. “And yet you aren’t worried about it? I don’t buy that.”
    “Why worry about something you can’t change?” She shrugged.
    “Then you
do
know why he’s watching.”
    Sarah hesitated, then shook her head. “No. I—I don’t know the
why
of any of it. Just the fact of it.”
    Baffled, Tucker frowned and watched her turn to get the stew out of the microwave
     and put it in a pot on the stove. “So what is the fact of it?” he asked her.
    “He’s watching me. He’s waiting. And sooner or later, he’ll do what he came