Black Ops Chronicles: Dead Run by Pepper O'Neal Read Free Book Online Page B

of...that little problem. Good news is there’s no more problem.” A few more grunts followed that before, “Right. When?...Okay...Um, tomorrow morning, about eight?” Then, after a long silence, he ended with a quick, “Yep, I got it. No sweat.”
    When Joe slammed the phone down, she went back to the crack. She watched him walk to the counter, pay the woman, and leave, his three companions trailing out after him.
    Safe for the moment, she returned the revolver to her backpack, took a cleansing breath, and—since the abrupt withdrawal of fear had given her an urgent need to pee—used the toilet. After she finished, she washed her hands, grateful at least one faucet worked, especially since she’d had to put her used toilet paper in a bucket beside the commode.
    Picking up her backpack, she hesitated at the door. Life had taught her caution in hard, painful lessons, so she waited until she heard the Jeep drive off. Opening the door a crack, she peered out. No one left but the clerk.
    The old woman had lost her smile. Her eyes, bright with welcome and curiosity earlier, now looked tired and afraid. Tess flinched as a stab of guilt pierced her. She didn’t know if those four men were after her, but even if they weren’t, others soon would be . And the clerk was right to fear them.
    Tess didn’t want the locals to suffer because of her, but she could do nothing to prevent it, except move on and leave them in peace.
    Heart aching, she took a last look around the market, burning the scene on her mind. The scent of cilantro, overlaid with ripe bananas and chili peppers, lingered in her nostrils as she bought a jar of peanut butter and paid for her phone call. The clerk took her money, scuttled off to the other end of the counter, and came back with a handful of Mexican coins.
    Tess stifled a groan. Not more coins ! As if I didn’t have enough . Heavy and practically worthless, they weighed down her backpack like rocks. She didn’t even like to spend them. It was too much trouble trying to tell them apart. Sighing, she dropped them into her pack, adding to the hefty pile at the bottom. Then she shoved the peanut butter in on top and headed for the door. When she reached it, she paused and surveyed the street with a thoroughness born of fear. Not a soul in sight. Even the children had escaped inside out of the sun. She left the shelter of the market and trudged down the dirt sidewalk.
    She hadn’t gone very far when something dark, and cloaked in a veil of dust, pulled up to the stop sign at the corner, three blocks down.
    The blue Jeep!
    It came to a rolling stop, turned onto the street, and headed away from her. She hesitated. Would they drive back this way before she reached the road leading to the cove? Could she risk it, or should she take another route home? Then the Jeep flipped a U-turn, bringing her indecision to an abrupt halt.
    Breaking into a run, she darted down a side street and sprinted past the village church. She stopped, doubled back, and took the church steps two at a time. With a last, quick glance over her shoulder, she yanked the door open and slipped inside.
    The interior of the chapel smelled of wood, furniture polish, and vanilla incense. Cool and peaceful, and thankfully deserted, it calmed her frayed nerves and lifted her spirits. Now, if only the men in the Jeep hadn’t seen her come in.
    She stood just inside, with the door open a crack, and waited, watching the street. The Jeep rolled slowly past. Its brakes squealed.
    Then the car doors slammed.
     
    ***
     
    Where am I ? He woke up confused. And alarmed. How’d I get here ? Simple questions he should’ve known the answers to. So why didn’t he?
    Who am I ? he wondered next and drew another blank. Wait a minute. This couldn’t be right. How had his mind been wiped clean?
    Nothing made any sense. A dream? No. He hurt way too bad for it to be anything but real.
    Panic ripped through his mind, but he fought it off. He’d figure this out.