Books by Maggie Shayne by Maggie Shayne Read Free Book Online

felt guilty for lying to him about the safe-deposit box.
    For just a few seconds; Alexandra had found courage she'd never known she possessed, and she managed to hang on to it until her feet were on the solid ground once more.
    She stood, trembling on the ground below her bedroom window, watching the man descend. She heard the others, inside, and she felt no further hint of that brave alien. Only stark terror.
    He jumped when he was still ten feet from the ground, rolled to his feet and gripped her arm. But she couldn't move when he tugged her.
    Fear had rooted her feet to the ground.
    "Come on, Alex! Don't freeze up on me now!" He made a harsh whisper seem like a barked order, and it shook her enough to make her move.
    He'd called her Alex. No one had ever called her that before. It seemed different than Alexandra. Better. He pulled her into the pine forest beyond her back lawn and never slowed his pace.
    He seemed to know where he was going. That gave her a little confidence. Becoming lost in the Adirondacks was not an appealing prospect. Usually she knew this section of forest like the back of her hand, but in this state of mind, God only knows where she'd end up.
    Still, getting lost in the forest was a far more appealing prospect than falling into the hands of those men back at the house.
    He veered westward, cutting a diagonal path through the forest that would bring them to the only road that led up here. She had to struggle to keep the pace he set. Briskly cold, pine-scented night air rushed in and out of her burning lungs. She kept looking back over her shoulder as they ran, expecting to see an army of men in black giving chase. None in sight. Not yet, anyway. They'd have to know where to look for them, though. The rope ladder was still hanging in the window.
    Maybes Max would find it and use it to escape. Or maybe he'd stay hidden until those men left. The poor thing. She hadn't intended to leave him behind. " She'd intended to send this man off on a wild-goose chase and then gather up her eat and disappear herself.
    Right after she went through her father's papers and found proof of his innocence. Now she'd have to wait until she could get away from this crazy man who clung to her hand with his strong, warm one and pulled her through the pitch-dark forest at a dead run.
    Finally he stopped at the edge of the woods near the winding dirt road.
    He wasn't even winded, though~Alexan- dm panted more loudly than she would have liked. She sank to the ground and its cushion of pine needles, watching him stare out at the road. And she automatically pulled her inhaler from her pocket and took a dose.
    He tilted his head, listening. He seemed even to sniff the air.
    Then he turned to her and jerked his head. She rose, though she wanted to stay right were she was. Taking her arm, he led her out onto the road. A car sat a few yards away, and that was where he drew her.
    Alertness marked his every movement, and his feet on the road made barely a sound. He stopped beside the car, slipping a penlight from a pocket.
    Then he was on his belly, shining the light underneath. What in the name of. ?
    He got up, checked the car's interior and opened the driver's door.
    "Get in ."
    She hesitated.
    "But" -- "Get in, Alex. The keys are in the switch. Don't start the engine.
    Not yet. Count to one hundred, slowly, beginning when I leave. Then start it. I'll be back before you can count to a hundred a second time.
    If I'm not, get the hell out of here. "
    "You're leaving? For what? Where are you" -- "No time. Just do as I say, okay?"
    "I don't think I can" -- "You'll be fine. Just do whatl ell you."
    She clamped her lower lip between her teeth and nodded, sliding into the car. He opened the back door, snatching out a small satchel. Then he closed both doors without making a sound. He turned and ran into the woods.
    Her sweaty hands slid back and forth over the steering wheel as she counted.
    "One, two, three... how in the name of God did I end