Dangerous Ground 3: Blood Heat by Josh Lanyon Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Josh Lanyon
Tags: LGBT Action/Adventure
Ground 3: Blood Heat
41
“Although you"ve got to get over this notion that you"re bulletproof.”
Taylor snorted.
Will reached over, found his hand, and squeezed briefly before steadying the wheel once more. “It"ll be okay. We got into this together. We"ll get out of it together.”
Taylor nodded, already missing that hard, warm hold. Will had been making more of these physical gestures lately. It was one reason Taylor was pretty sure Will was taking the Paris job, even if he didn"t know it himself yet.
“Any sign of that sonofabitch ahead of us?”
They crested another rise in the road. Taylor scanned the ink-washed world.
“No.” He returned to studying the map by the light of his BlackBerry. “If he avoids the main highways—and he will because he thinks we"ll be looking for him to take the fastest route possible—it should take him over four hours to get to Albuquerque.
Probably more in this weather.”
“Assuming he thinks as logically as you.”
They were both silent as the car seemed to sway, buffeted by a gust of rain, before Will corrected. Visibility was increasingly bad.
Taylor said evenly, “So once we find West Smokey Bear Boulevard, we"ll follow it for about twenty miles.”
“ Jesus Christ .”
Taylor"s head jerked up. He stared out the windshield, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. A tree seemed to be flying out of the darkness and down the road toward them. The next instant, he realized the uprooted tree was in front of a wall of brown water rushing their way.
Flash flood . He"d read about them, seen their aftermath on the nightly news, but he"d never witnessed that sheer destructive capability firsthand. The little he knew was enough to freeze his brain.
42
Josh Lanyon
In what felt like slow motion, he watched Will wrench the wheel to send the car skating off the road and sliding across the shoulder, heading for the tree-studded hillside. The earth was soft and muddy on the shoulder, and Taylor felt the front tires sink, felt them spinning. Will swore, cut the gas, gunned the motor, then took his foot off the accelerator again. Miraculously, through that alternating on and off of gas and neutral position, they gained traction.
Where the hell were they going?
The car shot forward, bumping and grinding up the grassy slope, ripping out saplings and brush as they went.
They were traveling at a diagonal, the hillside grade too sharp to permit a straight approach.
“Come on, baby.” Will gritted the words out as they plowed through a dense thicket of coarse shrubbery.
Taylor realized he hadn"t taken a breath since they"d left the main highway.
He looked past Will and saw a brown river tumbling just a few feet below them—
where no river had previously existed.
The car"s chassis slammed down on what felt like solid rock. The transmission screeched. The tires spun. They dragged forward another yard and lurched to a stop. The car balanced precariously, the left side tilting downhill. A pinecone hit the windshield and bounced away. It was followed by a tree branch.
“That"s not good.”
Taylor wasn"t aware of speaking until Will, staring down the hillside at the rapidly rising water, released a startled choke of laughter and turned back to him.
“You think? We"ve got to get to higher ground.”
“You can"t drive any farther up this slope.” It seemed to Taylor that Will had defied gravity to get this far.
“No. We"ll have to climb. Move it.” Will pointed. “Your side.”
Dangerous Ground 3: Blood Heat
43
Taylor shoved the door open against the wind and rain beating down. He crawled out, then held the door, reaching back for Will. Will scooted gingerly across the gearbox and then froze, his knee planted in the passenger seat.
Did the car slide a few inches? Taylor couldn"t tell, but it was only too likely.
“Hurry the hell up, Brandt.” His hand locked on Will"s, and he hauled with all his strength. Will scrabbled out to stand beside him,
41
“Although you"ve got to get over this notion that you"re bulletproof.”
Taylor snorted.
Will reached over, found his hand, and squeezed briefly before steadying the wheel once more. “It"ll be okay. We got into this together. We"ll get out of it together.”
Taylor nodded, already missing that hard, warm hold. Will had been making more of these physical gestures lately. It was one reason Taylor was pretty sure Will was taking the Paris job, even if he didn"t know it himself yet.
“Any sign of that sonofabitch ahead of us?”
They crested another rise in the road. Taylor scanned the ink-washed world.
“No.” He returned to studying the map by the light of his BlackBerry. “If he avoids the main highways—and he will because he thinks we"ll be looking for him to take the fastest route possible—it should take him over four hours to get to Albuquerque.
Probably more in this weather.”
“Assuming he thinks as logically as you.”
They were both silent as the car seemed to sway, buffeted by a gust of rain, before Will corrected. Visibility was increasingly bad.
Taylor said evenly, “So once we find West Smokey Bear Boulevard, we"ll follow it for about twenty miles.”
“ Jesus Christ .”
Taylor"s head jerked up. He stared out the windshield, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. A tree seemed to be flying out of the darkness and down the road toward them. The next instant, he realized the uprooted tree was in front of a wall of brown water rushing their way.
Flash flood . He"d read about them, seen their aftermath on the nightly news, but he"d never witnessed that sheer destructive capability firsthand. The little he knew was enough to freeze his brain.
42
Josh Lanyon
In what felt like slow motion, he watched Will wrench the wheel to send the car skating off the road and sliding across the shoulder, heading for the tree-studded hillside. The earth was soft and muddy on the shoulder, and Taylor felt the front tires sink, felt them spinning. Will swore, cut the gas, gunned the motor, then took his foot off the accelerator again. Miraculously, through that alternating on and off of gas and neutral position, they gained traction.
Where the hell were they going?
The car shot forward, bumping and grinding up the grassy slope, ripping out saplings and brush as they went.
They were traveling at a diagonal, the hillside grade too sharp to permit a straight approach.
“Come on, baby.” Will gritted the words out as they plowed through a dense thicket of coarse shrubbery.
Taylor realized he hadn"t taken a breath since they"d left the main highway.
He looked past Will and saw a brown river tumbling just a few feet below them—
where no river had previously existed.
The car"s chassis slammed down on what felt like solid rock. The transmission screeched. The tires spun. They dragged forward another yard and lurched to a stop. The car balanced precariously, the left side tilting downhill. A pinecone hit the windshield and bounced away. It was followed by a tree branch.
“That"s not good.”
Taylor wasn"t aware of speaking until Will, staring down the hillside at the rapidly rising water, released a startled choke of laughter and turned back to him.
“You think? We"ve got to get to higher ground.”
“You can"t drive any farther up this slope.” It seemed to Taylor that Will had defied gravity to get this far.
“No. We"ll have to climb. Move it.” Will pointed. “Your side.”
Dangerous Ground 3: Blood Heat
43
Taylor shoved the door open against the wind and rain beating down. He crawled out, then held the door, reaching back for Will. Will scooted gingerly across the gearbox and then froze, his knee planted in the passenger seat.
Did the car slide a few inches? Taylor couldn"t tell, but it was only too likely.
“Hurry the hell up, Brandt.” His hand locked on Will"s, and he hauled with all his strength. Will scrabbled out to stand beside him,
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