Escape From the Badlands by Dana Mentink Read Free Book Online

really. It’s just that Gwen is…” She struggled to find the words.
    “Hiding something? I’m not surprised. Gwen turns up with Charlie, and Gleeson seems to know more about me than he should. Good reasons to pack up and go.”
    “But you’re staying.”
    “I have to. My brother is out of options.” He reached out to her, but she did not let him touch her.
    “Go, Kelly. Take off while you can.”
    “I’m not going.”
    He sighed, a defeated look coming over his face. “We’ll leave it for now. We can talk more in the morning. Lock up, okay?”
    She turned the bolt as soon as Shane left, stifling her instinct to peek out the window and watch him leave. Slipping off her damp clothes and pulling on an oversized T-shirt, she crawled under the covers next to Charlie and listened to the reassuring ebb and flow of his breathing. Paddy Paws joined them.
    Kelly whispered a prayer of profound gratitude and turned off the light. Closing her eyes, she remembered Shane’s expression as he came up from the river. She had never seen Shane Mason afraid of anything, but the anguish written on his face spoke of something from the past, something dark and terrifying imprinted on his soul.
    Shivering, she pulled the blankets tighter and fell into an uneasy sleep.
    Shane awoke to Gleeson pounding on his door the next morning. His body complained from the rough treatment the previous night as he greeted Gleeson.
    “Good news,” Gleeson bellowed as he clapped Shane on the shoulder. “After your idiot stunt on the ropes yesterday, Chenko approved you to race. We’re good to go for a one o’clock prelim to familiarize everyone with the course. Then we start tomorrow.”
    Shane blinked. “One o’clock. Got it.”
    Gleeson looked around the trailer. “Heard you thought someone broke in.”
    “How’d you hear that?”
    “Ackerman told me this morning. Said you’re crazy to think someone here would rifle through your stuff.”
    “That’s me. Crazy Shane.”
    Gleeson’s smile vanished. “Not making too many friends, Matthews. Folks don’t like being accused.”
    “I haven’t accused anyone. Yet.”
    Gleeson’s eyes narrowed. After a moment he smiled. “Whatever. All I care about is the prelim at 1:00. Have your bike ready, and we’ll hope this rain doesn’t delay things.”
    “Where’s Ackerman?”
    Gleeson looked surprised. “In the lodge eating breakfast, along with everyone else. Why?”
    “Just wanted to check in on a few things.”
    “What things?”
    Shane gave him a grin. “Nothing that concerns you, Mother Gleeson.”
    “Why did I ever take you on as a partner? You’re gonna make trouble before this thing is over.”
    You have no idea. Shane followed him out. The morning was cool, water still dripping from the juniper trees that clustered around the campground. The sun had not yet fully risen, the weak light illuminating veils of clouds.
    The lodge was crowded with racers clutching coffee cups and crowded around long tables. A breakfast of fruit, granola, scrambled eggs and juices was set up buffet-style in the corner. He scanned the room immediately for Kelly and Charlie, but he didn’t spot them. Shane noticed Ackerman talking to Betsy, who laughed and toyed with her braid. Ackerman was sandwiched between chatting racers, and Shane couldn’t get close so he poured himself some coffee and took a spot near the door. Chenko appeared at his elbow, looking tired. He lifted his cup in salute.
    “Thank goodness for coffee,” he said.
    Shane nodded, taking in the shadows under the race producer’s eyes. “Bad night?”
    Chenko sighed. “It’s the weather. You can circumvent nearly any race obstacle that arises, but not the weather. That annoys me.”
    “Have you cancelled races before?”
    “Almost. Last year the weather was unpredictable, too. There was an accident on the riding leg of the race. Had to borrow horses from a local.”
    Shane stiffened. The locals, he knew, were his brother, Todd,