Fallen Grace (The Grace Series) by M. Lauryl Lewis Read Free Book Online

you’ll see the cab is about six inches shorter than it ought to be. Even if it did run, we’d have to reinforce the broken-out windows, the entire open bed, and even then that truck weighs way more than it looks. Really no way to flip it over. Good thinking, though.”
    “Thanks. Sorry if it was a stupid idea.”
    Bobby rolled her eyes at me again. I liked that she was feeling more comfortable with us. I hip-bumped her and began walking again. “C’mon. I don’t sense any more of them.”
    “Let’s hunker down in one of the buildings for the night,” suggested Gus.
    “That one there,” I pointed to the tallest of the buildings on the street. “Hopefully it has a second story. I think that’d be safest.”
    It turned out to be a trinket shop; an old converted house. The siding was painted in rainbow graffiti of sorts. On either side were a kite shop and an ice cream parlor. The front door was locked, of course.
    “I’ll try the windows,” said Bobby.
    “We’ll go together,” I echoed.
    We set out as a group of three. We hugged the closest side of the building. It was only a couple of feet from the kite shop, making the walkway extremely narrow. The roof of the trinket shop actually overhung the other building by a few inches. Gus had to walk sideways to fit. There were two windows on this side; one was identical to the other aside from being boarded up. We all paused at the same time when we heard the faint clinging of metal nearby.
    Gus put his finger to his lips in warning. I had put my hatchet away so quickly retrieved it. It’d be a backup if Gus got into trouble. I knew already that he’d naturally take the lead. He pointed to the back of the building and Bobby and I followed him. It opened to a small clearing that must have at one time been a backyard. It was now full of overgrown weeds and scrap metal. A metal trash can lid was lying on the ground, still wobbling from falling. A raccoon was scurrying away along the top of the rickety wooden back fence.
    “See over there,” Gus whispered while pointing to a machine about the size of a small refrigerator.
    “What is it?” Bobby asked.
    “Looks like an ARC welder. It’ll be heavy, but once we find a vehicle we need to come back for it. Might come in real handy at some point, if we could find a way to power it.”
    “It feels creepy here. Let’s get inside . I’ll try the back door,” I offered.
    Before Gus could argue, I walked briskly to the back steps and ascended them two at a time. There were only six, plus the landing. The wood planks were old and weathered. I stopped with my hand on the door knob and listened with my mind, which found no worrisome signatures of the dead. I turned the knob and found it to be unlocked. It caught a few inches into opening, due to a chain lock. The air inside was escaping toward me, carrying with it a stale smell that was refreshingly lacking any odors of the dead. I listened, this time with just my ears. All was silent.
    Gus had joined me on the porch and Bobby was halfway up the stairs waiting for our next move.
    “Step back, darlin’. I’ll get it.”
    I shimmied around him, our hands brushing against each other lightly as I did so. It was like gentle static electricity that sent my heart speeding. I backed up as much as I could to give him space to work.
    “Want me to grab tools out of your pack?”
    He looked at me a bit blankly, for just a couple seconds too long, and I blushed realizing I must have asked a stupid question.
    “No thanks, darlin’, this should be easy.” He winked at me for good measure.
    I watched as he stood sideways and slammed himself against the door. The chain broke easily, and the door flung fully open.
    “Show off,” I muttered sarcastically.
    As he chuckled, I walked past him into the building. Like many homes of this style and age, we entered into a kitchen of sorts. It had surely once been a family residence and the sink remained, but it looked like it was used