From Pharaoh's Hand by Cynthia Green Read Free Book Online Page A

Jackson city limits to the outer limits, about a twelve-mile stretch.
    “ You get down in the floorboard there. Put all that junk up in the seat. We only have to go about an hour. If we get stopped, we just get stopped.” He looked over his shoulder.  “Keep your fingers crossed Missy. Catch you a nap. It’ll all be all right. Old Catfish gonna see to it.”
                  Beth began pulling all the trash up onto the seat beside her, piling it on top of the Commercial Appeal that Catfish had been reading. She made her way to the floorboard and laid her head over on the seat. Catfish almost felt sorry for the girl; she looked so scared. He took his old camouflage jacket from off the back of the seat and covered her with it, making sure her head was covered so that no passing traffic could see her. He would stay in the outside lane making it harder for the big semis to look down inside. Then he put the pedal down and tried not to speed as headed east making his way back toward home.
                  The truck pulling to a stop awakened Beth. Startled, she poked her head out from under the jacket.
                                “What is it? Is it a State Trooper? Are we there yet?”
    Catfish was reaching for her backpack. He did not answer her. She kept asking.
                                “What is it?” She scrambled up to her seat. They were sitting in a narrow gravel drive, a boat slip at the water’s edge. The Tennessee River was spread out before her. There were no boats or barges in sight, just a few ducks flying overhead as foaming white caps made their way ashore. Her eyes widened in fear.
                  “Where are we? This isn’t Jackson. You’ve passed Jackson. Where are you taking me?”
         “ Hush, child,” he hissed.  I had to bring you. I passed too many cops on the way down.  No good place to drop you off. Besides, you was running away anyhow. What have you got to go back to? I got a cabin in the hills. You can live with me. Keep me company. No one has to know where ya went.”
                  “But I want to go home.  What are you doing...” Catfish was taking the clothes out of her backpack by now. He emptied the wallet of its remaining cash and stuck it in his pocket. He put the wallet back, along with the cell phone.  “What are you doing!”
         “ I’m ditching your backpack in the river. Now hush before I ditch you there. And don’t think I won’t do it. You’re becoming more of a problem for me than I expected.”
                  “Just let me go. I’ll hitch back to town. I won’t say anything. I promise.  I promise I won’t.”
         “ Now, Missy, don’t you think they are gonna wonder where you been all this time?”
                  “I won’t tell them I promise. Let me go or I’ll scream.”
         “ No use screaming. Ain’t no one for miles around. Might as well settle down. I’d hate to have to use this.” Catfish pulled a long knife from the crevice of the seat, and Beth almost wet her pants. Sweat was forming on her upper lip. She felt like retching. He’s going to hurt me. He’s going to kill me. Oh God. What have I done? Oh Lord, please, please don’t let him kill me.             
                  He went around to the back of the truck and pulled out a heavy brick he kept back there to brace his tires on steep inclines. He put it inside the backpack and gave it a hard fling out into the water and watched it sink. If anyone did find it, he and the girl would be long gone. They would think she was dead--a victim of suicide or foul play. It didn’t matter. No one gave much thought to the fate of runaways anymore. They would think she had ended up in an overseas brothel more than likely. He got back into the truck and started it.
         “ Where are you taking me?” Beth