Red Mountain by Dennis Yates Read Free Book Online Page B

yet he knew in his heart it was all just gambler’s foolishness, for the cards you were dealt in life held no meaning after you took your last breath.
    Absolutely no meaning at all…

 
     
     
    CHAPTER 11
     
     
    Peggy had no idea where they were until they were ordered out of the van. When she smelled the dry air spiced with juniper, she was certain they’d come as far as central Oregon or Southern Washington.
    Not long after she’d spoken to Robert on the phone, Walker had led her and Connor to an Air Stream trailer behind the farmhouse. Connor had kept his face hidden against her chest as they’d walked.
    She saw three trailers in all, spread out in a circle. Each was equipped with its own power source, water and sewer hookup. Black spray paint and barbed wire mesh sealed off every window from the outside. The doors themselves were fitted with heavy- duty latches and key padlocks. In the middle of the prisoner trailer park was a large tent where she could hear voices talking low.
    She’d spent time in the high desert before, but a low-lying band of white cloud on the far horizon kept her from spotting any recognizable landmarks. On a clear day she would have been able to orient herself with the mountain range to the west. When she stopped to watch a pickup moving down a distant highway, Walker frowned and looked impatiently skyward.
    “Mrs. Crain…”
    Laughter made Peggy turn her head to look behind her. Two men armed with rifles stood watching, their eyes staring menacingly as they lit cigarettes and puffed from smirking lips. Peggy had recognized their raspy cackles. They’d been the one’s who’d carried her and Connor out to the van after binding their wrists and mouths with duct tape. Later, while the van sped unnoticed down the highway the night before, they’d taken turns feeling her bottom through her jeans.
    She turned back to Walker, her eyes widened with anger. “So whose shoe did you scrape those two off of?”
    Walker met her gaze with a crooked grin. “You’re not going to want to make any trouble for them.”
     
    ****
     
    Connor had spent the entire day huddled in a corner of the bed. His condition hadn’t changed much since they’d arrived. Peggy tried to comfort him the best she could, and a few times he actually opened his eyes but they looked as if he were staring at something far away. When night arrived, she searched the entire trailer from top to bottom for anything useful, finding nothing but some forgotten rusted pliers wedged beneath a cabinet.
    A man she hadn’t seen before brought them their dinner. He was brittle-thin and appeared nervous as he stood next to one of the armed guards who called him Stick. He handed her a cardboard box packed with sandwiches and bottled water.
    “Why are you doing this?” Peggy asked. Stick’s jaw quivered as if he wanted to say something, but the guard quickly motioned him to move away. The guard held up his hand so she could see the open padlock swinging on his finger.
    “You don’t want to ruin the surprise, do you?”
    “What the hell is this all about?” Peggy screamed. Her voice had carried out into the desert night, causing the guard to take a step closer.
    “Keep it down or I’ll have to gag that pretty mouth of yours.”
    “I’m not shutting up until I get some answers.”
    “Enjoy your dinner, lady,” the guard said. He slammed the door shut. She heard the snap of the padlock and crunch of rock as he walked away. Other than the hum of trailer generators, the place was quiet except for the occasional howl of a lone coyote or far off wail of a passing train.
    Peggy sat down on the bed next to Connor and started to cry. His hand crept out from the blanket and touched her face.
    “Mommy?”
    She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. He’d finally made the long journey back to her.
    “I’m here, baby.”
    “Where’s dad?”
    “He’s trying to find us.”
    “I’m scared.”
    “It’s okay to be