Salvation and Secrets by L A Cotton Read Free Book Online Page B

distraction when you were handling Donohue business. Something flashed in the side mirror and my eyes darted to the rearview mirror to check it out. “Did you see that?”
    “What?” Braiden replied.
    “I thought I saw lights… a tail?”
    “Man, you’re paranoid. There’s no fucking tail.” Braiden slowed the engine and turned his head checking out the road behind us. “See, nothing.”
    He was right. Whatever I saw wasn’t a car. The road was empty for miles in both directions.
    Ten minutes later, Braiden turned off the main road and followed a dirt track into the middle of nowhere. My eyes scanned our surroundings, trying to focus enough to make out where the hell we were, looking for exits, landmarks, any sign of life.
    “This is it. X marks the spot.” Braiden laughed, and I wondered how in the hell he was always so laid back at these things. I wasn’t scared, just always prepared for the worst. “Grab the gear out of the trunk, and I’ll wait at the meet spot.”
    I did as he directed, retrieving the two bags from the trunk and meeting Braiden up ahead of the Jeep in a small clearing.
    My heart beat furiously and there was ringing in my ears as the adrenaline pumped through me. We only waited a couple of minutes before footsteps approached us from the left.
    "Donohue? That you?" a familiar voice called out.
    "Over here, Perkins."
    I breathed a sigh of relief. Perkins was a regular. We dealt with him a lot, and my defenses stepped down a notch.
    Perkins came into view, his black jacket blending into the night’s sky. "Money's in the bag. Unmarked twenties."
    Braiden nodded at me and I stepped forward, dropping the two bags at his feet. He threw the smaller bag at me, before hauling the bags over his shoulder. "It's a pleasure as al-"
    The sound of tires screeching came out of nowhere and my hand shot out to Perkins, but he shrugged me off, startled.
    "This isn't me. Is it you?" he accused.
    Braiden's face searched for the car, the veins in his neck pulsating with anger. "It's not us. Go, NOW."
    Perkins started to run, but the flash of headlights blinded him. He stumbled and rolled just in time to miss the oncoming car. I grabbed Braiden and yanked him to me, clutching the bag.
    "Who the fuck is that?"
    "Who do you think?" I snapped, watching the car pull a donut and start toward us. "There's only one fuck crazy enough to pull this. Calder."
    The car was headed straight for us. We would never outrun it. Braiden planted his feet and squared his shoulders. The guy either had no fear or a freaking death wish.
    I braced myself, but the car swerved at the last second and the passenger door flew open. The guy blindsided me out of nowhere and snatched the bag. As I hit the ground hard, he made off toward Perkins.
    "Braiden, he has the bag. Get to Perkins," I shouted, trying to push myself up off the ground. Braiden shot off after the passenger, and I righted myself ready to follow them.
    "Not so fast." The words didn’t cause me to freeze; it was the click of the barrel loading that did. "Don't move."
    I slowly turned to face Calder. His eyes burned with crazy, and I inched my hands up in surrender. "Cole. Think this through."
    He pressed the gun nearer and said, "Don't fucking speak. Merrick, you got it?"
    "Yeah,” a voice called from the darkness, and I tried to look out of the corner of my eye, but it was useless. Everything merged into one big oblivious shadow.
    "Both down." A guy came into view carrying all three bags. "We better get out of here before they come to." His eyes widened when he noticed the gun trained on me.
    Calder's eyes darted to his accomplice and he ordered, "Get in the car, Merrick."
    "But-"
    "I said get in the fucking car."
    Merrick stalked off, leaving just Calder and me. And the gun.
    "Tell Donohue this makes us even." He backed up toward the car and started to fold himself into the open door. "Oh, and Pierce? You really shouldn't let your property wander around unguarded. Especially