Song of the Meadowlark (Intertwined Book 1) by Sherri Wilson Johnson Read Free Book Online Page A

directions before choosing to walk back toward the main road instead of deeper into the woods. When she twisted her ankle, she cursed her decision to wear her new sandals. She dabbed at the place on her forehead and winced.
    A stick popped in the distance, and her hair stood up on the back of her neck. She tried not to think about the sound. But the truck wasn’t coming back, so maybe she was safe.
    Then, someone pounded on the earth behind her, and before she could react, a searing pain collided with the back of her head and then nothing….

Chapter 5
     
    Cora awoke alone in a dark, musty shack. Her bare feet were tied to a burlap-covered cot that smelled of cigars and sweat. Her hands were tied behind her back, and something was shoved into her mouth causing her to gag. Her arms were numb, and her shoulders ached from the weight of her body on them. Her head throbbed from the blow. Her stomach growled, and nausea crept up her esophagus. Minimal amounts of sunlight came through the cracks in the shack. It must be near dinnertime.
    Maybe if she tried hard enough, she could get herself free.
    Cora tried, to no avail. She wiggled, squirmed, and pulled, but nothing worked. Sweat poured from every pore. The gag prevented her from screaming. Who could hear her out here, anyway?
    A vehicle that sounded like it were missing a muffler pulled up outside the shack, and Cora winced. Was it the pickup that had smashed into her car?
    The door yanked open, and light burst in. Cora squinted at the brightness before her and then closed her eyes briefly, allowing them to adjust to the light. When she reopened them, a man stood in the room, his face shadowed by the hood of his jacket.
    Cora stilled her body and reclosed her eyes. Maybe he’d leave her alone if she stayed still. Who would want to kidnap her? Was this a stranger or someone she knew? Could it be Veronica? Maybe she wanted her to stay away from Rex badly enough to do something this horrible. Was it Randy from the gold shop? Could it be Clark? Maybe he was so angry she’d left home that he’d followed her. Or maybe it was someone affiliated with Clark who thought she knew where he was….
    The person rummaged around in the shack, but Cora didn’t dare open her eyes. She had to carry out her charade.
    “Wake up!” a harsh voice demanded as the person poked and pushed her.
    She opened her eyes, camping lanterns glowing across the room. The hood still rested over the person’s head. She tried to talk, but couldn’t with her mouth gagged. Her assailant removed the cloth from around her head and the rag from her mouth.
    Cora struggled to move her head away from this person’s reach. “Who are you? What do you want with me? Do I know you? Why won’t you uncover your face?”
    “Why all of the questions?” the voice grumbled.
    “I’m trying to understand all of this. What is this all about? Why me?” Cora squirmed and tugged, trying to get loose.
    “Don’t worry. You’ll figure everything out eventually. I’m just following orders.” The attacker turned out all of the lanterns except one and opened the door, leaving as abruptly as he’d come.
    “No! Come back!”
    He secured the door and left. There was probably no way out for Cora, but she had to try. First, she had to free her hands and feet. She pulled and twisted, but she couldn’t free herself. How could she get out of here? She tugged a little more and then rested. “I won’t do myself any good if I’m worn out.”
    Cora scanned the crude cabin for something she could use to set herself free. She spotted a rickety chest of drawers across from her. Maybe she’d find a knife or scissors in there. She yanked again to free herself from the cot. This time, she was able to pull herself loose from the bed and sit up.
    For a moment, she sat still, listening for any sounds of life outside the cabin and gaining her stamina. Then she swung her legs around, touching her feet to the floor. Hopping across the shack