The Survivor by Rhonda Nelson Read Free Book Online Page A

preempted him on everything, that’s exactly the way he would have been.
    â€œAnd I’m not?”
    Her grin turned a bit wicked. “You would have been…if I’d let you.”
    And with that enigmatic comment, she said, “Oh, Rascal Flatts!” and turned the volume up on the stereo, effectively cutting him off before he could argue.
    She’d been managing him all along, Lex realized with a flash of horrible insight. The manipulative, scheming wench. And she was right—he had let her.
    But that was about to change.
    Â 
    S HE REALLY SHOULDN’T HAVE goaded him, Bess thought, but she hadn’t been able to help herself. Yes, she’d needed to come along and yes, she liked being in charge. But she should have continued to maneuver him without him realizing it.
    It would have been better.
    Now she watched the light of battle flare in his eyes, his jaw imperceptibly harden, and knew she’d just waved a red flag in front of a very obstinate bull.
    Sometimes she was a moron. And this was one of those times.
    â€œDoes your client in Waycross know to contact you if this guy shows up?” he asked, moving the conversation back into strictly professional territory.
    â€œHe does,” she said.
    â€œDoes he know to try and get the man’s name? To get his license plate number, if possible?”
    â€œEr…no.” She hadn’t thought of that, Bess realized, no longer feeling quite so smug. But a peek from the corner of her eye told her that he was.
    She pulled out her cell phone, looked up Gus’s number and dialed. “Morning, Gus,” she said when he answered. “This is Bess again. Any visitor yet?”
    â€œHe was just here,” Gus told her. She gasped and looked significantly at Lex.
    â€œHe was just there? What happened?”
    She felt Lex go on alert, watched him still and tune in to her end of the conversation.
    â€œI did exactly what you told me to, Bess. I sent that rotten no-good scoundrel packing.”
    She felt nauseated. “Did he give you any problems?”
    â€œDidn’t have a chance to,” he said, sounding quite pleased with himself. “He came walking up on foot because I’d closed the gate at the end of the drive and I fired a warning shot into the air.”
    Without waiting for him to confirm who he was? “Gus, are you sure it was him?”
    â€œI’m sure. He said he was a friend of yours.”
    Ah. “Did he give you a name?”
    â€œSeems like it, Bess, but I’ll be hanged if I can remember what it is now. I was just so riled up, you know. Wasn’t thinking about catching his name. I was more concerned with making him leave.”
    She peeked over at Lex again and bit her bottom lip. “Well, I sure am glad that you were ready for him, Gus, and I’m even sorrier that this was a problem for you at all.”
    â€œNo worries, Bess. It’s not your fault. The man broke into your store and stole from you. It’s not like you sold my address to the wily bastard.”
    True, but she still felt responsible. She was going to have to rethink how she took photos for her auctions, that was for damned sure. “Listen, Gus, you didn’t happen to notice what kind of car he was driving, did you?”
    â€œNaw,” he said. “My sight isn’t as good as it used to be and my driveway is on the longish side, you understand.”
    â€œI do,” she said. “No worries then.”
    â€œYou still coming to see me?” Gus wanted to know.
    They were a good three hours from Waycross and, if Bastard moved in the direction she thought he wasgoing to, Valdosta was next on his list. She winced. “Better not, Gus. We need to keep moving and try to catch this guy.”
    â€œLet me know if I can do anything,” the old man told her.
    â€œI will. Thanks, Gus. You take care of yourself.”
    â€œI always do.”
    She disconnected and