42097609460

again, scanning the area. The trees on either side of the road might
provide cover… or they might not. He didn’t want to take the
chance that someone would grow suspicious of an abandoned car
in the trees.
The caffeine was making him jittery and he switched to vodka to
settle his nerves. For the life of him, he couldn’t find a place to
stash the car. What the hell kind of a place was this? He turned
around again, getting angry now. It shouldn’t have been this hard
and he should have rented a car but he hadn’t and now he
couldn’t find a way to get close enough to her without her
noticing.
The store was the only option and he pulled back into the lot,
stopping along the side of the building. It was at least a mile to the
house from here but he didn’t know what else to do. He brooded
before turning off the engine. When he opened the door, the heat
enveloped him. He emptied the duffel bag, tossing his clothes on
the backseat. Into the duffel bag went the gun, the ropes, the
handcuffs, and the duct tape—and a spare bottle of vodka.
Tossing the bag over his shoulder, he glanced around. No one was
watching. He figured he could keep his car here for maybe an
hour or two before someone got suspicious.
He left the lot, and as he walked down the shoulder of the road he
could feel the pain starting in his head. The heat was ridiculous.
Like something alive. He walked the road, staring at the drivers in
passing cars. He didn’t see Erin, even a brown-haired one.
He reached the gravel road and turned. The road, dusty and
potholed, seemed to lead nowhere until he finally spotted a pair of
small cottages a half mile down. He felt his heart speed up. Erin
lived in one of them. He moved to the side of the road, hugging
the trees, staying out of sight as much as possible. He was hoping
for shade but the sun was high and the heat remained constant.
His shirt was drenched, sweat dripped down his cheeks and