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Back Black Ambrosia Save as PDF
Chapters (46)
  1. CoverImage
  2. Introduction by Grady Hendrix
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. About the Author
  46. About the Cover

My arms were too tired to resist him, too, when he came around and pushed me into the front seat of his car. My knees wouldn’t bend, and I was afraid he’d break my bones, but even that didn’t matter too much. Sitting was an improvement over standing. I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling the vibrations of his voice, and slept.

“I showed the police in Seven Slopes all the information I had on those three murders from Westwater. I got their attention.

“Then one cop started to tell me about all those missing-­persons reports that had been filed, up about five hundred and seventy percent in the last year. Damn these little towns. They keep their cards held so close to the chest—they’re afraid for their precious tourist industry. Their lid on publicity kept Angelina in business. It let her slip away, too.

“Drugs, they thought, or flakey people who were not where they said they would be. Transient place, during the season, they said. Can’t be held accountable for tourists.

“But I knew better. I knew better. Angelina. Damn.

“I spent a while in Seven Slopes, talking to people—people where she worked, people where she hung out, waiting for another clue, combing through the newspa­pers, the wire press, the police reports. Just waiting for another clue. We started to get a little press on the situation, and some national cooperation, and I finally felt like I was doing something positive.

“And every time I saw hitchhikers on the road, I stopped and yelled at them. Jesus, kids out there accepting rides with strangers. They have no idea, they have no fucking idea at all what’s out there.

“ ‘Things can happen to you just because you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time,’ I’d tell them. ‘You keep hitchhiking and you’re putting yourself right smack dab in the center of harm’s way. You’re asking for it. Don’t flirt with danger. Stay the hell out of its way.

“ ‘Go home,’ I said. ‘Lock your doors.’ ”

24

24

When I awakened, I was naked in limp, white sheets, and glad the nightmare was over. I could sleep the rest of the night in peace. I pulled the blankets up and rolled over.

Simultaneously I smelled the rank odor on the pillow next to mine and felt the gnawing ache in my legs. It hadn’t been a nightmare. I became instantly awake and alert. On guard.

I checked quickly around me, noted the sleazy motel room, noted also that I was alone. Then I examined myself.