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Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Booklist
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“We don’t have to be friends for me to do them a favor that’s convenient for me.”

The Gothic General Store was down all seven curves and four hundred feet of elevation. Built in the 1930s, the large structure had been assembled out of pine logs brought from the Sierra Nevada and stained a rich reddish-brown. The green tile roof and broad windows gave the structure visual appeal, and its wide front porch and series of rockers invited the tourists to sit.

The paved parking lot circled the building, and Adam pulled into a place next to the accessible-parking spots—only one other car, a white Mercedes, was in the lot—set the brake on the ATV and climbed out. He figured in and out in less than five minutes. “Is there anything you don’t like to eat?”

“No tarragon. No coconut or coconut milk.” She was firm. “Other than that, I’m pretty easy.”

“Right. No tarragon. No coconut.” He didn’t know what tarragon was...and who knew there were people who didn’t like coconut? He could live on the stuff.

He stepped onto the front walk.

From the ATV, he heard a shout. “Wait!”

17

ADAM TURNED BACK TO see Elle struggling to get out.

“They’ve got clothes! On sale!” She pointed at the hanging rack on the broad front porch. “If you’ll front me the money, I can give you back your shirt.” She managed to stand erect with a minimum of flailing.

“I like you in my shirt,” he said to her.

She seemed unconvinced, or maybe uninterested, and she hobbled around him and toward the stairs.

Sure, the shirt tails hung over her thighs, and the collar, even with the buttons fastened, sagged enough to reveal the marks on her throat. But she hadn’t complained. Didn’t that mean she was okay with it?

He followed her to the four steps that led up to the porch, saw her hold the banister, take a steadying breath and start up.

Oh, hell. If she wanted new clothes that badly, he’d assist. He put his arm under hers. They got to the top.

Elle veered toward the rack.

Adam glanced to the right and saw a figure stretched out on the bench. A figure with dramatic fringed shawls, wild gray hair and a pallor to her face.

Rune. What was wrong with Rune?

“There’s your clothes rack. Get what you want.” He veered off and knelt beside Rune’s prone figure. “What’s wrong?”

Rune opened her eyes. She had a line of sweat on her forehead that she wiped with a trembling hand. “I’m fine.”

Which was what Elle said when she obviously was so not fine.

“I walked down for a few groceries. No big deal, right? But this time—” Rune feebly waved one beringed hand.

From inside the store Adam heard a clatter, a thump, a curse.