BooksBarbecue
Back The Runaway
Chapters (80)
  1. Cover
  2. TITLES BY NICK PETRIE
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  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. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  79. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  80. What’s next onyour reading list?

As they bounced across the ditch and back to the road, the pasty-faced young trooper stepped in front of the car, waving for them to stop.

Lewis dropped the window. “We found our guy. He was thrown from the car. He’s hypothermic and banged up and needs medical attention.”

The trooper peered into the back. “You better take him yourself. I can’t get you an ambulance for forty minutes or longer.”

“Hey, Trooper.” The sturdy woman in overalls stood up and pointed across the field. “My house is right there. I got a bathtub and big water heater and a good first-aid kit.”

Lewis looked at June, who nodded.

“Thanks, we’ll take you up on that,” Lewis said.

The woman had already pushed the young trooper aside and opened the passenger door. “I’m Bobbie.” She climbed inside. “What are you waiting for? Step on it already.”

“Stay at the house,” the young trooper called. “The investigator will need to talk with you both.”

Lewis hit the gas as Bobbie peered over the seatback, first at Peter, then at June. “I met this guy earlier,” she said. “He’s tough, he’ll be all right.”

“Thank you.” June reached out a hand and Bobbie took it. “He means the world to me.”

“I know how that is.” Bobbie’s voice was rough. She looked back at the wrecked police cruisers for a moment, then turned to look forward through the windshield again, her back straight and strong, one hand still holding on to June, her other hand tight on the grab handle as if holding on for dear life.

—

They laid him in the big tub and ran the water warm. Lewis peeled off the coat, fleece, and T-shirt while June untied his boots and stripped away his pants and underclothes. One knee was swollen and spongy. His shoulders and arms were already turning black and blue and dotted with a dozen small puncture wounds. His back was worse.

There was a knock at the door. “Ma’am?” It was the trooper.

“Would you deal with them?” June asked Lewis. “I’m staying here.”

He nodded and stood. “I’ll be right down the hall.”

June closed the door behind him, then turned out the overhead light. She stripped down to her underwear, then stepped into the tub and wrapped herself around him.

He needed all the warmth she could give him.

52

PETER

Peter sat on Bobbie’s couch, June at his side, drinking coffee and watching through the picture window as the sun peeked over the horizon. The static whispered low in the back of his head. He wore dry clothes that Lewis had taken from the back of the Chevy, and was wrapped in a thick down blanket from Bobbie’s spare room. He was still very cold, and very tired.