Chapter 4
505 Words
4
Even though he was unharmed, Slade’s mouth was filled with the metallic taste of blood. His pulse thrummed with excitement.
He had done it.
He hoped she wasn’t dead. He didn’t think he had hit her that hard, but it had all happened so fast. He had bigger plans for her than leaving her for roadkill.
He had stopped the truck beside her fallen form. She lay flat on her back on the gravel, unmoving. Prickles of blood had started to blossom from shallow cuts on her scalp and face. He took a deep breath and steadied his trembling hands. He had to get her inside the truck before anyone else came along.
He had just opened his door to get out when a flicker of movement caught his attention.
An unmarked, white delivery van had climbed up the hill on the eastern horizon.
Slade froze, stifling a curse. The steady dinging sound from the open truck door seemed unnaturally loud. Had the driver noticed the body on the side of the road? Would he bother to get involved?
I’m so close…
The van slowed.
The driver wore aviator sunglasses. His sandy hair had been cropped short in what could almost be called a military cut. A shiver went through Slade. Even behind the sunglasses’ reflective surfaces, he could feel the other man’s assessing gaze.
The van rolled to a stop.
Shit.
Slade knew he could spout some kind of bullshit about witnessing another vehicle mowing the girl down, but he didn’t know how much the other driver had seen. The hill was steep, and the van had seemingly come out of nowhere. His lips twisted with the bitter taste of disappointment.
Time to bail. I can always track her down at the hospital.
It wasn’t what he wanted, but he knew when to cut and run. If he somehow ended up in jail again because of her…
The very idea made him see red.
He closed the truck door. The van remained in place, idling.
Slade slammed the truck into reverse to give himself some room. Gravel pinged against the bottom of the cab. The driver of the van continued to stare.
Slade cranked the steering wheel with a snarl of frustration. He slammed down his foot and the truck engine roared as he made a violent U-turn. He revved the engine once more and peeled off in the direction he had come. His eyes drifted to the rear view mirror.
The van still hadn’t moved.
Was the driver thinking about chasing after him? Surely he would want to attend to the woman lying on the side of the road…
Slade pushed the truck as fast as it would go. The van shrank into the distance behind him. His heart pounded in his chest. The other driver could still catch up with him if he decided to give chase…
He saw the driver get out just before the van fell out of sight.
Slade let out the breath he had been holding. He knew had been foolish to act so openly.
He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
- Writer
