Chapter Nine
A cold easterly wind blew in. The sleet began pelting against the tin roof of the barn. The drops that fell from the sky sounded like a hammer pounding nails into the gables. The aged barn was rugged. However, cracks had set in overtime, and the weathered boards had worked loose from the support beams. The straw bedding on the floor of the loft was infiltrated with dust and dirt. Erika sat crouched in the corner of the loft. She was covered with an old grimy burlap sack that she had picked up off the floor. Erika wondered how much longer this escapade would last. Surely the police were searching the area. It would just be a matter of time before they located Erika and Lance. Lance moved closer to the wall facing the house. He peered out a knothole in an oak board. He saw a la
