Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
She slowed more—or tried to. Her foot went all the way to the floor. Immediately, she dropped her hand to the emergency brake.
“Oh, hell no,” she said softly. “Not both.” There was no way to make the turn. She wasn’t going that fast, but still too fast for the turn. She could take both lanes, but naturally, after no car had been anywhere close, bright lights were sweeping around the turn. “We’re going off-road. We’re not taking a chance of hitting someone.”
Raine had already calmly texted Stella, and Stella pulled over immediately, leaving them to their fate. Shabina didn’t make a sound. Vienna fought the steering. It was gone, almost nonexistent. Someone had done a very good job of getting rid of the brakes, the lights and the ability to steer properly. Unless Zale and Rainier were trying to kill her, this truck had been rigged to finish the job of murdering the two agents. It was just her bad luck that she’d been asked to take it to the rental agency for them.
Vienna wasn’t certain she could manage to maneuver the truck off the road and onto the dirt and sand. The steering refused to cooperate. For a moment, it looked as if they would plow straight ahead into the oncoming car as it swept around the curve right toward them. Vienna fought the wheel, using every bit of strength she had. She put her arms, shoulders and back into it. The truck plunged off the road, the tires hitting the dirt and rocks. The left side came down on two higher boulders, lifting that side so the truck rocked hard, throwing them back and forth as it settled with a jarring bounce into the sandy, rock-covered soil.
Vienna, heart pounding, switched off the key and sat for a moment, assessing the damage to the other two. Both women were locked tight against their seats, but strangely, none of the airbags had deployed to help lessen the impact.
“Is anyone hurt?”
“I don’t know yet,” Shabina admitted. “I think I’m in shock.”
“Raine?” Vienna insisted on an answer. Raine appeared to be texting again.
“I’m okay. A little shaken. What about you?”
“You’re bleeding. You have a cut on your head.”
“Do I?” Raine touched her forehead and looked at her fingers when they came away smeared with blood. “It doesn’t hurt. I didn’t even know I hit my head.”
“Damn it, we’re going to have to call the police and report this accident,” Vienna said.
“Not necessarily,” Raine denied. “I’m required to report any accident I get into. I immediately sent the details to my field office, and they’ll send their nearest people to take care of it for us. They’ll want to process the truck, which means they’ll tow it to their site and take care of the rental agency and make it right with Zale’s people.”
“Are you certain? Zale’s people might not like that,” Vienna said.
Raine shrugged as she pressed her palm to the cut on her forehead. “I learned a long time ago to let the higher-ups fight it out. I stay out of everything. We were in an accident. Someone sabotaged the truck. I did exactly what I was told and reported it, and I’m waiting for instructions. When they come, we’ll follow those instructions.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“It is that simple.”
The passenger door was flung open and Harlow’s frightened face appeared. “Oh my God, is everyone all right? That was so terrifying. Raine. Let me look at you.” Harlow looked in the back at Shabina and then at Vienna. “Any broken bones? Concussions? Vienna? Injuries?”
“Shabina hasn’t said much.” Vienna was worried about her friend.
“I’m really okay. Shaken up. Scared. Someone really wanted Rainier and Zale dead. If they were driving full speed instead of slowly like you were, Vienna, they might not have made it.” She sounded as if she was crying.
“I’m getting a reply now. They’re on the way. We’re to walk away. They’re coming with a tow truck and will bring the truck back to their garage. We need to leave now. Don’t worry about our fingerprints. Just go.”
“Wouldn’t this be considered leaving the scene of an accident?” Vienna asked as she unsnapped her seatbelt. She felt unsteady, her insides jarred and still settling into place. She looked over at Raine.
Harlow was wiping the cut with antibiotic wipes to examine how deep it was.
“We have to go now,” Raine reiterated. “I don’t know how fast they’ll get here, or if someone will come along and see us. Harlow, you can do this in the 4Runner.” There was a note of anxiety in her usually calm voice.
“Someone will have to help me out,” Shabina said. “I’m a little shaken up. Not hurt, but just unsteady.”
Zahra and Stella both helped unclip Shabina’s seatbelt and once she was out of the truck, wrapped their arms around her and escorted her to the 4Runner. Harlow helped Raine from the passenger side.