Domino Falls Read Free Page A

sure they were still following, then he opened the unlocked door and walked inside. Kendra could hardly imagine leaving a door unlocked now, even for a short time.
    â€œHoney, we’re home,” Terry said, slowing to a crawl in front of the house. No one laughed. Hippy backed up in the Beauty’s stairwell, shivering.
    â€œSee that?” Piranha said, nodding toward Hipshot. “That’s mutt language for keep your butts moving.”
    If they took a vote, Kendra wasn’t sure what she would say.
    â€œThis is California,” Terry said. “Maybe we should play by their rules. Be good neighbors. We’ve had nothing but hospitality since we crossed the Siskiyous. Let’s ride our good luck.”
    The Blue Beauty sighed to a stop outside the house near the waiting motorcycles. Hippy lay in the aisle, looking at them. Not budging. Nothing quite right, nothing quite wrong. The Blue Beauty shivered enough to rattle the windows, the engine coughing.
    â€œAll right, muchachos, ” Ursalina said. “We’ll go in, but we’ll be careful. Only two at first. We do a sweep—make sure there’re no ugly surprises. If it’s clear, we all go.”
    â€œKeep the bus running, T,” Piranha said. “We’re burning gas, so we can’t stay long.”
    â€œAnd if he’s telling the truth?” Terry said. “What if there’s a family and they want to come with us?”
    They all looked at one another, except for Ursalina, who stared away. She probably didn’t want to pick up any survivors, but she’d been the last in, so she couldn’t complain.
    â€œI guess they can come,” Sonia said reluctantly. Kendra noticed that she was holding Piranha’s hand. Since the night they’d spent with sanctuary on the beach, Sonia and Piranha no longer behaved as if they were hiding. “Especially if there’s kids.”
    â€œLet’s ask the Twins,” Piranha said, “but Sonia’s right. As long as we have room, why not? They can ride as far as Domino Falls, anyway. No promises after that.”
    There are no promises for any of us after that, Kendra thought,but she didn’t have to say it aloud. They all knew that Domino Falls might be a trap. Ursalina was right: radio signals were a lure. Things that sound too good to be true usually were. If not for the beachfront paradise a hundred fifty miles back, they’d have had no reason to believe in the promise of Domino Falls and its claims of safety and normalcy. Just like they wouldn’t have any reason to believe the word of a stranger standing in the road.
    But they had to believe in something. Didn’t they?
    â€œWho’s first in?” Terry said.
    â€œI’ll go,” Ursalina said. “I’ll take Dean with me.”
    They disembarked, stepping over Hipshot, and approached the house, walking no farther than the edge of the porch. Kendra tried not to be worried that the dog didn’t want to follow them, but it couldn’t be a good sign.
    Silver cut-out letters were strung together on the front porch, reading Merry Christmas. They twisted gently in the wind, winding back and forth. Kendra heard happy holiday music from inside the house, and maybe the sound of laughter. Grandma got run over by a reindeer . . .
    â€œWhere’s Hippy?” Dean asked.
    â€œWon’t get off the bus,” Terry said.
    â€œPAWS in action. Smarter’n the rest of us combined,” Ursalina told Dean. “Come in with me. We’re sweeping the house for pirates.”
    Dean looked from the bus to the house, weighing the matter. Then he nodded, his 9mm Hi-Point rifle at the ready.
    The wait outside seemed interminable. The Christmas music changed to the Chipmunks singing about hula hoops, one of Kendra’s favorites when she was young. The high-pitched revelry made her eyes sting with tears. She and her parents had sucked helium from