The Getaway Read Free Page A

have a son?” he said.
    “Yes. He’s two. And I need to get home to him.”
    Seth didn’t say anything. She looked at him, and the disturbed expression on his face made her cold all over again. “I’m afraid that’s going to be difficult,” he said.
    “Why?”
    “This place is a good fifty, sixty miles from anywhere. That’s a straight shot, not using the paths. And I don’t own any transportation besides my feet.”
    “You’re kidding.”
    “No.” He sipped at his own coffee. “I grow or trap everything I eat. This coffee? Made from dandelion roots. Not bad, either.”
    “But you have store-made clothes. Shampoo. Dishes.” She wouldn’t mention the radio or the camera. Not until she knew what the hell was going on. Not ever, if she could help it. She’d be long gone as soon as she got something useful from him. “You couldn’t have made those.”
    “I have a deal with a couple of forest rangers. They come around once a month, bring me supplies, visit a while.” He frowned again. “They were just here two days ago.”
    Shit. No way she’d hang around here for a month. “Well, you must have a phone, right? Or a CB or something. For emergencies. I know somebody who’d come get me.” Much as she hated to admit it, roads or not, Ian could get here. He could fly.
    He shook his head. “No reception towers in range. Even if there was, it’s almost impossible to find the place.”
    “My friend could find it.”
    He gave a gentle laugh. “Maybe you did hit your head.”
    “Yeah.” She had, damn it. So why wasn’t she hurt? A horrifying idea occurred to her, one that made her lightheaded and nauseous all over again. “Seth,” she said. “How long have I been here?”
    “Just since last night.” He smirked. “And I still don’t know your name.”
    Last night. So she hadn’t been unconscious for weeks, at least. For some reason that didn’t bring much relief. “It’s Jazz,” she said.
    “Jazz. With the beautiful eyes.”
    Her breath caught. She’d always hated her eyes—they were different colors. One brown, one green. Donatti had loved them. Called them her goddess gaze, with the same unmistakable husky tone Seth had just used. The one that said he wished for a private room and a few hours alone. They hadn’t gotten much of that since he came back. Now they never would.
    “I’m sorry,” Seth said before she could get good and pissed. “That was uncalled for.”
    “I want to see the wreck.”
    He stared at her. “The what?”
    “The car. The crash site. Donatti.” Her throat closed around his name. “I just can’t believe he’s...gone. I have to see.” And maybe she could salvage her cell phone. If she could, she’d walk the paved road, in the direction she should’ve chosen, until she got a signal.
    Damn it. If she’d just turned around at the first sign of weirdness, that ghostly overgrown DeSoto, Donatti would still be alive. She’d killed him. And gotten herself more lost than he ever could have.
    Her eyes burned with unshed tears. She should’ve apologized. She owed him that.
    “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Seth spoke gently, as if comforting a child. “It’s not pretty, Jazz. Not at all.”
    She glared across the table. “I want to see him. Take me there.”
    “Okay.” He held up a hand. “I’ll take you. But please, relax for a few minutes. Drink your coffee. I’ll fix something to eat, and then we’ll go.”
    She didn’t want any goddamn coffee. She wanted to go home, to hold her baby and find some way to tell him his daddy was never coming back, to share her grief with someone who knew her, knew Donatti. But Seth had agreed to take her, and being pushy or demanding might change his mind. She’d never find it without him.
    “All right,” she finally said, and added, “Thank you,” because it seemed appropriate.
    He smiled tentatively. “Toast okay?”
    “Perfect.” She managed to smile back.
    While he stood and walked to a