Bolted Read Online Free Page B

it a try.” She bent down at his feet, giving him a great view of her cleavage.
    Jesus, Mitchell, she’s trying to help you. Do not ogle her.
    He tried to bend down too, dodging to avoid her when she raised her head suddenly.
    “Look, just stay standing up, okay? There’s not really room for you to bend down here too.” She gave him a quick smile, then ducked her head again. “Am I right that you’d rather not have me do anything that would pull the wall down as we get your foot out?”
    Hank closed his eyes for a moment. Two years of work gone in a jumble of stone. “That would be a big yes.”
    “Okay then, just relax. I should have this done in…” She leaned over further, doing something mysterious with the rocks that involved a lot of pushing. The neckline of her dress dipped dangerously. Hank forced himself to study the clouds.
    “What is this place anyway?” she asked in a muffled voice.
    “It’s an ancient village. Fourteenth or fifteenth century.”
    “And the people who lived here built the wall?”
    He shrugged. “Maybe. It’s not entirely clear if the wall was part of the settlement or if it came later. Some of the caves around here were used for root cellars, and they may have been used for other purposes earlier than…”
    “Got it!” she cried, and Hank staggered backward as the pressure on his foot was suddenly released.
    “Whoa.” She jumped to her feet, grabbing him by the arms to keep him from collapsing entirely.
    “It’s all right. I’m all right. Thank you.” He started to step back again as she let go, but when he put his weight on the foot that had just been freed, the sudden surge of agony sent him to his knees. He repeated most of his extensive collection of obscenities before looking up to see her watching him with a faintly quizzical expression.
    “I gather it hurts.”
    He nodded, drawing in a deep breath.
    “Let me see. You might have broken it.” She bent down to look at his foot, as if she could see the bone structure through his shoe. Maybe she had X-ray vision.
    Hank shook his head. “I don’t think so. I think it’s just bruised. Or maybe sprained. Anyway, I don’t think I can put much weight on it.” He glanced at the ladder. The extremely short ladder that he sometimes avoided altogether, jumping down into the excavation without bothering to climb. All of a sudden it looked way too tall.
    The girl followed his glance. Then she looked back at him, forehead furrowed.
    “It’s okay,” Hank soothed. “I can make it.” He started to push himself up again, trying not to put any weight on his foot. He didn’t seem to be making much progress overall.
    The girl wiped her hands on her gauzy green skirt, leaving a couple of dirty streaks. “All right, here’s what we’ll do. You start up the ladder first and I’ll come along behind you. I should be able to push you up in front of me so you won’t have to use your bad foot.”
    Hank considered the relative positions of their bodies in the particular maneuver she was suggesting. Could be interesting. On the other hand, given the very real possibility that he’d fall off the ladder and land on her, copping a feel was probably not high on either of their lists at the moment. He sighed. “Okay. Let’s try it.”
    He put a hand on her shoulder so that she could help him to the bottom of the ladder, then rested his good foot on the lowest rung. “Ready?”
    “Oh yeah.” She grinned up at him.
    He started to turn away, then turned back. “Wait, one question. What’s your name?”
    She paused for a moment, as if she had to think about it. “Greta Brewster.” She stuck out a hand. “And you are?”
    He shook her hand. “Hank Mitchell. Thanks for getting me out of the hole.”
    She grinned again. Very nice grin. Gave her a sort of pixie look with her short hair, now somewhat mussed from the whole foot-freeing business.
    “I haven’t gotten you all the way out yet,” she said. “Thank me when we get