Songbird (A Sinclair Story #1) Read Online Free Page B

crumpled front
dash, a plastic bag with a small pack of diapers and one tin inside.
    “This
is it.” He emerged holding the two items out for her inspection. She was about
five feet away, having moved into a slight alcove formed by the snow. It was
allowing a little protection from the storm.
    “It
will have to do,” she yelled over the wind howling through the gully. “He’s
dead,” she said, halting Nathan on his way to Doug’s car.
    He
glanced back but didn’t stop. He wasn’t a man to just take someone’s word.
People lied. It took thirty seconds from when he reached the window to realize
she was right. Doug’s head hung at an angle that didn’t look natural, and his
body was still. Grief and guilt rose up in Nathan, and in that moment he was
glad his teammate’s eyes were closed. Doug might have been a loudmouth, but he
was a good guy deep down and they’d been friends since freshman year.
    “I’ll
come back for you, buddy,” Nathan said, having to clear his throat. He should
never have asked Doug to come out in the storm.
    “We
need to move now.” Her voice came from close at his back. Nathan jumped as he
swung around. He thought he caught flickers of sympathy in her gaze, but she
was difficult to read.
    “I’m
sorry about Doug, but this little girl needs to get to safety.” Her sapphire
eyes shone in the dying light. “Tell me there’s a cabin or something close by.”
    “Yes,
it’s about a half-a-mile through those trees.” He pointed the way he came. “Let
me carry the baby. The snow is pretty deep in places and you might not have the
height.”
    She
hesitated. He could see her eyes darting around as she took in the masses of
snow piling around them. Finally, she held out the black car seat for him to
take.
    “Be
careful with her,” she warned. “She’s fallen asleep. I’ve checked her the best
I can inside of the seat and she seems to be okay. But we really need to move
quickly.”
    The
tiny face was barely visible under the blankets that were secured around her.
She snuffled a few times in her sleep. Nathan pulled the precious bundle closer
toward his body. The woman reached down and picked up the plastic bag and a
bulky looking gym bag he hadn’t noticed before. He was pretty sure it was
Doug’s old one that he used when he went to the track.
    “I’m
Melodee,” she said as she straightened. “Are you sure you know where you’re
going? I don’t like the thought of walking further away from the main road.”
    Melodee . The name took him by surprise. But it suited her.
    “Trust
me, I basically grew up roaming this property, I’ll get us to the cabin.”
    She
stared at him for an extra beat before nodding her consent.

 
    It took them fifteen minutes
to get back through the trees. The snow was at least half-a-foot deeper and a
few branches had come down in the wind. Trying to wade through without
disturbing the sleeping baby was a challenge, but he was always up for those.
Finally, he could see the edge of the cabin.
    “It’s
just over there,” he yelled into the wind, pointing.
    He
caught Melodee’s nod, but she didn’t reply. He was impressed. He was six feet
three; she had to be at least a foot shorter, but had had no trouble keeping
pace. In fact, during their journey she’d showcased some pretty impressive
gymnastic skills, using branches and logs to aid her journey. He’d thought she would
need his help a lot, but not once had she looked to him for assistance.
    It
was pretty dark out now despite the fact it was only lunchtime, but he couldn’t
see any lights from the cabin. Power must
be out . The emergency generators would keep the essentials going, but he
didn’t have them set for all the lights. It was more important to stop the
pipes freezing over. Cutting a path across the field, they finally reached the
outer verandah. The door was easy enough to shift open, and warmth encased him
as he stepped inside and waited for Melodee to join him. There might be