Train From Marietta Read Online Free Page A

valise came open on the train, and everything spilled out. I stuffed this one in my pocket, and he grabbed it when we were struggling.” Katherine took the bra from Eddy and tucked it back into her coat pocket. “I really want to know what is going on! Why are you with these men, Eddy?”
    “I’ll tell you all about it later, Kate.”
    The car was traveling at a fast clip down a rutted road that snaked between the trees. The sun had risen in the sky, and the day was already getting hot. “Cover her eyes.” The voice came from the man behind the wheel.
    “Right.” Eddy whipped out a scarf and tied it over her eyes. “Sorry, love, but this is necessary.”
    “But—”
    “Don’t be scared, nothing’s going to happen to you.”
    Katherine was quiet as the car bounced along the rough road. Silence filled the vehicle. Periodically Eddy gave her hand a squeeze, but it did little to make her feel any less uneasy. After what seemed like an hour, but was probably only half that, the car came to a stop. She heard two doors open as the men in front got out, and then the door opened on her side of the car. A hand reached in and yanked her out. “Don’t touch me!”
    “Well, la-di-da, ain’t she a fine lady.” She recognized Squirrelly’s voice.
    She heard Eddy get out of the car, and then one of his hands was on her waist. “Come on, honey.”
    “Where are we, Eddy? Why do I have to have my eyes covered?”
    “I don’t see any reason for them to be covered now.” Eddy jerked the scarf off.
    She blinked in the bright morning sunlight. When she was able to focus her eyes, she saw that they were in front of a rough log cabin, with one door and one window on the front. It stood alone, surrounded only by rocks and trees. She was in the middle of nowhere.
    “What is this place?”
    “It’s the Waldorf-Astoria!” Squirrelly said, and giggled.
    “You’ll be all right here. I’m staying with you,” Eddy said reassuringly.
    “Me too.” Squirrely giggled again, this time licking his lips.
    Katherine shot him an angry glance, which set him tittering even more.
    How could Eddy expect her to stay in the same place as that fool? Why was she here? What were they going to do with her?
    Eddy turned and pointed back toward the car. “Let’s get our things—”
    Seeing her chance, Katherine jerked away from him and ran up a small incline of rock at the side of the house. This might be her only chance. She had to make it count!
    Running and stumbling on the loose rock, Katherine tried to break away. It was hard going, but slowly she made her way up the small hill. Halfway to the top, her foot slipped and she fell. The sharp rock cut her knees, but she jumped back up and kept moving.
    As she neared the top of the rise, she felt a hand grab hold of her ankle.
    “Now, where do you think you’re goin’?” Squirrelly’s voice came from behind her.
    Quickly, and with all the strength she had, she kicked her foot back, feeling the heel of her shoe connect with something solid. Squirrelly let out a shout and a string of curses as he fell and then slid down the rock.
    With her legs churning, the pain from the small cuts forgotten, she reached the top of the hill. Before her lay a vast area of small trees and shrubs. She had hoped that she would be near a road, another house, or that she could catch a glimpse of someone. Instead, there was nothing. Tears of disappointment filled her eyes.
    “Where you gonna go?” a gravelly voice said from behind her.
    Katherine spun around to see standing on the hillside the scar-faced man who had driven the car. She’d not heard him on the rocks! Hard eyes stared at her. They reminded her of the eyes of a wolverine she’d seen at the zoo.
    “People that live in these parts respect what’s out there,” he said, low and menacingly. His hand reached to his belt and grabbed the hilt of a knife, slowly pulling it free. The sound of the blade sliding from the scabbard chilled her. He held