Witness Protection Read Online Free Page A

opened the door to the backseat of the cab. Running a hand over the frightened dog, Nick didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary. He checked his hand for blood. Relief was like a flood to dry plains. “Shook him up a bit.”
    She struggled to work herself free from the airbag, and then climbed over the seat. “But he’s fine, right?”
    “Yep.” Nick owed the big guy upstairs one for that.
    What caused the wreck? Had he misjudged the road?
    He circled to the front of the cab. His eyes were adjusting to the dark. The sight before him pumped his stress level fifty notches. A tree blocked the road.
    He seriously doubted nature had caused the barrier. Had someone found his hiding spot?
    A branch snapped to his right. Could be an animal evading, but he wouldn’t take unnecessary chances with his cargo. He moved to the truck. “We can’t drive through. We’ll have to go on foot.”
    Sadie nodded, coaxing Boomer to follow.
    Nick shouldered his backpack. They had enough supplies to last a couple of days. He hadn’t expected to need them.
    “Where’re we going?” Sadie’s eyes were wide and she blinked rapidly. Fear.
    “There’s a place about a day’s hike from here. If we can make it by nightfall, we’ll have safe shelter.”
    Her gaze locked on to the barrier behind them. “That wasn’t an accident, was it?”
    He shrugged his shoulders casually, not wanting her to panic. “I’d rather not take anything for granted.”
    The crack and crunch of tree limbs on the ground grew louder.
    Boomer faced the woods on the opposite side of the truck. His shackles raised, and he growled low in his belly.
    Nick reached for Sadie’s hand, and then wound his fingers through hers.
    “We have to go.
Now.
”

Chapter Three
    Nick pulled Sadie into the woods at a dead run. Branches slapped her face and arms, stinging her skin.
    Boomer quickened his stride, keeping pace by her side step for step.
    They could’ve been banging drums for all the noise they made. No chance they’d slip through the brush unheard. Nick seemed more intent on moving fast. Another reason her pulse kicked up and her anxiety levels roared.
    Her thighs hurt. Her lungs burned. She pushed forward, determined not to complain.
    He stopped at the edge of a lake. She collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. Her ears were numb, frozen. Every other body part overheated.
    Sunlight pushed through the trees, which meant they’d been on the go at least forty-five minutes. Her lungs felt as if they’d explode, whereas Nick hardly seemed affected. Of course he was in shape. His job—his
real
job—would demand excellent physical conditioning. She forced her gaze away from the way his muscles expanded against his jeans when he walked.
    The rustle of leaves and bird whistles were the only noise. “Is it safe to take a break?”
    He stood, listening. Then he scanned the area. “We can take a minute.”
    “What about the racket we made?”
    “I made a few shortcuts that made it harder to track us.” He opened his pack and handed her a bottle of water, taking one for himself. “Let me know when you think you can move again.”
    She could barely open the lid. Tired and dirty, her stamina waned. The cool liquid was a godsend to her parched mouth. “So what’s the plan?”
    “Shelter. But it’s a ways ahead,” he warned. “It isn’t much, but it’ll get us through the night.”
    “No. I mean ultimately. Where is all this hiding going? Surely no one expects me to keep this up forever.”
    “If you’re tired we can stop.”
    “I don’t mean now.”
    His face tensed. His glare intensified. His slack jaw became rigid.
    “What? No answers?”
    “You want the truth? We catch him, figure out who else is involved and why, and get your life back.” He turned to face the lake.
    “I doubt that,” she huffed. “What good did it do me to testify? I never got my life back. His men kept searching for me. I’ve had two homes in two years. Now, he’s out.