Bella's Run Read Online Free

them?
    ‘So, what’s for tea now, cookie?’ Patty stirred again.
    Before Bella could think of a smart reply, the radio crackled on the dash between them.
    ‘Bella? Patty? Come in, it’s Rodney.’
    ‘Oh hell, what’s happened now?’ Patty grabbed the mike. ‘Yeah, Rodney, we’re here.’
    Rodney’s panicked voice came from the radio. ‘Turn around and head back to us, will you? The kid’s having some sort of turn and we need . . . what was it, Sheila?’ They could hear Sheila yell something before he said, ‘Yeah . . . we need a can . . . a cana . . . a what ?’
    More yelling.
    Sheila to Rodney.
    Rodney to Sheila.

    ‘A cannula, an IV cannula from the first-aid case you’ve got – and we need Patty.’
    More asides to Sheila then Rodney spoke again. ‘A cannula or a biro, Sheila’s saying. I can’t bloody find one.’ Rodney’s voice was rising. Desperate.
    The girls could hear Wendy in the background screaming, and that was enough for Bella. Without checking the rear-vision mirror or bracing herself, she reefed on the handbrake. Patty threw the radio mike to the floor and grabbed the Jesus bar as the ute did an immediate 180-degree turn, front tyres pegged, back wheels sliding in an arc, throwing dust and stones in all directions.
    It was a doughie that Bella knew her brother Justin would have been proud to see.
    The ute came to a halt, now facing the way they’d come. Dust obscured everything in front of them. Patty expelled the breath she had been holding. Letting go of the grab bar, she slapped Bella on the arm. ‘Woo hoo! Go, girlfriend !’
    And so Bella did.
    Right into the path of an oncoming ute.

Chapter 3
    ‘Holy SHIT!’
    Slamming on the brakes, Will O’Hara spun the steering wheel of his four-wheel drive to the left. His passenger, Drew ‘Macca’ McDonald, threw his arm across his face; a fat lot of good that was going to do, but Macca knew he didn’t want to see what would happen next.
    Will wrestled with the steering wheel and finally managed to bring the vehicle to a halt twenty yards from the track, thanking God he got off the gas early because he’d seen all the dust up ahead.
    The other ute had already stopped.
    A head covered with a bird’s nest of blonde curls was thrust through the open driver’s-side window glaring at the boys, gesticulating with her middle finger and swearing.
    ‘You stupid bastards! You could have fucking killed us!’ yelled Bella, forgetting she was the one who’d been stationary in the middle of the track. ‘What the hell do you think you were—’

    Bella stopped shouting mid-sentence, staring at the male honey of a face that was looking at her with amazement. A face she had known all her life but seemed to be seeing clearly for the first time. ‘Oh my God . . . Patty . . . is that Will under that hat?’

    ‘Yep. Sure is. I’d know my brother’s dimples anywhere.’ Patty leaned across Bella and yelled, ‘Hey, bro. What the fuck are you doing here? Is that you, Macca? Bella, it’s Macca.’ Patty smacked Bella on the leg as Bella glanced at the passenger and realised it was her cousin. ‘Sorry, fellas,’ Patty continued. ‘Love to chat but we’ve gotta go. An emergency.’
    The radio beside the girls came to life again with Rodney’s voice, hysteria threatening: ‘For Christ’s sake, girls, where are you? We really need that flaming cannula thing and we need it NOW!’
    Bella snapped to attention, tearing her eyes away from the gorgeous features of the man she had run off the road. She needed to drive. And fast.
    Patty called out to her brother as she pulled herself upright, ‘Make yourselves useful, boys. Get in behind us.’
    And with that, Bella took off in a hail of stones and fury. Again.
    ‘Well,’ said Macca when the air cleared, ‘better do what the sweet lady asked and make yourself useful, bro .’ The toothpick poking from the corner of Macca’s mouth lifted as he smirked at his best mate.
    ‘Yeah well,