Hell Breaks Loose: A Devil's Rock Novel Read Online Free

Hell Breaks Loose: A Devil's Rock Novel
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the scrubs fit. He tightened the drawstring at his waist and slipped on the hoodie, zipping
     it halfway up. Snatching up his hospital gown, he stuffed it into a trash can on his way out.
    He walked out into the hallway like he belonged there. Squaring his shoulders, he slipped one hand in the pocket of his hoodie
     and immediately brushed the cold cut of metal. He wrapped his fingers around the clump of keys, thumbing the clicker. Sweet.
     Lifting a car would be simple enough.
    Reid didn’t pass anyone as he strolled down the hall. He dove through a corner door that led to a stairwell and hurried down
     the flights. Vasquez could check on him any time. He needed to be far from there when that happened.
    The first floor had a little more life to it. An orderly turned the corner before him, humming a tune as he pushed a cart.
     A nurse passed him as he strode toward the front lobby. She barely glanced up from the chart she was studying. He felt the
     stare of the camera in the corner but kept walking. It was like he was invisible.
    Later, they would study the footage and marvel at him walking bold as day down the hall. But by then it wouldn’t matter. He
     would be long gone.
    He passed through a set of automatic doors and sent a smile to the woman behind the circular counter of the admittance desk.
     She gave him a distracted nod as she spoke into a phone.
    Only two people sat in the waiting area. One dozed. The other stared at the TV in the corner where footage of the First Daughter
     ran in a constant loop.
    His heart stalled and then sped up at the sight of the security guard near the door. His attention was focused on the television
     screen, too. As Reid approached, he looked up and locked eyes on him. This was it. If there was going to be trouble it would
     happen now.
    “Evenin’,” Reid greeted as he neared the door. Almost there.
    The guard glanced him up and down before nodding. “Have a good one.”
    Reid didn’t breathe fully. Not even once he stepped out into the night. Every bit of him pulled tight. He didn’t let himself
     feel free. Not yet. It wasn’t time to drop his guard. He still had a long way to go to accomplish what he needed to do.
    Glancing around, he pulled out the keys from his hoodie and pressed the unlock button. A distant beep echoed on the night.
     He moved in that direction, weaving between cars. He pushed the unlock button again and this time spotted the flash of headlights.
    He advanced on an old Ford Explorer and pulled open the driver’s side door. Ducking inside, he adjusted the seat for his long
     legs then turned the ignition on and drove out of the parking lot.
    He headed east for thirty minutes, stopping at a gas station to fill up the tank with the money he’d found in the locker.
     This late, the place was deserted. He kept his head low as he paid the sleepy-eyed clerk and avoided looking directly at the
     security camera in the corner.
    Reid pulled around the back, where a lone car sat parked beside the Dumpster, presumably the clerk’s car. He swapped license
     plates with it. The guy probably wouldn’t even notice anytime soon.
    He’d still have to get rid of the Explorer, but this would give him some time. He could ditch the vehicle after he got where
     he was going.
    Satisfied, he hopped back behind the wheel and drove a couple more hours through the night, putting Sweet Hill far behind
     him. His adrenaline never slowed. He constantly glanced up at the rearview mirror, half expecting to see the flash of headlights.
     They never appeared.
    The highway was dark, the passing car rare on this isolated stretch of road. He rubbed a hand over his close-cropped hair
     and settled into his seat. Desert mountains lumbered on either side of him, dark beasts etched against the backdrop of night.
     He flipped through radio stations. No news of an escaped convict. It had been a long time since he was this alone. He still
     didn’t feel free, though. He doubted he ever
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