Reaper's Wrath (Road to Salvation A Last Rider's Trilogy 2)

“The problem isn’t they didn’t call. Toss the bag to me, Ginny,” Tate ordered.

“I can’t. I don’t want you to get cut.”

“Then toss it to the ground in front of me.”

With shoulders slumped, Ginny tossed the plastic bag onto the ground in front of Tate.

“Watch them,” Tate said, bending to untie the bag. Taking a flashlight out of his pocket, he turned it on to shine inside the bag. Looking up at her, Tate then turned the light off to tie the bag back up..

“What was it?” Greer looked toward Tate. “Please tell me it’s a dead racoon. I’ve been trying to take one out for the last month, and Holly won’t let me.”

“It’s a busted mirror. She’s trying to give us her bad luck.”

Dustin raised his rifle again. This time, Tate didn’t tell his brother to lower it.

Reaper wanted to pull his remaining hair out.

“Please tell me you don’t believe in this ridiculousness.”

“We don’t need seven years of bad luck. Take your bag and go. Dustin, make sure they get back over to their side of the fence.”

“Leave it here. I’ll take care of it,” Greer countermanded Tate.

“Who are you going to give it to?” Tate asked.

“The Hayes’.”

He’d had enough. Reaper took Ginny’s hand, making her leave. The Porters wouldn’t shoot a woman, and if they shot him, they’d be doing him a favor.

“You don’t have much time, Greer,” Ginny yelled from over her shoulder. “You have to bury the mirror before daybreak.”

“Listen to her tell me what to do.”

Walking faster, Reaper heard them mouthing off behind their backs, feeling as if he had walked into an episode of the Twilight Zone as fists and punches were exchanged between the Porters.

“Should we go back?” Ginny whispered.

“No.”

“Greer, when I get home, I’ll make you some biscuits and send over a jar of Silas’s honey!” Ginny yelled out.

The fighting stopped.

“Make it three! Tate and Dustin want one to keep their traps closed!” Greer shouted back.

Reaper held Ginny’s hand tighter to speed her up at knowing she’d give them one of Silas’s preserves to sweeten the deal.

“Slow down, Gavin,” she gasped. “They aren’t chasing us.”

“No, because they belong in the looney bin where you belong.”

“Are you mad?”

“Yes.”

“A little or a lot?”

“A lot,” he growled.

“Well, at least you’re not sick to your stomach,” she mumbled.

Gavin turned on his heel at her smart aleck comment. “I’ll tell you what I’m not. I’m not going along with another one of your schemes. I’m not going to bring the honey and biscuits back—”

“I wasn’t going to get you to. I’m doing it.”

“And neither are you! They pointed a loaded weapon at us!”

“Technically, it was pointed at you.”

“Are you laughing at me?”

“A little. Wild man, you were never in any danger. I brought protection.”

His mouth dropped open. “You’re carrying a gun? If you’d tried to pull it out, they’d have shot you dead.” The hand in hers itched to paddle her bottom at her recklessness.

Ginny made a face at him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see it clearly with the sun beginning to rise. “I didn’t bring a gun.”

“Then what protection are you talking about?”

Ginny gave a shrill whistle. The sound had Suki running toward him out of nowhere.

“She likes you.”

“The feeling isn’t mutual.”

“Come on, admit it; you like her too.”

“Maybe a little,” he conceded.

Ginny started walking, tugging at his hand to get him moving. Suki fell in step at his side.

Staring down at their linked hands when they naturally began swinging between them, Gavin raised his eyes to the rising sun, blaming the sudden wetness in his eyes at the blinding light and not at the regret of a future that was never going to be.

Chapter Forty-Two

“Your ride is here.”

“I’m coming.” Turning from the window, Reaper went to the bed to pick up his suitcase.

“I wish you weren’t going.”

Steeling himself against Ginny’s wistful voice, he carried his suitcase to the doorway where she was standing. “I don’t need to be here. I’ve tested negative four times, and it’s been over nine days; if I had any symptoms, they would have shown by now. I’m good to go.”

Ginny didn’t move to let him pass. “Aren’t you worried about Silas? I think he put something in my coffee this morning.”

“He put Funfetti creamer in your coffee.”

“I could have choked on one of the sprinkles.”

“Don’t do this, Ginny. You’re going to be fine. Knox has the whole town locked down with the infection spreading to other counties. Your stalker couldn’t get in town if he wanted to.”

“I don’t want you to leave because I’m afraid of my stalker. I don’t want you to leave because I’m afraid Suki will miss you.”

“She has you to keep her company.” Tightening his grip on the handle of his suitcase, he shut out the pleading he could see in her eyes. “My ride is waiting.”

Nodding, Ginny moved, letting him through the doorway.