Page 25 of Nomad

Brant looked at Brash like he was trying to decide. “Yeah. He’s one of ‘em.”

“You got two?” Russell seemed surprised.

“Long story,” Brant said.

“Well, maybe another time.”

“Yep.”

Rally already had the camera feed up and running again by the time Juice closed the gate after the Rangers.

CHAPTER Six

Driving slow, reading from Brant’s typed note with headlights on bright, they found the dirt road turn off.

“It’s kind of… I don’t know,” she said.

“Remote? Dark? Barren?”

“Yes. I guess it’s all those things. Maybe it’ll look different in the light?” His only answer was a brief bark of laughter. “This says, ‘The gas isn’t turned on. So if you want hot water, you’ll have to heat it on the fireplace. If you want hot food, you’ll have to cook it on the fireplace’.” She looked at Cann. “Are. You. Serious?”

He shrugged. “Good thing it’s turned cool then.”

When the headlights hit the rock exterior of the house, Bud said, “That’s it?”

“I’m guessin’ so.”

The entire place appeared to be no bigger than twenty-two feet square, but there was a ramshackle detached garage. When he saw it, Cann saw the wisdom in that. A safe house isn’t safe if a vehicle is parked outside saying, “I’m here. Come and get me.”

When they pulled up next to the house and stopped the truck, Bud seemed hesitant to get out.

“What’s the matter?” Cann asked.

“I don’t know. It’s just so…”

“Listen, darlin’. You want to keep that baby safe. This is what safe means.”

“You know that for a fact? That we’re safe here?”

Years ago he’d come to believe that theonlything he knew for a fact was that he would not ever allow himself to love anyone again.

“I think so. But it’s the best option we’ve got. Right?”

“Right,” she said. “And you forgot. I’m sugar. Not darlin’.”

“Iforgot?” He smirked. “What’s the difference?”

“Darlin’ is biker speak for all women under sixty who are something less than butt ugly.”

He felt a full-throated laugh bubble up before he could tamp it down. Damn if she wasn’t right. He’d never given much thought to when and how the term was used, but she’d pretty much nailed it.

“According to your imaginary lexicon, what does ‘sugar’ mean in ‘biker speak’?”

“Same thing except a little bit more personal.”

Damn if she wasn’t right again.

When his amusement waned, he said, “Cheer up,sugar. Look at it this way. You may have sentmylife careening off into unexpected territory, but you’re a lot better off.”