Read Getting the Edge: Betrayed Book 1 Online
Authors: Hope Welsh
Getting the Edge: Betrayed Book 1 (16 page)
He wasn’t sure his car would be on a BOLO, but he didn’t want to take chances. There was much less chance it would be spotted on side roads, so he programmed in directions to a hotel just over the line. Then, they’d need to stop and he needed to let her rest.
By then, he hoped Kevin would call him back. He was concerned, though, that somehow, his car was being tracked. The Lojack he’d installed could very well be how they were tracking him.
“Mandy?”
“Hmm? She didn’t open her eyes.
“Do you think you have enough cash here to get a cheap car?”
Mandy shrugged. “There is a few thousand in there. I never went anywhere without a stash.”
Brandon shook his head with a small smile. She’d thought further ahead than he had. He’d been so used to using plastic, he’d rarely carried much at all in the way of cash. What little he’d had he’d used for food already.
“Depending on what Kevin says, we might have to get something. In the meantime, we need to lay low and come up with a plan.”
“I’m getting tired,” she said. “Is it okay if I sleep for a little while?”
“Of course,” he said, brushing her hair off her cheek. “Just rest.”
Mandy nodded and closed her eyes again.
Brandon pulled back onto the road and headed west. If the GPS was right, they’d hit the state line about five or so. Rush hour. That could be a good thing. It was harder to spot a particular car when it was busy.
He’d get on the interstate when they got there. There was a small motel the GPS had pointed out. He’d get them a room and go from there.
Two hours later, he was on I-70. He saw a sign for a motel he’d never heard of, and decided that he’d check that one instead. It seemed like the exit was in the middle of nowhere—and that was what he wanted for now.
He signaled and exited the freeway. There were a few fast food chains, so getting food wouldn’t be an issue. The motel was a mile up the road.
He pulled into it and smiled. It was more than just a motel. There were individual cabins. Even better. It would give them some privacy.
He pulled up to the office, but parked the car to the side. He didn’t want it recognized.
“I’ll be right back, Mandy.”
She didn’t reply, but he guessed she was sleeping. He grabbed a hand-full of bills from her purse.
He went into the dingy lobby of the motel. “Hi, I’d like to rent a cabin if you have one available.”
The woman behind the counter put on a toothless smile. “I can help you with that. Do ya know how long you’ll be stayin’?”
“A few days,” he hedged. “I’m not exactly sure yet.”
The woman nodded. “I’ve got a couple that aren’t reserved,” she admitted. “Seventy-five per night.”
Brandon frowned. That was more than the place was worth. He considered looking for somewhere else, but liked the fact that these were cabins, rather than a room. “Do you have a better weekly rate?” he asked.
The woman looked him up and down. “Are you in trouble with the law?” she asked with narrowed eyes.
Brandon smiled. “No, not at all. My girlfriend and I just wanted a bit of time away. She liked the look of the cabins instead of the motel up the road.”
“Your girl?”
“She’s in the car. She’s not feeling too well. Car sick.”
“I suppose I can let you have it for $250 for the week,” she said.
Brandon counted out the money. “Here you go.”
“Just sign the card,” the woman said. “My copier is out, but I’ll need to write down your license number.”
“Sure,” Brandon said easily. He took his license out and sat it on the counter.
Five minutes later, he was walking back to the car with a key to a cabin. He’d asked for one away from the road and the woman had agreed easily.
Brandon pulled his car behind the cabin and shut it off. Mandy had never opened her eyes. He opened her door and lifted her from the car.
He carried her into the cabin and placed her on the center of the bed. There was only one bed in the room, but at least it was a king size.
He felt her head; it was burning hot. Damn it, she had a fever. She needed to go to a hospital. He grabbed the phone book off the nightstand and looked up the address for the closest hospital. He had no idea how close it was, but the GPS would give him directions.
Damn it, he’d been a fool. He should have taken her immediately to an ER. He went into the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth and ran it under the cold water.
When he went back to her, her eyes were open. “I’m okay,” she said as he wiped the cloth across her forehead.
“You’re not okay,” he snapped. “You’ve got a fever.”
“Didn’t you get any Tylenol?” she asked.
Brandon frowned and walked back out to the car for the bag he’d gotten at the pharmacy. He’d gotten Tylenol and Aleve. Just in case.
He came back into the cabin and shut the door. “I’ve got some Tylenol.” He went back to the bathroom and took one of the wrapped plastic cups and filled it with cool tap water.
When he walked back to the bed, her eyes were closed again. “Mandy?”
“Yeah, yeah,” she said grumpily.
He chuckled at her tone. “Here, take these. We’ll see if your fever goes down.”
Mandy took the pills. “I just want to sleep, okay?”
“You rest, Mandy. I think you’re going to be okay.”
“It’s not going to be okay. We’re never going to be safe,” she mumbled. “Get rid of my phone, Brandon. I think they’re tracking it.”
Damn, Brandon had forgotten about the message she’d said she’d gotten. “I’ll be right back.”
He walked back out to the car and got her purse. He took her phone out and removed the battery. It couldn’t be tracked if there was no power to it.
He considered doing the same with his own, but he wanted Kevin to be able to reach him. But, he did want to be sure that the car wasn’t being tracked until he could get a different one.
He dialed the company that he’d been using. “I’d like to take the tracking off my car,” he said without preamble.
“Sir, that’s not a good idea. You’ve had service with us for several years. If it’s a matter of finances, we can hold off on your bill.”
Brandon sighed. He hated sales people. “No. Just turn it off. I’m selling the car,” he lied.
“Oh, well, in that case, I understand. Should I let Mr. Henson know as well?”
Brandon frowned. “Why would you do that?”
“Well, he called wanting to know where the car was,” the woman explained. “He said he was watching it for you and thought it had been stolen.”
What is Kevin up to?
Could Mandy have been right? Could he trust his best friend?
To be continued…
Edge of Betrayal
Betrayed, Book 2
About the Author
Hope Welsh writes romance novels. This is her first that is not paranormal in nature. If you enjoy the book, please consider leaving a review where you purchased the book.
You can find her on the web at:
http://www.hopewelsh.net
http://hopewelsh.blogspot.com
You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
And, finally, on her Amazon Author Page:
Author Titles
Available on Amazon
Prophecy Series
Forbidden Link
(Coming Soon)
Unlinked
(Coming Soon)
Hunted Series
Once Hunted
(Coming Soon)
Karma’s Witches
Life’s a Witch
(by Elizabeth A Reeves)
Love’s a Witch
(by Hope Welsh)
Karma’s a Witch (by Lanie Jordan—coming soon)
Betrayed Series
Getting the Edge
Edge of Betrayal
(Coming Soon)
Dream Series