She shoved the memories aside, flipped up the hood of the rain jacket and threw open the cruiser’s door. She was going whether he liked it or not.
Richards stepped out the other side, ducking his head because of the rain.
“I can go, right?” Lynn raised her voice to be heard above the wind and pulled the keys from her jacket pocket.
“Yes, but I’ll be back in touch.” His shout was just loud enough to hear. “As soon as the storm passes.”
“Okay. Fine.”
She turned and ran through the water to her car. No matter what she’d said to him, she wasn’t going to Sharee’s tonight. Sharee would have more questions than Lynn wanted to answer.
Her mind flew over the reality ahead of her. Roads flooded in this area and trying to get to US 19 and the motels there could prove disastrous. Shelters were open all over Pinellas County, and she needed time to decompress. Earlier, a television news station mentioned the high school. She could sleep on a cot or sleeping bag for one night. Lynn took a deep breath and slipped into the driver’s seat.
She flicked on the car’s lights. Her fingers closed over the seatbelt, and she tugged it into place before glancing at the rearview mirror.
Richards stood beside the cruiser, ignoring the rain now, and stared her way.
Lynn turned the Lexus back toward the highway. Mud and water flew from the tires as she shoved the accelerator to the floor.
***
The shelter took her name, glanced at her ID, and gave her a sleeping bag, blanket and bottle of water. When they mentioned food, her face became hot and nausea squeezed her stomach. She turned away.
It wasn’t the high school. The road to it had swamped, so she’d come here, to the next nearest shelter—a church that took in the homeless on cold nights and in emergency situations. Back in February, Sharee cooked a large pot of chili to bring to those taking shelter here and coerced Lynn to ride with her. They fed about twenty-five people that night. Sleeping bags stretched across the floor just as they did tonight. Men, women and children stood in line hungry for food and warmth, eerily similar to tonight.
It started her occasional visits to the homeless—always with Sharee, always bringing basics for survival. Slowly, she became acquainted with the people and their stories. And she’d met Victoria…
Lynn focused on the people now sitting at nearby tables. Some whispered, and some laughed, acting as if the night added adventure to their lives. Perhaps it did. Others huddled by themselves and looked as uncomfortable as she felt.
Volunteer workers directed men to one side of the large room—the church’s Life Center if her guess was right—and women and children to the other side. She shifted her sleeping bag to her other arm. They’d have more homeless here than at the other shelters. She glanced around to see if she recognized anyone. Strange how, for tonight, her situation replicated those she’d helped before.
Lynn took the sleeping bag to a back corner and shook it out. She tried to shove off the sense of despair that welled to the surface. Victoria should be here. Safe and dry. Not…
The lump in her throat threatened to become tears, and she wrapped the loneliness around her like a high wall. She hadn’t seen anyone she knew. Good. Talking and smiling was far from what she wanted to do tonight. She dropped onto the sleeping bag and curled her feet under her.
Victoria was dead. Not just dead. Murdered. Lord, what happened? Why? How did you let it happen? But questions did not change the outcome. The lump in her throat threatened again. Stop. I can’t cry here. She stared straight ahead.
She took her shoes off and stretched out on the sleeping bag. Rain whipped against the building. The Life Center, solid and without windows, silenced most of the storm’s roar, though higher wind gusts growled as they whipped past the building.
A woman stopped next to her. “You’d better sleep on that handbag. And keep your shoes on. Or they’ll be gone by morning.”
Lynn glanced up. She didn’t want to answer, didn’t want to start a conversation, but she shoved to a sitting position anyway. The woman’s greasy blonde hair curled in an unruly bob around her head. She’d dressed in faded black pants and a dingy white shirt. Her half-smile showed a mouth that needed dental work.
“You think so?” Lynn asked and reached for the shoes.
“Oh, I know. But if anyone wants to fight you for them, don’t fight back. Nothing’s worth getting knifed over.”
Knifed over? Lynn swallowed. “Thank you. I think.” She tried a smile and let her gaze shift to others around the room. Surely, she should see Maria or her daughter or one of the other homeless people she knew.
“No trouble. I guess you’re here because of the hurricane.”
“Yes.”
The woman shifted her backpack from one arm to the other and hunched down in front of her. “Listen. You’re real pretty, aren’t you? If anyone bothers you, call for me—my name’s Irene—or one of them at the desk. I mean, call loud. ‘Cause girls like you…” The woman’s gaze traveled the room and came back to Lynn. “They disappear.”
Author Biography
Linda was born and raised in Florida. She is married with two grown sons, a daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren. At twenty-six, she discovered the miraculous love of Jesus. God blessed her with a passion for the written word—especially mysteries and romantic suspense novels, from Nancy Drew to Agatha Christie, from Dee Henderson to Kristen Heitzman.
She speaks about and works against human trafficking. She blogs on this subject and on commitment to Christ at www.lindarodante.wordpress.com (Writing for God, Fighting Human Trafficking).
To learn more about her books, this series, and the author, please visit www.lindarodante.com.
Lone Mesa publishing
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As Long As You Both Shall Live
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The characters and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to persons, whether living or dead, is strictly coincidental. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to purchase their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, by International Bible Society. Use by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
As Long As You Both Shall Live: A Christian Contemporary Romance with Suspense (Dangerous Series Book 2) Page 25