A horse whinnied from a log barn in the distance, startling Josey. A breathless silence seemed to fill the air. Jack parked in front and killed the engine. As she looked at the house, she thought of the вЂњbig bad wolfвЂќ fairy tale and wondered if a kindly grandmother-or something a lot more dangerous-was waiting inside. She noticed other heads of dead animals, the bones picked clean and hanging on the wood fence under a row of huge cottonwoods. Sun glinted off a line of bleached white antlers piled in the middle of a rock garden. She wasnвЂ™t sure how much more she could take before she broke.ДЄs they rounded a bend in the road, her pulse quickened. She didnвЂ™t feel strong enough yet to be tested again. But she suddenly feared that wasnвЂ™t true. So she probably hadnвЂ™t had a lot of company or use on the road.ДЄfter what sheвЂ™d been through, Josey thought she could handle anything. Josey reminded herself that the grandmother had been a recluse for the past twenty-seven years. As they grew closer, she saw that the cluster of log buildings looked old and вЂ¦ deserted. She frowned, noting suddenly how the grass had grown between the two tracks in the road, as if it hadnвЂ™t had much use. Josey released her hold on the pistol, trying to still her thundering heart as the Cadillac bumped down the narrow dirt road toward the ranch buildings. A little farther down the road Jack turned under a huge weathered wooden arch, with the words Winchester Ranch carved in it. Josey looked up in surprise to see a cluster of log buildings at the base of the rugged hills behind it. вЂњThere it is.вЂќ He sounded as relieved as she felt. I asked for directions back at a gas station in town before I picked you up, so IвЂ™m pretty sure IвЂ™m on the right road.вЂќ The car bumped down the uneven track, then turned sharply to the right. вЂњIвЂ™m beginning to wonder about that myself. вЂњAre you sure youвЂ™re on the right road?вЂќ Her hand went to her backpack, heart hammering in her chest as she eased open the drawstring and closed her hand around the gun handle, realizing she had only four shots left. He turned onto an even less used road, the land suddenly dropping precariously. Occasionally she would see a wheat field, but no sign of a house or another person.ДЄs the convertible came over a rise in the road, Jack touched his brakes, even though all she could see was more of the same wild landscape.

She stared at the road ahead as Jack drove deeper into the wild, uninhabited country. But then RJ hadnвЂ™t looked like a deranged madman, either, had he? Jack didnвЂ™t look like a deranged madman who was driving all this way to torture and kill her. She shifted in her seat and drew the backpack closer, considering what she was going to do if this turned out to be another trap. Josey had a bad feeling that sheвЂ™d used up any luck sheвЂ™d ever had a long time ago. It wouldnвЂ™t be the first time sheвЂ™d been played for a fool, but it could be the last. But now she doubted there was even a ranch at the end of this road. When he had told her about where they would be spending the week, she had thought it perfect. вЂњYou thought I was kidding about the Winchester Ranch being remote?вЂќ Jack asked with a laugh. But come on, what man would buy you clothes just to take you out in the middle of nowhere and kill you? She shuddered, thinking she knew a man exactly like that.

Josey felt a prickle of fear skitter over her skin. But the only way to get there is this road, IвЂ™m afraid.вЂќ вЂњThe ranch isnвЂ™t far from a paved highway-as the crow flies.

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