Chapter 3: S1 Ethan: Woman Slain on Country Road

Sadie Reed

A rap on the window makes her jump. Her eyes fly open and her heartbeat thumps in her chest in a double-time fashion.

"Hey." A man in leather stoops next to the car. "You in there." He motions for her to roll down the window.

She shakes her head. "Uhm . . . I'm okay." Alone, on a deserted road in the dark, with a stranger, isn't exactly the place she wants to be.

Flashes of a news headline roll through her head: Tonight, at ten, a woman slain on a country road.

The thought makes her stomach churn, and an uneasiness washes over her.

Moonlight catches the contours of the leather-clad guy's face. Stubble lines his jaw, and his sun-tanned face has a natural glow.

He taps the window again with the back of a hand. "Roll it down."

Sadie's fingers hover over the control panel. She glances at the floorboard. The grip of a handgun peeks out from under the seat and glistens in the moonlight.

"I don't have all night." His voice has a low, throaty pitch to it, almost a growl.

She presses her index finger against the lever and rolls the window a third of the way down.

"Are you okay?" His voice is deep, smooth, and it has a baritone ring to it.

"Yeah." She glances up at the tall stranger.

There's something about the tone and temper of his voice that puts her at ease, and the tension in her shoulders rolls away.

"What about you?" The thought of almost hitting someone on a motorcycle because she was attending to her stupid phone instead of the road makes the muscles in her abdomen contract.

"I'm good." He nods once. "So, do you mind telling me what the hell you were doing in the middle of the road?"

"Excuse me?" Tension creeps up into her neck and shoulders, making her sit stiffly in the driver's seat. Her fingers grip the wheel so tight, the blood drains from them.

"Do I need to repeat the question?" His unblinking gaze holds her in its grip, as if trapping her in the moment.

"My GPS lost connection." She swallows hard. "I was restarting my phone." A cold sweat lines her brow. Nervously, she wipes her sweaty palms on her skirt. "Uhm, I guess I veered out of the lane."

Staring at the man, she figures he's close to her age, early twenties, but she's unable to read him, which is odd for her. Usually, she's quick to decide, and her choice is solid and spot on.

"You think?" His brows knit together, making his eyelids narrow.

"Look. I'm sorry." She casts her gaze down, avoiding his probing stare, and removes her left hand from the steering wheel. The tip of her index finger rests on the window control. "I didn't mean to-"

"I haven't seen you around before. Where are you headed?" His head tilts, and he takes in the items in the back seat.

"Kensington Cove." The pile of clothing and all of her other Earthly belongings come to mind.

Frequent packing, relocating, and moving from one place to the next teaches a person to only keep the essentials.

It's amazing how monetary things lose their value when the thought of where your next meal will come from becomes the prime directive of the day.

"Are you moving?"

"What?"

"The clothes in the back." He holds her gaze.

"Yeah." Sadie's grip on the wheel tightens.

"So, you have family in town?"

"Something like that."

He rubs his jaw, then clears his throat. "Are you stuck?"

"What?"

"The car? Are you stuck in the mud?"

"Oh, I don't think so."

He glances at the tires, shakes his head, and then backs away from the car. "If you have enough traction to pull out of the ditch, I'll show you where the turn is."

Mist covers the window, hindering Sadie's view.

A wolf howls in the distance and the fine hairs on the nape of her neck stand on end.

"Please, don't be stuck." She slides the gear in drive and gives the car gas.

The tires spin, sending a geyser of mud spewing into the air. She backs off the gas, then tries it again.

"Stop." He walks to the car and taps the hood. "You're not going anywhere in this tonight."

Sadie slides the car into park. "Shit," she says, barely above a whisper.

Leaning over, she picks up her phone.

"Zero bars, really? Great. Stranded out in the middle of nowhere with nothing around but a guy in leather." She flips on the windshield wipers, then follows his movement.

"You're gonna need a tow." He makes his way around the front of the bumper. "At least, it starts."

"It's dark." She glances around for signs, mile markers, or any connection to civilization, but comes up empty-handed.

"Yeah." He cracks a grin, and a dimple in his left cheek winks. "Usually is at night."

"Well, hell, I don't see any city lights."

"What's your name?" He stoops close to the opened window.

She hesitates, unsure if she should answer the question or not, and then blurts out, "Sadie. Sadie Reed."

"I'm Ethan Cotter." A single eyebrow shoots up in amusement. "The way I see it, I can give you a lift, or you can stay here with no reception." He leans in through the window.

Another howl reverberates. But this time, the call is closer.

Sadie's eyes widen, and she swallows hard. "Was that a dog, coyote . . . wolf?"

"A gray wolf. Come on, and I'll give you a lift."

She locks gazes with him. His eyes are a piercing grayish-blue.

Hmm, I hadn't noticed his eyes before. She continues to stare.

"And don't worry, I won't bite unless you want me to."

A slight wolfish grin washes across his lips, exposing a row of straight, white teeth.

"So, what's it going to be, Sadie Reed? Are you staying or what?"

Sadie takes a deep breath, thinks, and then she grabs the keys. Reaching over the seat, she scoops up the contents of her purse - gun and all - then opens the door.