Joanna Wayne - Showdown at Shadow Junction

“Pretty surprising, isn’t it?” Booker said, going along with everything.

“You two need something to eat? I can rustle up some leftovers.”

“We had dinner in town,” Jade said. “And Booker and I don’t actually know each other,” she added, determined to clear up that minor detail before they got bogged down even further in chaotic confusion. “We ran into each other in the car rental line at the airport and realized we were both coming to the same place.” The partial truth would do.

“Well, that was damn lucky,” R.J. said. “If your belly’s full, how about a beer or a glass of wine while you two relax a bit? After that, Jade can bring Brit and me up to snuff on what really happened in that New York hotel suite.”

“I could use a few minutes to freshen up,” Jade said. And to pull off the useless wig that was starting to feel like a wad of wet wool on her head before she faced the family firing squad. She couldn’t imagine they’d all be as accommodating as R.J.

“Why don’t I show you to the guest rooms,” Brit offered. “Do you have luggage?”

“Afraid not,” Jade said.

“I can lend you a clean T-shirt to sleep in,” Booker said. “I’ll get my bag out of the car.”

“I’ll put you in the room I prepared for Booker,” Brit said as Booker left to go back to the car. “It has a private bath already stocked with the essentials like soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotions, toothpaste, razors, even extra toothbrushes in the top drawer if you need one.”

“I appreciate that.” Hopefully that meant they didn’t intend to call the local sheriff out for an immediate arrest.

“We’re about the same size,” Brit said. “I’m sure I have a nightshirt and some jeans and shirts you can wear until you have time to shop. I’ll gather up a few items while you get yourself together.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry I came crashing in on R.J. and the rest of you like this. I panicked. That’s the only excuse for going on the run the way I did.”

“Don’t apologize for coming here,” Brit said. “R.J. was right. We’re family. That’s where you go when you’re in trouble.”

A nice concept, but it hadn’t been Jade’s experience. But she definitely needed to get in touch with her mother and let her know she was safe. Kiki would have heard the media’s version of what had happened and she’d be bordering on hysteria about now. And no doubt full of advice as to how Jade should be handling this.

“R.J.’s been a wreck ever since we first heard about Quaid Vaquero’s murder. He was afraid that you’d been murdered as well, and the police weren’t releasing that information.”

“I came close,” Jade said, not expecting Brit to believe her.

“Whatever happened, you’re safe now,” Brit said. “So let’s get you settled in. The only available guest rooms are upstairs. Cannon, Kimmie and I pretty much took over the first floor when we moved in. Someone needs to be close by, now that R.J.’s health is failing so fast.”

Once Jade was alone in the guest room, her strained willpower caved like a sand castle in the rain. She dropped to the bed as the events of the past two days stormed her mind. The handcuffs. The iron bed. The pitch-black prison when the power had gone out.

Reggie, bloody, the eyes of a madman, chasing her as she fled from his brutal captivity.

It seemed unreal, a nightmare. But those were the truths she had to share with these strangers who posed as family.

Once she did, would they believe that she had no part in Quaid’s murder and no idea what had happened to the necklace that had started this roller-coaster ride of terror?

Would anyone?

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