Page 61 of Graced
“Watch your clothes,” Rhyne warned.“We don’t have any extra to change into if we get drenched.”
“Do we have any rags or paper towels in the car?”Nash inquired.
“Yeah.In the bag in the trunk.Speaking of…”
Popping the trunk lid, he extracted the backpack in question, and slipped a strap over an arm.He then bent down to grab the hindquarters.Nash took the front shoulders, and together they hauled the carcass into the back seat.
“Man, Welsh is going to be royally pissed when he sees the mess—” Nash paused when he saw Rhyne’s angry glare.“Riiight.Fuck him.”
The angry glare became a smile.
Not saying anything more, Rhyne snagged a towel from the backpack and handed the bag over to Nash before going around to the driver’s side.Nash crawled in, closing the side door behind him as they took off back down the road.
CHAPTER30
Plans
The unmarked car was waiting for them at a small rest stop two miles down the road.As he expected, they pulled onto the road right as they passed.
Every so often, Rhyne checked on Nash via the front rearview mirror.He noticed the man had found the package of straws and was using one to suck up the blood still oozing from the dead deer.Once he had his chance at the carcass, they’d toss it back into one of the fields to give the other critters a go.In the meantime, he was assailed by the rich aroma coming from the back seat.The smell made his stomach clench almost painfully in anticipation.
They were less than five miles from Mansfield when Nash tapped the back of the headrest.“All right.Time to switch.”
“I’m going to pull into the next gas station and top off the tank.We’ll exchange there.”
The next gas station turned out to be a Traveler’s Rest, complete with in-store restaurants and gift shops, fifty-plus gas pumps, and the cleanest restrooms in the state.
Rhyne parked next to a pump at the farthest end of the lot to prevent anyone from looking into the back seat.Their tail pulled up to a pump several stalls over.As he filled the tank, Nash used the wipes in the backpack to clean up enough to where he wouldn’t attract any undue attention when he climbed out of the back.
Rhyne grinned at him when he finally emerged.“Feeling better?”
“Yeah.Lots.Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.I need to take a piss.Mind holding down the fort until I get back?”
“Sure thing.”
Nash slid into the driver’s seat as Rhyne quickly walked into the main building and headed for the restrooms.Rounding a large display beef jerky, he jerked to a halt and immediately took cover behind the display.
A familiar figure emerged from the entrance to the restrooms and turned to go in the opposite direction, away from him.Clearly, Cargill hadn’t spotted him.Even if he had, Rhyne wondered if the man would recognize him.One of the advantages of being in a crowded venue like this place was that the man’s vamp senses were dulled while being around so many humans.Regardless, it was sheer luck that prevented Rhyne from encountering him.Cargill may not have remembered who Rhyne was if they had, but a close encounter would have set off the guy's vamp alarm.
Rhyne glanced at the restroom entrance.There was no way of knowing if Welsh or any of Cargill’s nest were in there.He couldn’t take the risk.
He returned to his car and motioned to the man.“Move over.”
Nash crawled over the console and buckled himself into the passenger seat.He didn’t ask why the sudden change in plans.The man could tell from Rhyne’s demeanor that something had happened inside.
They drove around the rear of the building until they reached the set of gas pumps on the far end.Rhyne scanned the cars filling up but was unable to locate the black Aspenall.
“Cargill was inside,” he finally informed Nash.
“Did he see you?”
“No.And there were too many people in there for him to sense me,” Rhyne said.“I saw him heading in this direction, but I don’t see the car.”
“Maybe they parked in front,” Nash suggested.
“Let’s find out.”
