Page 86 of Out on a Limb
One more reason her threat to keep me here didn’t seem like a threat at all.
Collette grabbed a set of keys from the counter and tossed them my way. “You drive.”
I caught them mid-air. “You want me to drive your car?”
“Only if you want me to eat.” Her eyes dipped down my body. “I’m not as good at multitasking as you are.” The weight of her gaze could have knocked me down if I let myself think too hard on it.
“Hmph.” I went to the front door and unlocked the deadbolt, holding it open as she passed by, smirking at me around the sandwich in her mouth.
“Will your bike be okay out here?” She went to the passenger’s side of her Jeep and waited while I fumbled with the fob.
“I’m sure it will be fine.” I finally managed to press the button to unlock the doors.
Collette immediately got in and dropped her water into the console, buckling up while I slid the seat back just enough that I could fit comfortably in the space. I looked around the base of the wheel for the ignition.
Collette leaned my way, one finger coming out to press a button just to my right.
The engine started.
She was still smirking at me.
“You think you’re so smart.” I shifted into reverse and gripped the back of her headrest, turning to look between the seats.
“There’s a camera.”
I tipped my head her way. “What?”
She pointed to the dash. “There’s a backup camera.”
I stared down at the limited view of the space behind us. “That doesn’t seem safe.”
“If it wasn’t safe would they be putting it in literally every car made?” She took another bite of her sandwich, looking unworried.
I gripped the wheel like the Jeep might suddenly develop a mind of its own as I slowly eased us backwards, using only what I could see on the tiny screen.
Maybe it was fine. Maybe she was right.
Maybe—
The back end of the Jeep suddenly bounced.
Not a lot, but enough to send my stomach dropping to my boots.
My eyes jerked to Collette, where she sat beside me, one hand over her mouth, eyes wide. “You said it was safe.”
“There was nothing there.” She rolled down her window and leaned out. “What the—” The hand over her mouth moved up a little to also cover her nose. “What in the hell is wrong with people?”
I shoved open the door and jumped out, not quite ready to face whatever it was I might find, but willing to do it anyway.
My boots came to an almost immediate stop when I saw what we’d hit. “Is that shit?”
Collette shoved one finger into the button on her door, rolling her window back up as her eyes watered. “Close the door.”
I bumped the door shut as I leaned to peer toward the back end of the Jeep and the splooge shot out across the cement.
Maybe they found the chickens earlier than we thought they would.
I scanned the front of Collette’s house, looking for the only thing I could think of to rectify the situation. A hose box sat just beside the front porch. I held my breath as I looked inside, worried whoever did this might have taken it a step further and swiped the easiest method to clean the mess up.
