Chapter 20
Jinx moved closer to the cabin, watching the windows in the front. The two men were moving around; their voices were raised. They must have been having an argument. Then the brothers moved to a back room she couldn’t see.
Jinx moved around the cabin, trying to find another window. So far the other rooms were dark. She jumped at the sound of doors opening and closing. It could be closet or bathroom…
Feeling unsure, she began to move backwards keeping her eyes on the front door. A sound in her ear had her crunching down too hard with her boots on twigs. A hand grabbed her arm hard and jerked her around. She gasped.
“Who the hell are you?”
Oh my God! It was the oldest brother, the really mean one. “I...uh...broke down and was hoping to get help.”
His black eyes narrowed. “Where’s your phone?”
Think Jinx think. “No signal.”
“If you needed help then why were you backing away from the cabin?”
“I was a little worried. I started up, but heard yelling. I didn’t want disturb you.” She tried to give him a reassuring smile.
“Well, come on then.” He motioned for her to walk in front of him toward the cabin.
When he wasn’t looking at her, she pulled the earpiece out. Jinx let it fall to the ground as she made her next step so he wouldn’t hear it. She had to appear to be a helpless female.
The younger brother came out of the cabin front door and frowned. “Who’s this?”
“She said that her hover car broke down on the highway,” the older brother said behind her.
She smiled, “Hi, I’m Jane. I hate to bother you, but could I use your phone? My hover car broke down and I can’t get any service out here.” Fear rose up as she noticed the looks between the brothers. If she went into that cabin, she might not make it out alive. Glancing around, she hoped to find a way to escape them.
Jinx shifted from foot to foot. “First, is there a bathroom? I really have to go.”
The brother on the porch frowned, but motioned to the cabin. “It’s the first door on the right.”
“Thanks.” She quickly went up the stairs and to the bathroom. She could hear the brothers talking in hushed tones.
Jinx couldn’t lock the bathroom door but was relieved to see a window. She eased it up then pulled herself up over the edge. One foot first then the other and she lowered herself as slowly and quietly as possible. She walked bracing herself against the cabin in the shadows. She could hear the brothers better now.
“What the hell were you thinking bringing her here?”
“I found her skulking around the cabin. I don’t know if I believe her about her hover car or not but we can’t let her go. She knows we’re here and could notify the authority.”
“What do we do with her?”
“She won’t be talking to anyone—ever again.”
That ominous feeling came over her again. Yeah, they planned to kill her. Jinx peered around the corner and waited for them to go into the cabin. It wouldn’t take them long to find out she wasn’t in the bathroom; she had to find a place to hide and quick. The trees were her only option.
She made a mad dash to the woods, trying to stay in the dark shadows and keep her steps light. She could hear sounds of someone pounding on a door inside the cabin. Oh shit! Finding a tree with low limbs Jinx started to climb, going as high as she could. She hoped that the branches were as sturdy as they felt.
Then all hell broke loose as the two men came barreling out of the cabin yelling. One ran to the back of the cabin, while the other checked the truck.
“What the fuck!” The younger brother kicked the tire. “That bitch cut our tires, all of them!”
The older brother cussed. “Find her and don’t dawdle—kill her.” The two brothers started searching the wooded area around the cabin. She watched and held her breath when one of the brothers got too close to the tree where she was hiding. She clung to the branches, hoping that she would blend in. Jinx’s luck had finally run out.
“Get down here bitch!”
She cringed at the violence in his voice. “I think I’ll stay where I’m at.”
