Mountain Secrets by Elizabeth Goddard (good books to read for teens txt) 📕

the balcony and dropped to the ground with the grace of an Olympic gymnast. He grabbed her hand. They ran, feet pounding the fresh fallen snow.

She glanced over her shoulder just as she rounded the corner. Mr. Knife had come to the edge of the outdoor balcony. If he chose not to follow them and went back down the stairs and out the front door, it would buy them time.

As Mel pulled her around the house toward the driveway where his van was parked, she had the gut-wrenching sensation that her life was about to switch into a retread of seven years ago. Here she was again, blindly following a man who might be a criminal.

Oh Lord, please protect me.

She’d been barely seventeen when Nick Solomon decided to rob a convenience store at gunpoint. He’d kissed her in the car and told her he was going inside for a bag of chips. When he slid into the passenger seat clearly agitated and commanded her to drive, she’d done what he asked. All because she’d loved and trusted him.

They hurried toward the van. Mel kicked the front tires. “Slashed.” His forehead furled. “When did he find time to do that?”

She studied him for just a moment. Maybe Mel was telling the truth. Maybe he was the good guy. She wanted to believe that. She had a feeling she was staking her life on it.

“My car looks okay.” She spoke between breaths and took off running toward her car. She jumped into the driver’s seat and turned the key in the ignition. Because she’d thought she would be alone at the Wilsons’, she had no reason to take her keys with her.

Mel got into the passenger seat.

She clicked into Reverse and hit the gas, then spun around and pointed the car toward the snowy road.

Mel gripped the armrest. “NASCAR, here we come. Who taught you to drive like that?”

A heaviness descended on her like a shroud, and she felt that stab to her heart. Nick had taught her to drive like that. Little had she realized he was grooming her to be his getaway driver.

She stared at the road ahead. Her car slipped to one side. She checked her rearview mirror. Mr. Knife stood in the driveway, arms crossed over his chest.

The car made a serpentine pattern and slid on the snow-covered road.

“Something is wrong here.” She struggled to keep the car on the road. Even with the slick roads, steering was taking way more muscle power than usual. The car began to shake and vibrate.

“I think your tires are losing air.” Mel’s voice remained calm. “No way would he have time to do both cars.” He studied the road and the surrounding trees as if he was trying to piece something together.

So her tires had been slashed too. Mr. Knife must have been in a hurry and not cut deep enough for the air to leak out fast.

She gripped the steering wheel as a tree loomed in front of her. The entire car seemed to be vibrating to pieces as the metallic clang of driving on her rims filled the front seat.

She scraped past the tree, but the car rammed into a smaller tree and came to an abrupt stop. Their bodies lurched forward then slammed back against the seat.

Mel craned his neck to stare out the back window.

Fear cut her to the bone. “Is he coming for us?”

“I can’t see him.”

Isabel tensed as she glanced over her shoulder. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t come after them.

“This car is not going to get us off this mountain. We’re going to have to call...somebody.” He pulled his phone out.

Somebody? What did that mean? Why not the police? Mr. Knife seemed to think they both were out to steal the fortune he’d come for. Whatever it was he was looking for in that house, it must be worth a great deal because Mr. Knife seemed determined that they not leave the house.

A chill ran up her spine. In fact, Mr. Knife seemed pretty bent on eliminating his perceived competition altogether. Why give him a chance at that?

Mel clicked open the door. “I can’t get a signal. We can’t stay out in this storm long. Maybe we can get a signal back at the house.”

“Are you nuts?” she said.

“What other choice do we have here? It’s five miles to the main road and another five into town. Who knows if any neighbors are home. Do you want to walk in a storm without a coat? You’ll freeze to death.”

She took in a breath. And it would be dark soon. He had a point. “Okay.”

“You know the layout of the house, right? There must be someplace where we could make the call and hide out.”

She clicked open her door, inviting the intense wind and cold in. “Mrs. Wilson has an art studio at the back of the property.”

He hurried around the car and tugged on her elbow. “Let’s get into the trees. More shelter and we won’t be spotted off the bat if he does come after us. Maybe I’ll be able to pick up a signal before we get to the house.”

She doubted that, not with the storm brewing. She crossed her arms over her chest and put her head down. She had no choice but to go with Mel’s plan. Even the short walk back to the house was going to leave her chilled to the bone at the very least.

The trees cut the wind and the snow by a little bit. They’d tromped only a short distance before the cold settled into her bones. Mel slipped out of his coat and placed it on her shoulders. She could still feel the warmth of his body heat as she put her arms in the sleeves.

The gesture warmed her heart too. The front-zip sweatshirt he had over his uniform shirt couldn’t provide much more warmth than her borrowed sweater.

“I’ll be all right. I got my thermals on.” He offered her a smile that brought