Incriminated

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Book: Read Incriminated for Free Online
Authors: M. G. Reyes
as Paolo adjusted to the minimal light. In the east of the sky, a pale, greenish tinge hinted at the approach of the full moon. He wasn’t wearing a watch, as usual, and so he checked the time on his cell phone. It was a little after 9:40. He pocketed his phone again and peered into the gloom of the gulley into which he’d stumbled. It was impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. The ground was dry and cracked beneath his feet. Dry scrubby grasses lined the route. Somewhere to his left, Paolo heard the trickle of water. The vaguely clear path that he was following veered in that direction. The grasses closed in, until Paolo had to brush them aside as he walked.
    It struck him then that terrain like this might house rattlesnakes. Paolo stopped and made his way back to a clusterof trees that he’d passed minutes ago and began, carefully, to examine the ground for any kind of stick. He found a twig no longer than his forearm and he used that to scratch around for another, longer specimen. It took longer than he’d hoped, with the dim light challenging his eyesight. His senses became more alert in the quiet, magnifying every tiny noise, and made him jolt to attention. Eventually, he found a stick, about a thumb thick and a yard and a half in length.
    Making his way back along the trail, Paolo swept the staff before him, clearing the path, just in case any snakes were dumb or sleepy enough not to scoot out of the way at the sound of his footsteps. The sound of water became stronger, but never reached more than a healthy gurgle. If this was a river, then it was mostly dry, like many rivers in the California desert.
    For the first time since he’d left Meredith, Paolo allowed himself to relax, just slightly. It couldn’t take more than an hour or so in any direction to happen across one of the crisscrossing roads. The whole area was a national park, so there would have to be some kind of visitor parking lot, eventually. He wasn’t exactly lost, but he still needed to find a way home.
    Paolo felt for his cell phone and then stopped. The cops could trace cell phones, if they’re used. If they were scanning for calls, hunting for the hit-and-run driver, they might use the GPS on his phone to place him at the crime scene. They might connect Paolo to the accident. They mighteven find the hit-and-run driver—who would tell the cops that Meredith wasn’t the driver.
    The parking lot at the country club. Paolo’s breath caught in his throat as he struggled to remember. Were there security cameras? He was pretty sure there were. If he’d been recorded getting into her silver BMW, then it was all over. He’d have to make some kind of excuse—say that Meredith gave him a ride somewhere, dropped him off.
    But why would he need a ride if his car was right there?
    Paolo could feel desperation swelling his chest. He needed to do something about his car. But how? If only he could call someone. John-Michael would help him. John-Michael kind of owed him for going halfway to San Francisco to pick his ass up after he totaled his Benz. Not to mention that like everyone else in the house, Paolo was keeping quiet about the fact that John-Michael had driven it, quite intentionally, off the coastal highway.
    He urgently needed to call John-Michael. But Paolo couldn’t risk using his phone.
    The trees grew more densely as the slope began to rise. Paolo’s progress slowed. He paused to get his bearings. Mulholland Highway was still right behind him. He was about one hundred yards away now. Still no sign of a trail. He pressed on. There was barely enough light to see by. The crickets creaked loudly in the undergrowth. It was the worst time of day for snakes. They’d be coming out now, slithering across his path. The best strategy was to make as much noise as possible to scare them away. But Paolowasn’t sure if he dared to make loud, human sounds. All it would take was for one person

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