Excerpt of Romantic Road by Blair McDowell

A shadow came between her and the sun. She opened her
eyes and sat up abruptly. The man, the dark skinned man
she had last seen on the road from the Berkshires, sat
down across from her. His partner stood behind him, his
pale grey eyes boring into her.

The seated man spoke. “Mrs. Telchev, you’ve given us a
great deal of trouble.”

Lacy looked around frantically. Where was Max?

“We mean you no harm. But we must have that manuscript.
Your husband told you where he hid it. It only makes
sense. Tell us where it is, and we won’t bother you
again.”

At that moment, the waitress placed the pitcher of beer
Max had ordered on the table in front of Lacy. Lacy
glanced down at the beer, then up at the seated man. In
one sweeping gesture, she threw the contents of the
pitcher into his face and overturned the table. The
second man moved to grab her, but she was out of her
chair and running before he could get to her.