Beastly Winter — Chapter 26

The oversized keys on the key ring clanged on the metal bars as Ian Zellner walked down the run to the sole prisoner’s cell.

“You ready, partner?” Zellner said.

Lance had been sleeping. He raised his head, dazed and confused.

“Wha?” he grumbled.

“Today’s your lucky day. You’re gonna attack me then get the hell out of here.”

With one half-closed eyelid, Lance slowly sat up on the cot.

“Where’s the Sheriff?” he asked.

“Somewhere else.” Zellner couldn’t believe his luck. Not only was the sheriff not here, Lily or Dale hadn’t come in, either. “Here, catch.”

Zellner flung a small object toward the bed.

Lance lifted a hand to try to catch it, but knocked it onto his mattress instead. He picked it up, looked at it.

“What’s this?”

Zellner grinned. “It’s the key to my girlfriend’s house. She lives up near the end of Logan Road.”

“Jennifer Allen? Yeah, I know where she lives.”

Zellner stared at him. “And just how do you know that?”

“I get around.”

“Yeah?” Ian growled at him, wondering what this idiot meant by that.