“Yes, dinner,” Bethany said. “You know, that evening meal most of us like to have? Don’t worry, the food isn’t stolen or anything. I bought it on the way here.”
I rolled my eyes. The five of us went inside the shack, which was as comfortably furnished as I expected— which was to say,
“We don’t stay here often,” Landon said, “but when we do, they wanted us to have privacy.”
“So Bethany’s libido doesn’t disturb the neighbors?” I asked.
My comment wasn’t meant to be remotely serious, but the way Landon’s cheeks flushed as he looked away made me think I’d hit close to home.
An awkward silence ensued.
“So what’s for dinner?” Ethan asked, jumping in to play peacemaker, as usual.
“Canned stew,” Landon replied. He ladled some chunky brown goop into a Styrofoam bowl, then held it out to Thatcher. “Spoons are on the table.”
Landon continued dishing up the stew. We settled around the table, but he didn’t sit with the rest of us. He ate standing near the camping stove, his face perfectly neutral. I choked down the salty stew, grateful for the meal since I hadn’t eaten the night before. I washed it down with water from a plastic jug.
“There’s a clean spring nearby,” Bethany explained. “It’s one less thing the town needs brought in.”
“Speaking of which,” Landon said, “we should talk about what you’re going to do next.”
“In regards to what?” I asked.
“Us. Turning us in now that you’ve seen the people we help. That’s why I brought you here.”
“Well, first I need to call and talk to Trance.”
“About?”
“To let her know we three are alive and unharmed, as well as make sure she hasn’t reported you both yet.”
“And if she hasn’t?”
“I think you should both come back to New York and talk to her. Tell her what you’ve told us.”
“Fucking forget it,” Bethany said. “No way.”
“Why not?” Landon asked her.
“Are you insane? They’ll lock us up the minute they see us.”
“And if I promise that won’t happen?” I asked.
“No,” Bethany said.
“What if we bring Trance here?” Thatcher asked. “Let her see everything we’ve seen.”
“I think she would agree to that,” I said. “She’s a good person, and she’s fair. She’ll give you a chance to explain.”
“Even though we kidnapped Ethan?” Landon asked.
“Even so.”
He and Bethany shared a long look.
“Fine,” Bethany finally said. She reached into her layered tanks and produced a slim cell phone. “Put it on speaker and call her.”
I took the cell and powered it up. “Where should I tell her to meet you?”
“Tell her to get on the Pennsylvania turnpike heading west,” Landon said. “Pull off at the westbound service plaza in Elverson. I’ll meet her there at seven o’clock tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes, tomorrow.”
“And if she wants to bring someone with her?”
“Forget it,” Bethany said. “Just her.”
“Okeydokey.” I dialed the number and waited.
She picked up on the fourth ring. “Trance.”
“It’s Renee,” I said.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I’m with Ethan and Thatcher, and we’re all okay. No one’s hurt.”
“Where are you?”
“I honestly have no fucking idea. Landon blindfolded us.”
“Okay. Are you still with him?”
“Yes. We’re kind of his and Bethany’s, um, houseguests.”
“Houseguests? Is that a code I don’t understand?”
I smiled at the phone. “No. Listen, T, like I said, we’re fine. But I need to know if you passed along any details of our investigation to the interested authorities.”
“As in names?”
“Bingo.”
“No, I haven’t. I was waiting for word from you.”
She sighed. “Aren’t they always? What do you need?”
“You. They want to speak to you in person.”
“Done. When and where?” Someone on her end made a noise. My bet was that Gage was listening in and actively hated the idea.
I gave her the information. “Landon will meet you. Please trust him and come alone. I wouldn’t be asking if this wasn’t legit.”
“I know that, Renee. Do you guys need anything?”
I glanced down at my dirty uniform. “Clean clothes would be nice. And tell Aaron his boyfriend is safe and sound, not a scratch on him.”
“He’ll be happy to hear that. Is Ethan nearby?”
“I’m here,” Ethan said. No one told him he couldn’t talk during the call. “I’m fine, promise.”
“Good.” I could hear her smile through the relief in her voice. She worried about all of us so much.
Bethany made a slashing gesture across her throat.
“Listen, T, I gotta go. We’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Be safe,” she said.
I shoved the phone back across the table at Bethany. “Happy?”
“Whatever,” Bethany said.
“So now that we’re giving you the benefit of the doubt,” Ethan said, “how about taking this collar off? It itches.”
“Forget it.”
“Why not?”
“Because the minute it’s off, what’s to stop all three of you from making tracks out of town and then sending in the cops to ruin everything?”
“We won’t do that,” I said. “You have my word.”
“Beth, maybe we—” Landon started to say.
“No!” She stood up too fast and her chair toppled over backward. “I am putting my foot down on this one, Landon. The collar stays on.” She glared at the three of us. “And don’t even think about stealing the key, because I’ve already warped it, and I’m the only one who can bend it back into shape.”
Ethan glared right back at her, but he didn’t protest further.
“So where are we going to sleep?” Thatcher asked.
“Anywhere you want, as long as it’s not on my mattress,” Bethany said.
“Renee can have mine,” Landon said.
One look at the warped wood floor of the shack and I was not too proud to decline the offer. “We have extra blankets in the back of the Sport,” I said. “May I go get them?” I hated asking permission, but I also wanted the chance to walk around a little bit. Get a better lay of the land, so to speak.
