“That doesn’t sound fun,” Haley deadpanned.
“What part of this has been fun?” he asked seriously.
She turned pensive. “Seeing my Liam play with Josephine’s black lab was a little fun.”
Butch materialized next to her, then slung his arm loosely over her shoulder, as if not quite sure he should do it. However, she leaned into him, before continuing. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to bring down the mood.”
He chuckled a little. “Haley, you have nothing to worry about with the two of us. Our moods have been in the crapper since we left Kentucky. The only thing keeping us going is our sense of humor. Sometimes, all you can do is laugh.”
Butch picked up on his vibe. “Yeah, you have to laugh when the dam breaks in front of you.”
Ezra continued. “You have to crack up when six thugs force you to take six lives.”
Haley brushed back some of her bangs. “You have to laugh when the only way to keep your furry friends safe is to leave them in a remote country town.”
“That’s the spirit,” he said in a soothing tone. “I’d be happy to drive you back down the river so you can get out and stay with your pets. My daughter’s voicemail said she’s on the move. We’re not going to Denver. We’re going to Yellowstone. It could change a dozen more times, so you don’t have to come with us…” He hung it out there now that they weren’t under the gun. It amazed him how fast his perspective changed when no one was chasing them. They could go up the river. Down the river. It didn’t matter, as long as they eventually went toward Grace.
She seemed to think about it. “If I’m honest with myself, I got on the boat to escape what happened to Xander. Before he died, he told me to find someone who could protect me. Since the TKM people were rampaging through St. Charles, he thought a second wave of violence was coming, and he wanted me to be ready for it.”
Haley tilted her head to look at Butch. “I knew you were capable of keeping me safe, and I’ve already admitted part of my reasoning was, um, because you were a cool drink of milk.” She giggled. “But all these men shooting at us tells me Xander was right. I need to stick with someone who can take care of himself. Someone who can train me to survive. If you’ll let me stay, I really think I found the right guys.” As an afterthought, she looked over to Ezra.
He shrugged. “It was only an offer. I think I speak for both of us when I say you’ve made our day brighter, not darker.”
Butch nodded. “He speaks for us both.”
“Aww,” she bubbled. “You want me to stay?”
“I do,” Butch croaked.
She separated from him, brandishing a toothy smile. “Good. You can unload the gear. I’m hoping Ezra will show me how to hook his boat to the back of the truck with a tow strap. I have to learn, right?”
He and Butch shared a knowing look. In that moment, he’d never seen his friend happier. It was a nice silver lining to the day they’d endured.
The muddy water continued to flow by, even as the shade of the trees blocked the sun and cooled things down. He figured it had been a couple of hours since he’d first set foot on dry land, and the day had gotten away from him.
To all, he added, “Let’s hurry. Once we fix the boat, we’ll steer the truck into the water to make it disappear. Then I want to get a few more miles while we still have some light.”
Denver, CO
Aarons brought him down the first two flights of stairs. As he ran by the door for floor nine, he caught sight of Dorothy in her business suit. The men tried to keep him moving, but he grabbed the door handle to stop.
“I have to get her.” He pointed to the dark-haired woman.
Petteri didn’t need their approval. He opened the door and shouted, “Dorothy! Over here. Come with me.”
She jogged up to him. “What’s going on?” As she arrived, she caught sight of his security team with their weapons out. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, come inside. Hurry.” He held the door ajar so the young woman could come through. Once in, the security men shoved them both toward the steps. He allowed them to shepherd him, glad he’d done a heads-up play to rescue his helper. If anyone was watching, he’d be labeled a hero. He’d also make sure she didn’t forget it.
Dorothy was unable to stay silent. They’d gone down a few steps before she spit out questions. “Where are we going, sir? Are these guns really necessary? Where’s everyone else?”
“Shush. We must both do as we’re told.” He wasn’t sure if it was necessary to tell her it was the police coming up the steps. It wasn’t the time to explain why his people couldn’t allow a small-town mayor to put an end to his business dealings.
“Okay,” she said, growing scared.
Aarons held the door as they went into the hallway of floor eight. It was pitch black, suggesting the lights had been shut off. He pointed where they should go using his flashlight. The first two security men guided them to an interior room in the middle of the building.
“Wait a second,” Petteri pleaded, realizing they were going to shut them inside.
“No time,” Aarons replied.
“Who’s staying with us?” he asked his security chief.
Aarons was
