“You j-jumped?” Tyressa stammered in shock.
“Yeah, Mom. I’m fine. A few bruises is all.” He showed her his elbows, which were bloodied, but not ruined.
His mom broke down with tears of relief and wrapped her arms around him.
Shawn turned to Grace. “You better tend to your odd friend.” He pointed to Misha, who was now on the ground next to the wrecked white truck.
“Oh, crap,” she blurted.
When she reached him, he was face-down in the uncut grass of the yard. His injuries must have been worse than he let on. He was already wrapped in her ugly homemade bandages and looked like he’d been dragged behind the nearby train, shredded by a pack of wild dogs, then tossed like trash into the middle of the backyard.
He whispered. “You should get out of here. Will be hard to explain.”
The sirens were close.
“We can’t leave you,” she replied, wondering if it was a true statement. It would be easy to run through the crushed fence, hop Robert’s train, and slip out of town.
“I will need medical help. I will explain what happened. No need for you to be here. Go to Yellowstone. I will catch up.” He laughed, as if it weren’t obvious he was being sarcastic.
She scanned the yard, looking for alternatives. What would the police think about what really happened there? How could anyone explain a scene involving hitmen, foreign assassins, grenades, and wrecked trucks? Who would believe the entire Crow Nation randomly showed up on the quiet street? None of it would make any sense, especially without capturing Nerio.
Grace turned to Asher. “Should we get out of here?”
He did the same survey of the yard. “I would rather hop the train than go to the police station. We might be stuck in this town for a long time. And if TKM has any tendrils inside their department, we might be in even more trouble.”
That sealed it for her. Seeing Misha next to the open truck door gave her an idea on how to make things right. She first turned to Asher. “Run out front. Get Shawn and the others to clear out as fast as they can. We don’t want to be here when the ambulance arrives.”
“Roger,” he said, smiling at her, then running.
Once he was gone, Misha spoke from the grass. “You have admirer.”
“Oh, please. Don’t tell me you’re into me.”
He croaked laughter. “No. Not me. Him. Your curly-haired partner.”
She blushed. “Sorry. Talking to you is confusing. I know in my brain you aren’t trying to hurt me, but I guess it will take a while before my heart believes it. And, as for what you said… Don’t tell anyone, but I’m into him, too, but this isn’t the time to be lovey-dovey.” She figured the injured man wouldn’t remember what day it was, much less a silly one-liner about Asher.
Grace went on. “Now, listen. You’re going to do as I say for once. Help is on the way for your wounds. All you have to do is lie here and do absolutely nothing. Do you understand?”
“Nothing,” he echoed.
“Correct. They’ll think you were the driver of the truck. You hit this guy on the tree by accident. It will all add up, I hope.”
He spoke with a cold, dry tone. “Witnesses. Should I kill the children?”
She’d almost forgotten about them. They were the only ones who’d been there for the whole attack. They saw Nerio. Knew she and Asher were involved. They were indeed witness—
Misha quietly chuckled.
Grace caught on. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I am learning English joking.”
She laughed with him. “Thanks for being an okay dude. I hope they fix you up and you make it to Yellowstone. We’ll do our best out there.”
He turned serious, trying to angle his head her way while keeping it on the ground. “Find man named Jake Ray. He was partner at dig site. Tell him Bryansk is beautiful this time of year. Is our code. He will know I sent you.”
“‘Bryansk is beautiful this time of year.’ Got it.”
“Take rifle. Knife on ankle. You will need them if Nerio comes back.”
She pulled a huge knife from Misha’s ankle holster. He’d been armed the entire time, much to her surprise. As she gathered his rifle, she realized Nerio had taken Alejandro’s weapon. It made it easier to scrub the place.
Asher came back as car tires peeled out in the front. “They’re leaving,” he declared.
The sirens were a street or two over.
“We’re making a break for the train. Get our guns, Ash. We don’t want to be here when the cops show up.”
“Will do!” he exclaimed. Asher hopped up, about to run off, but he stopped and looked down on Misha. “Uh, thanks for your help. They’ll take good care of you here.”
Misha snickered. “I told her you like her. Take from me. Do not mess up, kid.”
Asher’s face turned red, which made Grace chuckle at what the Russian man had done to both of them. All she could do was roll her eyes at Asher. “I guess your secret’s out.”
He smiled at her as he spoke to the prone figure. “I won’t, Misha. Thanks again.”
“Do not mention,” he said to the grass.
Together, loaded with weapons, they ran toward the train.
A child’s voice called out to her as she went out the back gate. “Hey! Park ranger lady!”
“Oh, crap,” she said in a low voice. “I forgot about them again.” Grace made it through the gate but turned around. All the kids stood in the rear sliding glass door.
She saluted them. “The super park ranger squad has to go now! We have
