Mia nodded, her face pink. She looked down at her hands as her fingers intertwined with each other. "I know—I know that now. It's not going to happen again, I can promise you that," she said as she looked up at Marty. "But I had to know what happened. They tore the whole house apart," she said, her eyes wide. "I've never seen anything like it. Furniture ripped to pieces, pictures knocked off walls—they took everything out of the kitchen, even cutlery trays and napkins! It was like…it was like locusts came through and stripped everything bare. There was nothing left."
Marty leaned back in his chair and grunted. "What kind of car was it?"
Mia shook her head. "It was dark…I didn't get a good look at it, but at one point somebody inside had a flashlight, and they shined it out in the street and lit the car up. It was kind of gold… and dark stains at the front corners.”
“Like rust?” asked Marty.
“Yeah, I guess it could’ve been rust,” agreed Mia.
Cami and Marty look at each other. "Sounds like the same car Amber and Mitch described," she said quietly.
Marty nodded. "Just like I said—they're trying to move in. Probably got a base of operations around here somewhere and figure they’re free to start knocking off the empty houses." He leaned forward on his cane and fixed Cami with a steady, rheumy, eye. "This ain't over, missy. They're gonna get bold now. Won't be long before they try knocking over a house that's got people inside.” He clucked his teeth and shook his head. “Like a dog what gets the taste of blood for the first time…” He got to his feet with a groan. "I need to get back to my place, get the word out on the nets. We need to get some backup in here before they run through us like water through a goose."
"Who?" asked Mia.
"The sheriff’s department has a high frequency radio rig. They don't use it much—they only ever activate it for severe weather or emergencies. I don't even know if anybody there has a license, but they do transmit every once in a blue moon. Haven't heard a peep out of them since the tsunami hit…but I can at least get the word out that we got some problems. See what they say…”
"That's a great idea," Cami said.
Cami and Mia watched Marty shuffle his way across the side yard and disappear into the tree line before either one spoke. "Cami, I'm really scared…” Mia confided. Her lip trembled and her eyes glistened, but she swallowed hard and tried to regain her composure.
“We all are, Mia,” Cami said with a sympathetic smile.
"I'm trying to be strong…” Mia continued. “I’m trying to take care of my kids, and…a-and I pray and pray that Jimmy makes it home safe…but…it’s been a week…” She inhaled sharply. “He’s not coming home, is he?”
“Don’t say that,” Cami said with more vehemence than she’d meant. Mia blinked in surprise. Cami leaned over and embraced Mia again. “I’m sorry…I’m…I’m just worried about Reese. They’re both going to come home, you’ll see. It's going to be all right—look. Why don't you make plans to bring the kids over and stay here for a while?"
"Won't that just be an invitation to rob my house?" Mia asked.
"It might," Cami said. "But if they take things, those can be replaced—the safety of you and your kids…” Cami shook her head. "I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I knew that I could've done something and didn't."
Mia tucked a lock of hair over her ear. “Thanks, Cami. It means a lot to me.”
Cami nodded and smiled grimly.
Mia stood and looked at Mitch as he fired another bolt at the target. Amber clapped and cheered when the bolt thrummed home in the bullseye. “It must be nice having them around,” she said.
“It is,” Cami replied as she stood next to her neighbor. “And it’ll be nice to have you and your kids here, too.” She smiled. “Do you want me to come help you pack?”
Mia shook her head. “I think I can do it.”
“Look, first thing you need to do is pack a bug-out bag.”
“What’s that?” asked Mia.
“It’s a bag you leave packed at all times with spare clothes, all the important documents you need like your insurance papers and social security cards, that kind of thing. Oh, put some food and water in there, or your kids’ favorite toys, you know? Leave it by the door, or in your room—if something happens, you grab your boys, grab the bag, and get out. Don’t think, don’t worry, just go.”
“Go where?” asked Mia.
“Get to cover—hide in the forest and wait until it’s safe to move, then come straight to me.” Cami held up her hand. “That’s just a worst-case scenario. Hopefully, you’ll be able to go home and pack without incident, then bring everything over here. Just bring the kids over first, and I’ll send Amber and Mitch to help you haul the heavy stuff.”
Mia hugged her. “Thanks, Cami. Again.” She laughed. “I don’t know what I’d do without you…”
“Shush now. Get moving,” Cami said with a smile as she shooed Mia out of the screened porch. When the younger woman disappeared around the corner of the house, Cami stepped back inside and picked up a pad of paper. She stared at the pantry.
“How long is all our food going to last with three extra mouths?”
Chapter 10
Boston, Massachusetts
Reese followed the kidnappers throughout most of the night. Across car-clogged overpasses, through mud-choked side streets and alleys, he tagged along just out of earshot, patient and persistent. He had no choice—he couldn’t go home and look at Cami with the knowledge that he’d abandoned
