Roger followed Candy into the main body of the warehouse and finally pulled her aside. “Hey, we need to talk.”
“Do you really think that now is the best time to do that?”
He nodded and lowered his voice. “I do.” He turned her so that his back was to the masses that passed by. “Look, I get it, okay. You have every right to be pissed at me, but if I hadn’t been out there, I wouldn’t have run into Mike and got a plan put in place.”
Her narrowed eyes softened somewhat. “Go on.”
“We’re in a bad position here.”
“We can defend this place.”
“That’s not what I mean.” He glanced around and motioned to the people rapidly setting up their makeshift defenses. “These people, they’re trying to hunker down, defend their home…they’re trying to protect what’s theirs.”
“Exactly.”
“They have something to lose. Simon doesn’t. He knows that. If his people want to eat, they have to take it. If they need ammunition, they have to steal it. If they want weapons—”
“I get it. So what’s your point?”
“It’s going to be ten times harder for us. We’re trying to stay alive, but we’re also trying to protect what we have here. Simon will use that against us. If he can’t get what he wants right away, he’ll start destroying things until he does. To him, it’s no loss because he doesn’t have it. Yet.”
Candy’s eyes widened as the situation came into focus for her. “He’s the scavenger…”
“And we’re trying to make something worth saving.” He gave her a tight-lipped smile. “Our best hope is that Savage drops Simon right away. Yeah, there will be a bit of chaos amongst Simon’s true believers, but once they get a taste of what we can build together here, I think they’ll come around.”
“And if they don’t, you and Savage will take care of them.”
Roger stiffened. “That isn’t fair.”
Candy flushed and looked away. “You’re right.” She stared at the floor and reached for his hand. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”
“No, I didn’t.” He caressed the back of her hand with his thumb. “Or maybe I did. I don’t know.”
“Can we pretend I didn’t say it?” She looked at him hopefully and he knew that whether she had said it or not, she felt it in her heart.
He gave her a weak nod. “Sure.”
She pulled him close and wrapped her arms around his neck, tiptoeing to reach him. “I really am sorry.”
“It’s okay.” He pulled her tighter, then suddenly let her go. “Wait a second…”
“What?”
“Didn’t you have a makeshift commune set up for them to find?”
She nodded and gave him a crooked smile. “It was a thought that we tried to put in place, but we couldn’t sell it. Not unless we moved a lot of people there and I wasn’t ready to risk their lives.”
A slow smile started to form. “What if we make it look like people had been there, but left?”
She shrugged. “What good would that do?”
“I’m just bouncing ideas here, but let’s say Mike can’t get close enough to remove Simon. We create a fake community and make it look like the people abandoned it.”
She ran her hand alongside his face. “I don’t think he’d buy it. It wouldn’t convince me, and if he’s as mean and psycho as you say, he’d never buy it, either.” She pulled back and stared at him. “Our best bet is to lay low and pray that he goes on about his business. Maybe he’ll go on to Albuquerque?”
Roger shook his head. “He’s like a dog with a bone once an idea gets in his head.” He glanced behind him at the people rushing around, reinforcing walls and loading magazines. “Look, I’m telling ya, we need something to throw him off.”
Candy noticed something in his facial expression that sent a cold chill up her spine. “Like what?” she asked cautiously.
Roger inhaled deeply and blew it out slowly. “Maybe I should go back.”
“Absolutely not.” She had to force herself to remain calm and keep her voice low. “You faked your death, remember? What are you, zombie cop?”
Roger gave her a solemn smile. “No, not a zombie, but I’m sure I could come up with a believable excuse to—”
“Let’s just give your guy Mike a chance to do his thing.” She pressed her finger against his lips to shush him. “Right now, he has no idea where we are, and if we keep our head down and the noise to a minimum, with any luck he’ll pass right on by.”
Roger shook his head. “We’re not that lucky.”
“Yes, we are.” She hooked her arm into his and began walking back toward the offices. “And Rio Rancho is a big town compared to most. He’s got a lot of area to cover and the odds of him finding us grow slimmer by the day.”
He gave her a sideways look. “Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”
“Just shut up and agree with me.”
Chapter 21
Hatcher paced as his mind raced. He paused for only a moment when Vicky entered his office. “You okay?”
He shot her a confused look. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
She crossed her arms and leaned against the filing cabinet. “You look like you’re about ready to jump out of your skin.”
“I need coffee.”
She chuckled. “No, you don’t. You’re too nervous now.”
“Coffee helps me think.”
“Not when you’re like this.”
He spun on her, his face reddening. “Did you want something or did you come in here to bust my chops?”
“Nobody’s busting your chops, Danny.” She pushed off the cabinet and slowly approached him. “You’re wound too tight.”
“I’ll be fine.” He turned to continue pacing and she gripped his shoulders. “You need to relax.”
“That isn’t going to help me figure a way out of this mess.”
“Sit down.” She pushed him slightly and steadied him as he fell into his chair. “You need to have a sit down with Roger.”
Hatcher’s brows knit and he glared at her. “Why would I do that?”
“Because he
