“I was a bitch at first. I hated Carlos, but I did get used to getting my own way. He mistreated me, but also spoiled me.”
“Sam, those days are over, and you have a fresh start with your family.”
Sam looked up at Tom. “No, I don’t. I fibbed about my family. My family is in Indiana, hiding from Carlos. I was escaping and didn’t know where to go. I latched on to you and your group to survive. Can I stay with your group? Please?”
Tom’s mind spun. He was in a quandary. “I’ll need to check with Granny B and Jackie. We decide things together.”
“Please check with them. Lucy and I won’t last long on our own. I don’t want to have to latch onto another gangbanger just to survive.”
Tom thought. She’s more of a survivor than she puts on. She’d rather latch on to me than a gang member.” He said, “I’ll check as soon as I can get them off to the side.”
She laid her head against Tom and wrapped her arm around his back. “Tom, I didn’t ask if you want me to stay with you.”
Tom’s eyes shot open, and he paused. “I do.”
*
Chapter 14
Emigrant Lake – Southeast of Ashland, Oregon
Sam and Tom caught a dozen medium to large bluegill, and Tom cleaned them by the lake. The fillets were small, but they would taste great roasted over the campfire. The sun was barely above the horizon when they walked back to the camp. Tom saw Jackie had made a fire under a dense clump of cedar trees to dissipate the smoke. “Look, folks. We have some fish for breakfast, or whatever this meal is to be called.”
Jackie took the fish and showed Sam how to thread the sticks through them so they could roast over the fire. Sam started dropping hints about how much she had learned from Jackie and her family. Jackie glanced up at Tom and her brows dropped. Tom winked at her. “Sam told me that her friends call her Sam. I’ll be calling her Sam from now on.”
They sat near the fire to ward off the cool morning air and chatted about their trip and encounters. Betty talked about her home in Medford. “I live in a modest home northwest of the Rogue Valley Country Club. It’s an older farmhouse that was built long before Medford annexed the area. I have a couple of acres, a large garden, and a pond.”
Tom worried that such a lovely place would be a prime target for someone who wanted to escape the city and live off her garden and pond. “Betty, do you think it’ll be safe at your place?”
Bill interrupted. “I’m going to take Betty to her place and make sure she’s okay before I go to my place, which is on the opposite side of town. My home is in an older but nice subdivision.”
Brenda listened patiently. “You probably know we have a large estate up in the hills off of Highway 66. Most of the town saw the newspaper articles that followed the home, lake, and pool’s construction. I’m afraid it’s been taken over by people escaping the city. Granny B, we’d like to go with you to your place until we can find out if ours is safe.”
Tom was a bit surprised by Brenda’s statement and wondered how to tell her they didn’t want anyone to know where their place was located. Suddenly, Granny B spoke out. “Brenda, you might have noticed that none of us ever indicated where we live. We want to keep it that way. The fewer people who know about our ranch, the less we’ll have to kill when they come to take our cattle and food. Anyone who comes with us to our ranch won’t be allowed to leave.”
Brenda looked at Greta, who nodded. “We can live with that. We do have some equipment and other things that might come in handy at your ranch.”
Granny B looked at Tom and Jackie. “I would like Brenda and Greta to join us at the ranch. Are you two okay with that?”
Jackie’s head bobbed, and Tom saw Sam stare at him. “I’d like to add Sam and Lucy to the group. She asked me this morning, but I wanted to talk to you two alone before giving her an answer.”
Jackie walked over to Sam and hugged her. “Of course, she can join the group.”
Granny B didn’t have a smile on her face but gave a somewhat reluctant nod. Tom looked at Betty and Bill. “If you change your minds, go to the Oak Hurst Inn on 66 and camp there. We’ll check there every three to five days for the next month. If you come, be prepared to stay until this is over and we’re back on the road to recovery.”
Bill walked over and shook Tom’s hand. “I think we’ll go to our homes. Could you help me find a car that will run so we can head on up to Medford as soon as possible?”
“Of course, I’ll help. I think I have an idea where we can find an older vehicle that’ll work for you.”
Tom caught Jackie off to the side. “I wanted to talk with you before we meet with Granny. What does she have against Sam and Lucy?”
Jackie shrugged her shoulders. “I think she sees a lot of mom in Sam. Remember, it was our Mom who hooked Dad on the drugs that killed her only son. I’ll bet she also thinks that
