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“Haven’t you ever wondered…” he didn’t finish.
“If it was all a lie? Beth suggested it all the time. How did I know I wasn’t kidnapped from my real family? One day, she brought me two DNA kits from one of those places that trace your ancestry. If I was so sure I was really Pops’ granddaughter, I shouldn’t be afraid to prove it. I had a heck of a time getting his saliva, but I did. When the results came online, it confirmed we were related. There were enough DNA markers for him to be my grandfather. And no. Pops has never hurt me in any way.
“Pops wasn’t a touchy-feely guy, but I was everything to him. He gave up his whole life to protect me and give me a good start in life. Never once did he let me go anywhere unless I was with him or Beth. He didn’t have guy friends or girlfriends that I knew of. The only place we went on vacation together was our cabin in the Appalachian Mountains. It sits right on top of a mountain in the Nantahala Forest, not far from Cherokee, North Carolina. He paid cash for all four years of my college in advance and insisted I never come home again. I spent my summer vacations working in Atlanta. Either Pops came to visit me, or we met at the cabin for a week during breaks and holidays. No one knows the location of the cabin but Pops and me. Now…just me.”
“How did he die?”
“The sheriff’s report said he had a heart attack while he was stopped at a traffic light. I never got to…say goodbye. When I got a call from his lawyer, he had already been cremated.”
Bash appeared baffled by the whole story. “Where will you go from here? Home? I think you’re safe. Unless you left something in your car, those guys don’t know your name.”
“I don’t leave paperwork in my car.”
“Popsism?”
“Yeah. After my vacation with Beth, I planned to drive to the mountain cabin. I didn’t know Pops had a will until I got the call from his attorney. Apparently, there were a few things he kept from me. I found out he sold our house and his repair shop a couple of years ago. He moved into an apartment, but I’m not sure where. The lawyer is supposed to transfer some money into my account, but I haven’t checked to see if I have received it yet. It would make it too real. Mr. Watson told me Pops left me something important in the cabin. It was his safe place. His sanctuary.”
“Was it your sanctuary too?”
“As I got older, it got a bit boring. We hiked. Fished. Played board games. I read. He worked on the cabin. That was the only place he wasn’t constantly looking over his shoulder, so I guess it was.”
“Sounds isolated.”
Her face brightened. “Exactly the kind of place you need. Would you like to come with me? There’s plenty of room, and it’s a safe place to stay until your friend finds you something more to your liking. It’s not fancy, but it has all the basics. Running water. An electric generator. K rations. No neighbors for miles.”
“K rations? You’re kidding, right?” he asked with disbelief.
“We can stop at a grocery store on the way, but yes, there are K rations. The cabin has everything you’d need to survive a world crisis. It’s just a suggestion. I can’t imagine those guys finding it.”
Morgan hadn’t intended to invite him, but as she began talking, it seemed to be the ideal place for him to temporarily hide.
“I appreciate the offer but let me give Gray a call first. He may already have a backup plan.
Chapter Eleven
Bash excused himself and relocated below deck to make a private call. He needed to talk to Gray and figure out what the hell to do next. Pulling out one of the burner phones, he made the call.
“Bash! I’ve been going out of my fucking mind. I haven’t heard from you in two days! Did it not occur to you to check in? Someone broke into Bryan’s office. We know for sure they got into his assistant’s desk, but we don’t think she had anything relevant to you. They must have gotten spooked by something. Never made it into Bryan’s personal office.”
“What do you mean she wouldn’t have anything relevant to me? Bryan’s my editor, for fuck sake!”
“Calm down, Bash. All the client files are secured in Bryan’s office.”
The whole incident soured Bash’s mood. Too many things were happening at once. “You could have called me if you were so worried.”
“That’s not what we agreed. You were to make first contact, so I would know you were free to talk. I’m assuming you are at the lake house.”
“Your assumption would be incorrect. Your safety plan lasted less than 36 hours. I’m on the boat you rented, sitting in the middle of the lake, and it isn’t by choice. Who made the reservation for the lake house, anyway?” Bash huffed.
“What do you mean my safety plan didn’t last? I have no clue where you are, so how could anyone else?”
“Answer my damn question, Gray. Who made this reservation?” he bellowed.
“Christ, Bash. Bryan asked someone in his art department, but they had no idea who it was for. Bryan gave the guy a $5000 bonus to keep quiet and implied it was a love nest for a married writer and his mistress. What makes you think someone knows where you are?”
“Because two muscled men showed up last night at my door!” Bash proceeded to tell him the entire story.
“I don’t even know what to say, Bash. I honestly don’t think it was leaked from Bryan’s office.”
