Page 23 of Wintering with George

“I have no doubt that whoever has your allegiance and trust deserves it and that it goes both ways.”

I nodded.

“Now, all this is to say that you called one of your self-employed friends to assist you with the particular situation we find ourselves in.”

“That’s right.”

“Why? Why not call Ian or whatshisname, your FBI agent buddy?”

“Because I needed us all out now, and law enforcement, any and all of them, can’t protect us. A safe house isn’t enough. We have no idea who’s coming and what their skill set is. I refuse to gamble on that.”

“You’re saying really scary people could be on their way, who the police or whatever other agency might not be prepared for.”

“That’s right.”

Brad cleared his throat. “Could we wait and talk about this when the boys aren’t right here to listen?”

I sighed deeply. “I killed people in front of them today, Brad. So normally, I would agree, but what I’m relating is what is going to keep them safe.”

“I’m the one who told George what you said on the phone,” Toby told his father. “I know you owe someone money, and George is just trying to help.”

The quiet in the car was the kind that would have made me squirm if I were in Brad’s shoes.

“You heard me on the phone?” Brad asked his son.

“Yeah.”

“And you told George?” Thomasin asked.

“Yeah.”

“Okay, then,” she said with an exhale, sounding resigned. “Go ahead and tell us all what’s happening, please, George.”

“As I said, I don’t know who’s coming. But if we went to the police, they would separate us, and I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I don’t want to be by myself,” Dennis said, and I could hear the wobble in his voice, as though he were on the verge of tears. As tired as I was, the boys had to be just as emotionally drained. “Please.”

“No, buddy,” I said flatly. “We’re all gonna stay together.”

He whimpered. “You promise?”

“I do.”

Checking on him in the rearview mirror, I saw him lean sideways into his mother. He needed comfort desperately, and there was no one better than his mom. Toby leaned into her as well, and the three of them made such a beautiful picture.

“Go on,” Kurt prodded me.

“Okay, so I called my buddy Chris, who knows exactly what’s going on with contracts and things like that, and he told me to get out and take you all with me. He doesn’t know who’s coming, but he has a car for us, and either when we get the car, or once we’re on the road, he’ll let me know where I’m going.”

“That’s incredible,” Kurt whispered, and I turned to see his face because it was amazing that he thought that. Most people might have condemned me for not calling the police, doing what they thought would be best. But Kurt, he trusted me and so had faith in the people I in turn believed in.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling at him.

Just for a moment, he put his hand on my cheek, and then moved it as we approached the airport.

In long-term parking, I was supposed to look for a black Chevy Suburban, which the six of us, plus the animals, would be far more comfortable in. Of course it was there, away from the cameras, in the far corner of the lot. It had rained earlier, and the ground glistened under the lights, as did the wet cars, making everything shiny. It felt surreal, like a dream, and I knew I had to be really tired to be noticing so much more than simply the SUV.

Closing in, I noted a Mercedes sedan parked one space away, and when I rolled into the spot between the two vehicles, a woman I knew got out of the passenger side and waited.