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“I think so. He’s offering help, so I should be able to.”
“But you were afraid he was here to talk to you about something else.”
Elena dropped the lock on the door and tossed another log on the fire.
“Elena?”
“I was afraid he was going to make me marry.”
Her mom nodded. “I’ve been wondering about that. Is there anyone out there you could be interested in?”
“No.”
“There will come a day when...”
“No. I don’t want to talk about it.”
She strode to the back and lifted the lid on her trunk. She pulled on slacks and heavy socks. Her coat hung by the door. She pulled it on. “Do you have your sewing for today?”
Her mom waved her hand slightly. “I’m fine.”
Elena slipped out of the cabin to gulp in some fresh air. She was about to check their storage bin at the back of her cabin when she saw Theresa striding toward her.
“Hi, Elena. Craig said I’m to help you.”
She smiled at the sweet girl. She had always been nice to everyone in the camp. At just fourteen she was showing promise in healing with her mom, so Elena could have done worse in the form of help.
“Hi, Theresa. I was going to check my stores and see what else I need for today. If you could help wash the sheets this morning and stack more wood in the bin, I’d appreciate it. Mama is sewing and we’ve already had breakfast.”
“Sure thing. Let me know if there’s anything else you need.”
ChapterNine
Dark had fallen a couple of hours ago and the town had begun to settle in for the night. It was nearing ten o’clock and he was on his way to work but wanted to leave a note for Elena.
He laid his note in the bottom of the little basket she’d left for him, set the two cookies from Lara, wrapped in cellophane, on top of the note, then tucked the material over the top and into the sides to keep things from blowing out.
Parking across the road from their ivy-covered spot, he checked the road both ways before exiting his vehicle and making his way across the street. There weren’t any streetlights on this section of road, so it helped in concealment.
Pulling the vines up, he tucked the basket into the base of the tree, then laid the vines over it. Jogging across the road to his truck, he felt excitement course through him that he’d left her a note and a treat. It seemed immature to get giddy over something like that, but there was an excitement to their hidden affection or admiration for each other. He’d need to remember to not let the excitement of a forbidden love color his actual feelings. He was too old for that crap. His thirtieth birthday was coming in a couple of months.
He stared at the location of the basket for a few moments before starting his truck. Taking a deep breath, he pulled from his parking spot and headed toward the base and the task at hand tonight.
Upon entering the gates at the base, he parked next to Tate’s truck. Tate was walking to the shipping container nearest the road that led up the mountain to Hickory Hills.
Exiting his truck, he jogged to catch up to Tate. “Hey what’s up?”
Tate turned and held his forefinger to his lips. Then whispered, “I think someone’s messing around over there.”
They strode in unison toward the container and heard the tinny sound of something hitting the side of the container.
They ducked and creeped to opposite ends of the container. He ducked down near the south end of the container and pulled his weapon from his ankle holster. Once Tate made it to the other end, he nodded.
Aidyn slid up the side of the container and pushed himself between the two containers butted up to each other. Some of the containers weren’t pushed completely to the other and it left a gap. They’d been attaching barriers on the mountain side of the containers to stave off the BRR from slipping between and getting in, but they weren’t finished with them.
Peering around the corner to the outside of the container, he saw something move in the brush. Sticking his head out further, he saw Tate watching the same thing he watched. Both of them waited and the movement stopped.
Aidyn glanced up the mountain looking for signs anyone was watching. It was pitch black and the moon was only a sliver. Of course the BRR would use this as an opportunity to plant some of their explosives or cause trouble. They’d need to plan out a bit more, keeping the moon and its cycles in mind.
