AllFreeNovel
Share Us
While he supported Rose’s weight, he led her quickly up the stairs. They moved in silence, the urgency of their escape palpable. Outside, a waiting car stood ready, an integral part of Carmen's plan.
As they sped away, following the route Carmen had meticulously mapped out for them, Rose's breath became frantic.
“Nathaniel,” she cried. “Someone took him? Who took him?” She clung to Harry’s bicep, begging for some kind of answers.
“He’s safe. No one took him. We’ll get to him as soon as we can, but I promise he’s all right.” He covered her hand with his as they drove quickly out of town.
“I never should have said anything to these people. They couldn’t be trusted. I jeopardized everyone I care about. They could have killed Nathaniel.”
“He’s safe,” Harry repeated. “And what you did mattered. It will be what helps take them down. You’re going to be one of the reasons every other woman in these places gets their freedom.”
“No,” she bit back, the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Marvin was right. They won’t stop until they kill us. They won’t.”
Harry's voice broke through her turmoil, soothing her with promises of hope. "It'll all be over soon, Rose. You have to trust me."
They drove for about forty minutes, leaving the city behind and venturing into a remote, wooded area. Rose grew increasingly anxious with every mile.
“Where are we going? Did you get rid of your phone and Marvin’s phone? They’ll track us. They’ll find us if we don’t ditch them.” She was trying to think ahead to stay alive.
"I hope they're tracking us. That's exactly what we need."
“Why? You can’t mess with them. You haven’t been around that long. You don’t know what they’ll do.”
“I know exactly what they do. I’ve had a front row seat to it. But I’m telling you, we’re doing the right thing. Let them follow us. It’s the only way we’ll actually be free of them.” He squeezed her leg and tried his best to reassure her.
Finally, they arrived at a tiny, secluded cabin. Rose hesitated; her breath still ragged as her nerves. “Nathaniel isn’t here? With your phone here, they’ll be right behind us. I don’t want Nathaniel—”
“He’s not here. No one is. The cabin is deserted.”
The rumble of a car engine pulled in behind them on the long dirt driveway.
“They’re here,” Rose cried, slumping down in the seat. “Drive. We need to go.”
“No,” Harry whispered. “That’s Mick. He’s with us. We need to get out of the car. I want you to go to his vehicle and get in. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Don’t leave me. I don’t know who that is.”
“He’s a friend. Someone we can trust.”
“Where will you go? What if you don’t come back? Nathaniel...”
“Mick knows where Nathaniel is. He is here to keep you safe. But I’ve got to do what they asked me to, in order to keep you and Nathaniel safe in the future.” He leaned in and brushed a tear from her cheek. “I should have done more, and I should have done it sooner. But I’m making it right now. Then we’ll be able to help everyone else too.”
It pained him to see how panic gripped her, but he leaned across her and opened her car door. Without another word Harry stepped out, wasting no time. He did as he had been told, setting up several small devices around the cabin. The location of each mattered. It had to look convincing. He tossed his and Marvin’s phones down as well as a bag he’d packed full of clothes.
Once he was sure he’d done it all correctly, Harry retreated quickly to Mick's car where Rose was sitting in stunned silence, nibbling at her already damaged thumbnail. He hopped into the backseat next to her.
“This part is going to look scary,” he explained, pulling her in closer.
Moments later, an explosion shattered the silence, and flames engulfed the tiny cabin. Rose shrieked and clung tightly to him.
“They’ll think we’re dead. That’s what needed to happen. They’ll trace my phone to this location, see it burned to the ground and believe that we didn’t make it. It’ll buy just enough time for Mick and Charlize to finish what they started.”
“How can you be sure this will work? What if it doesn’t keep Nathanial and me safe?”
“Then I will.” Harry said flatly. “For as long as it takes.”
Rose shook her head, still unconvinced. “My friends and their children are in serious danger. We will have started something today that might cost them everything. You should have saved Nathanial and left me where I was. That would have kept more people safe.”
