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He wanted to ask why she’d put herself in that position. Why she’d taken such a risk. But it didn’t matter now. Her bravery had saved lives at the bookstore and nearly turned disastrous for her. But it hadn’t.
Mick was already searching the fallen man's body, his hands swift and efficient as he retrieved the car keys and the man's phone. "We're taking their car," he declared, tossing the keys to Harry. "It's faster, and we need every second we can get. Help me change the tire. We can make it quick and catch up."
Harry caught the keys, nodding in agreement. The old truck had served its purpose, but now speed was their ally. He helped Rose into the back seat of the SUV, ensuring she was as comfortable as possible, given the circumstances. Then with the speed of NASCAR pit crew they changed to the spare tire and tossed the old one away down an embankment.
"I’ll look through the phone," Mick said, as he slid into the driver's seat. "We’ve got to find something that tells us their next move. We have to try to stay one step ahead.”
“We heading back toward town?” Harry pulled the car onto the road, the engine roaring to life beneath them.
“No,” Mick replied, frantically scrolling text messages on the dead man’s phone. “Rose, the airstrip you were leading them to, what did you tell them?”
She’d barely caught her breath and Harry wanted to tell Mick to back off of her, let her have a minute to compose herself. But time was just another addition to their current list of enemies.
“I... When we first drove in I saw a sign for it. It was in Italian but it had a little symbol of a plane. I memorized it and looked it up on one of the maps in the library at Verde Lago.”
“Why?” Harry asked, feeling puzzled.
“Control,” she explained in a breathy sigh. “I had no idea where we were, or what might happen. Nathaniel and I had no exit strategy if we really needed one. I figured, if things went bad for any reason, I should know what direction to go. When the men stormed into the bookstore, I could tell they were willing to do anything to get answers. I had to draw them away. The airstrip was all I could think of. I knew it was in the opposite direction of Verde Lago and that it really existed.”
“They could have killed you,” Harry said, pain in his voice. “I should have stayed with you.”
“It would have been a blood bath,” Mick interjected. “You’d have been out-numbered, out-gunned, and had a bunch of innocent civilians at your back. This worked out the best it could for now. According to these text messages, everyone bought Rose’s story. All of them were ordered to head to the airstrip. That’s where we need to go.”
“We can drop Rose at?—”
“There isn’t time,” Mick argued. “We need to get there now and end this. I’m going to work on something with Kenan. Something to convince these guys Topeka isn’t in the area anymore. If we can get them out of here now, Verde Lago remains safe and undetected.”
“You said they were ordered,” Rose said, just above a whisper. “Who is giving the orders?”
“We’ll find out soon when I call him. Just buckle up. Harry, get us to that airstrip as soon as possible. I’ll work on the rest.”
“They won’t make Topeka leave, will they?” Rose asked, leaning into the front seat and pulling at Harry’s sleeve. “She’s in grave danger. They wouldn’t send her away from Verde Lago, right?”
Mick didn’t answer quickly enough for Rose’s comfort.
“She deserves protection just like anyone else. And obviously the threat to her life is perfectly clear to see.”
“I’ll work it out,” Mick said flatly. “There’s always a way.”
CHAPTER 23
The SUV cut through the night like a bullet, racing toward the airstrip. Mick had been working frantically to make some sort of plan come together. Everything had to go smoothly or they’d surely end up dead. The phones had proven a treasure trove of information. Orders, cryptic messages, names—pieces of a puzzle they were desperately trying to solve on the fly.
"We’re a minute out,” Mick said, checking his watch and his weapon.
As they approached the airstrip Harry had to remind himself to breath. The intake of oxygen wasn’t coming naturally. Nothing was right now. His limbs felt heavy. His chest tight.
Rose's face was washed with fear and he could see the wheels turning in Mick's head, the plan forming with each mile they’d covered.
When they arrived, the airstrip loomed before them, desolate and quiet, belying the storm they were about to walk into. They parked the SUV near the fuel tanks, the shadows providing cover. It was the best option for Rose.
"Stay here, hide behind the tanks. They'll give you some cover," Mick instructed Rose, his voice low.
Harry turned to Rose, the urgency of their farewell hanging heavy between them. He pulled her into a kiss, brief but filled with all the unsaid things that moments like these brought to the surface. "If things go south, you run. Get to the woods, make your way back to Verde Lago, get Nathaniel. You’ve got a whole life waiting for you somewhere. Don’t look back,” he said, each word coming out like a direct order. He needed to know she’d be okay. If he knew that, maybe he could get through this.
Rose nodded, her body trembling but her eyes alight with the fire of survival. "I will," she promised, ducking behind the tanks as they moved away. “Be careful.”
Harry watched her a moment longer before turning to Mick. "Is your last-minute strategy coming together?" he asked, his voice giving away the slightest edge of doubt.
