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“Gio,” Rose said. “Let’s get back into town and Gio can connect us with Kenan. Maybe he even has some ideas on where Topeka might have gone. He knows this area better than anyone. Maybe he could point us in the right direction.”
“Is finding her really the right thing?” Harry asked, thinking out loud. He slid on his boots and handed Rose her sneakers.
“What do you mean?” She looked defensive but Harry wasn’t sure why. “Of course we need to try to find her. She’s not safe out there on her own.”
“I just mean, her choices put a lot of people in danger. Bringing a phone, and leaving it on, it was selfish. And she chose to leave. Maybe she wants to do this on her own.”
“Harry,” Rose said in an adorably scolding way. “She kept a phone she thought was safe because she was desperate to hear if someone she cared about was alive or not. And it sounds like he’s not. She probably ran for the same reason I got in that car with those men. To protect the people I could and buy some time. She deserves protection as much as any of us do.”
“Of course she does,” Harry agreed swiftly. “You’re right. We’ll get with Gio.”
“Right,” Rose said, smiling at Harry’s quick turn-around to see her side of things.
“So I shouldn’t suggest that we grab the rest of that fruit and hop back in bed for the rest of the day?”
She rolled her eyes but he could see she’d love that idea if it was possible. This playful banter had never been able to exist for them before. Every moment had been so serious. So life and death. This playful jabbing was more than some newrelationship fun. It represented a normalcy that they deserved and had been robbed of for so long. The only thing missing now was Nathaniel. The giant piece of her life and heart he knew she wanted to be reunited with as soon as possible. He could be something for Nathaniel. Something sturdy. Consistent. Reliable. It would be the achievement of his life if he could be those things he never had.
CHAPTER 28
Harry and Rose found Gio at the small café in the center of town, the morning bustle beginning to stir the streets to life. People seemed tentative and rightfully so, but also determined to go on with their days.
The café, with its worn wooden tables and the rich aroma of coffee, felt worlds away from the tension and danger that had been their constant companions. The glass from the shattered windows had been swept up.
They approached Gio, who was nursing a steaming cup of coffee, his eyes scanning the street with an instinctive vigilance. He looked up as they neared, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"You two look like you've actually slept," he observed, seeming happy for them.
Harry smirked, glancing at Rose and giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "It's easier to look well-rested when no one's taking potshots at you," he replied, the levity in his tone masking the underlying truth of his words.
Rose nodded in agreement, her smile matching Harry's. "We want to help, Gio. We can't go back to Verde Lago yet, but we're not content to sit on the sidelines either. What can we do? Any leads on where Topeka is?"
Gio took a sip of his coffee, considering their offer. He’d been trained to be secretive with information and keep things close to the vest, even with people he trusted.
"There's a lot that needs doing," Gio finally said. "We're keeping an eye out for any more... unwelcome visitors. So far there have been no reports of trouble from anyone in our vast network. The plan to send the men off after a plane she was never on worked. They cleared out of here. That’s the good news.”
“Is there bad news?” Harry asked ominously.
Gio leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant as if piecing together a puzzle only he could see. “We had a possible sighting of Topeka,” he began. “She was apparently seen in a village thirty miles from here, trying to hitch a ride to the coast.”
“The coast?” Rose repeated, her brow furrowed in thought. “She’s trying to leave Italy by boat?”
Gio nodded. “Seems like it. We’re not sure where she’s headed, but our contacts say she’s found temporary shelter in a basement room, courtesy of a local who’s known for helping people in... discreet situations. I’m sure someone she came across gave her a tip to go there.”
Harry absorbed the information, his mind racing. “Do we know how long she’s planning to stay there?”
“Not long,” Gio replied, checking his watch as if time was slipping through his fingers. “Word is she’s planning to leave on a truck bound for the coast soon. I was about to call Kenan and make my way over there.”
Harry exchanged a glance with Rose. The unspoken decision passed between them in an instant. “We’ll go,” Harry said decisively. “We’ll try to get to her before she disappears completely.”
“I think she’ll respond well to you again, Rose. It’s a good idea if you can talk to her.” Gio scribbled down the address on ascrap of paper and handed it to Harry. “Be careful,” he warned. “I think she feels cornered and desperate. She hasn’t gotten word yet that much of the threat in the direct area is gone.”
Harry pocketed the address, nodding his understanding. “We’ll bring her back.”
Rose hesitated, her gaze falling to the ground. “We’ll talk to her,” she corrected. “It’s up to her what she wants to do. I can give her my opinion, my advice, but if she’s dead-set on running, we’re not going to bring her back here kicking and screaming. No one deserves to go from one captor straight to another.”
Neither Gio nor Harry replied. They weren’t really in a position to argue with her. They’d never been in that position. Instead Gio sipped at his coffee and Harry gestured a quick goodbye as he and Rose moved toward the car.
“An adventure to the coast,” Harry said, covering her hand with his. “One day I’ll bring you to the coast for a vacation, a real vacation.”
