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Cassie’s radio went off. She stepped away from the others and listened as the person on the other end spoke.
Judge couldn’t make out much of the conversation but figured it had to do with the raid on the camp.
Cassie finally said, “Roger, that’ll give us time to transport our prisoners to the jailhouse. See you at the community center in an hour.”
When the deputy rejoined the others, everyone stopped talking to hear what she had to say.
Cassie clipped her radio on her shoulder. “Hank’s team was able to round up all the people in the compound with minimal injuries, no deaths. He had a couple of buses positioned for transport.”
She took a breath and continued. “Sheriff Barron is with them. The FBI is on their way, and Child and Family Services Division has been alerted. Apparently, the teen who stowed away in Hank’s vehicle was able to point out the leaders. They’re being transported in a van to the jailhouse. Everyone else is being taken to the community center in Eagle Rock until they can figure out where they’ll go next.” She looked over their shoulders and smiled. “Oh, good. The transports have arrived.”
Once the prisoners were loaded into vans and the bodies into the ambulances, Judge’s team split up, heading for the ATVs they’d hidden on the other side of the ridge.
Judge looped Penny’s rifle over his shoulder and held her hand for the walk back down the side of the mountain to where they’d left their ATV.
The sun had disappeared behind the ridge, and the stars had popped out to light their way.
“Penny from Eagle Rock, Montana,” he said softly, squeezing her hand gently. “I like it.”
“So, you know my real name now. What about you? All your friends call you Judge, but that can’t be your real name.”
He chuckled. “It’s Joe Smith. Somewhere in my checkered, military past, I got labeled Judge. It stuck, and I’ve been Judge ever since.”
“Not anymore,” Penny said. “Joe. Not Joseph?”
“Just Joe,” he said.
“Well, Just Joe, I’m looking forward to getting to know all about you, your past, where you grew up and anything else that makes you who you are.” She lifted her face to the sky and drew in a deep breath. “It’s good to be free.”
“Yes, it is.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her in the starlight. “And alive. Now that you can do anything you like, go anywhere you want, what will you do?”
She smiled. “I want to go home.” She looked up into his face. “And I want you to come with me.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure?”
Her brow puckered. “Is it soon to meet the parents?”
“Not for me,” he said. “I just worry that you might be feeling things for me because of the intense stress you’ve been under. That once you’ve had time to adjust back into your life, you won’t need me.”
She laughed and hugged him tight. “We’ll take it slow so I can prove to you that what I feel for you isn’t stress-induced. But I still want you to meet my parents. Even if all we end up being is just friends.” She tilted her head to one side. “Is it okay for just friends to spend the night making love together?”
“Look, we’re not going to end up being just friends,” he said, his brow furrowing. “I found you. You’re mine. If I have to take time to convince you, I will. But we’re not going to be just friends.”
She smiled up at him. “You’re absolutely right. We could never be just friends.”
They fell in step again, holding hands.
“Since we’re not going to be just friends, how do you feel about children?” Judge asked.
Her steps slowed. “I love them and always wanted four or five. But I want to finish my college degree before I start having babies.”
“Do you like older children? Like teenagers?”
She stopped walking and faced him. “If you’re asking if I’d like to foster Brian, I’d say yes. No hesitation. Would we have to be married before we could apply to foster him?”
“Why foster when we could adopt?” he asked.
Penny grinned. “You think he’d go for it?”
