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“How about you call me when you get to this location I’m about to text. You have to reach this point no matter which direction you’re coming from. That’s just ten minutes from me. This way, we’ll arrive at close to the same time.”
“That’s extremely thoughtful. I appreciate your help, Matt.”
“Any friend of Gunner’s…”
“I’m sure he’ll appreciate that. Thanks again. Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Oakley crammed her phone to her pocket and turned toward the door. There sat Nashoba and Ba’Cho, watching through the screen. “It’s okay, boys,” she stopped and knelt to give them attention after reentering the house.
“Problem?” Grace asked.
“Help.” Oakley stood and reclaimed her seat. Without preamble, she summarized the events that led Samir to come after her.
“So, did he know about the wolves all along?”
“No. I don’t think so. He may have been keeping tabs on me in case he ever got the chance to kill me, but Ithink it was Mason who clued him in on my location. Not out of malice, but ignorance. But the result is the same. I have to protect the wolves.”
Footsteps on the back porch elicited the thump of tails on the floor, indication the arrival of a friend. Jud opened the door a moment later. “Hey, what are you ladies up to?”
“I need weapons,” Oakley announced.
“What kind and how many?”
“Do you have a compound bow?”
“I do.”
“I need one of those, a couple of handguns and a sniper rifle.”
“Going hunting for…”
“Evil.”
He and Grace blinked in surprise. “Pardon?” Jud asked.
“Someone wants to kill me and take the wolves. An old enemy. I spoke with a friend of Gunners, Matt Brickman.”
“Yeah, I know Matt. Good man, but why call him?”
“Because no one is aware I know him or even of him, and he can help.”
“With what?”
There it was the question. What exactly was her plan? “Save the wolves,” she restated what she thought was obvious.
“I thought you already did that.”
“So did I, then the Sanctuary deal revealed my whereabouts to Samir, and now he wants my wolves.”
“So, you’re just going to run away?”
“No. But I will take these guys somewhere they can be what they were meant to be, and live as theywere meant to. My original idea was so flawed, it’s embarrassing. It’s enough that we train dogs to do this kind of work, deliberately putting them in harm’s way. If my plan went through and proved successful, it would destroy the wolves. They’d be hunted, captured, and made into slaves for the government. Not only the wolves would suffer. So would the environment.
“But not as much as the wolves.”
Jud smiled. “You’re a remarkable woman, Oakley. I respect and support your decision and know Ivy will as well.”
