“Yes, you did. You sent me that picture of the cabin. I knew it was a signal.”
Gabe went a little white.
Harley stilled. “You didn’t send the photo?”
He shook his head.
“Gabe ... did you see our plane come in?”
He nodded. “And I ran. I didn’t know who might be landing at the cabin.”
Well, at least they didn’t have a stalker in the woods. Or maybe they did...
Gabe’s face had whitened even more. “Who sent the picture?”
Silence.
“I don’t like this,” Jericho said.
Harley either.
The fire popped, sending sparks up the chimney. Outside, the wind had subsided, the storm over. Sunlight cast brilliant light across the fresh powder.
Winter set down her coffee. “We should dig out the plane. Get moving before the ceiling drops again.”
Harley carried the dishes to the sink, went back for more while Topher and Winter pulled on their winter gear. Gabe helped Sunni to the couch.
Returning to the table, Harley gathered empty mugs, trying to ignore how her hands still trembled. The weight of what lay ahead pressed in, making the cozy cabin feel suddenly hot.
Or maybe it was simply the weight ofwhat-if. The bright hope of...
Justice. Freedom.“You shall know thetruth,and the truth will set you free.”
Jericho moved with a sort of contained energy, packing his bag and then feeding Orlando the scraps from breakfast.
She recognized the set of his jaw.Oh no...
She walked over to him, crouched next to him. “What’s going on?”
He ran a hand through his hair, rucking it up. “According to Hudson, the Eagle’s Nest project is hemorrhaging money on building supplies.” He shook his head. “He can’t figure out why the numbers are so inflated.” His eyes met hers. “Now we know. They’re buying extra supplies to conceal their drug shipments.”
“I can’t believe they’re using the Eagle’s Nest project to run drugs,” she said.
He nodded, his eyes darkening. Then he stood, taking her hands, pulling her up. A fierceness burned in his gaze.
“It’s time we end this,” he said softly. “For all of us.”
She read the promise in his expression.
Or maybe she simply hoped it.
Oh, wow, clearly she’d forgotten the past sixteen years and turned into the painfully naive and hopeful girl of the past, the one who wanted to believe his words from last night.
And then his hands tightened, as if he’d never let go again.
She nodded. Because this wasn’t just about Mars anymore. This was about justice. For Gabe. For their parents.
And if Gabe was right, and God did have a plan in everything, then maybe this was why she’d come home.