He continued to stare at her profile, the stubborn angle of her chin telegraphing her message.
He beamed his own silent message right back.Temporary truce. Until we know more, I stay quiet. But if you’re running from the cops, you’re on your own.
As they moved off, he forced himself to look at the raging river, which by all rights should have taken their lives. If they didn’t stave off the effects of hypothermia, it still might.
God had brought them through it thus far. He was trustworthy, indeed.
The jury was out on Kevin, but Gideon had already made his decision about Mackenzie.
Definitely not trustworthy. Not at all.
****
Mackenzie forced herself to mentally map the half-dozen turns away from the main road that took them to a wooded glen, where a neat white double-wide trailer gleamed in the rain. She had no doubt Gideon was doing the same mapping, even though he was obviously seething with the unspoken. Demands, likely ultimatums.
She didn’t blame him; her last dive into the river wasn’t wise. Once their situation settled, he would tell her to turn herself in, which was the logical choice. But that didn’t align with her plan. It would have been much less complicated if he hadn’t jumped in after her.
Because you’d be dead.
It was a fact, though she hated to admit it to herself. Once the river had yanked her loose from the branch barricade, she wouldn’t have had the strength to pull herself out if it hadn’t been for Gideon. That grated on her. Even with the shelter of a vehicle and heat, her body was still deadened and her thoughts were slow.
Kevin’s trailer home had a fenced yard with a redwood picnic table and a kid’s ten-speed bike leaned against the detached garage. Behind the unit was a horse pasture bordered by a split-rail fence. No neighbors.
Kevin’s story checked out so far.
But if he was working for Bullseye, there could be a kill team en route. Or maybe Kevin planned on finishing themoff himself, though he could have left them in the river if that was his goal.
She found it hard to reason with her muscles quaking and the mud stiffening around her joints like a suit of armor. Hopefully the filth concealed the fact that she was wearing a jail uniform. Her body craved warmth, her mind consumed by the need.
When she recovered, she’d find a way to sneak away from Kevin and Gideon.
She purposefully avoided eye contact with Gideon because she didn’t want to think about what he’d risked on her behalf.
But he’d do it on anyone’s behalf. He had that hero complex that had led him to the Air Force and SERE training. And yes, she found it enticing. What woman wouldn’t? But Aaron’s shadow stood firmly between them and always would.
Her memory flashed to an eavesdropped conversation from long ago.
“How can you actually forget to eat?” Aaron’s face had looked incredulous.
Gideon shrugged. “Dunno. I guess I just get ... focused on whatever I’m doing.”
Aaron elbowed his friend’s ribs. “What’s the point if you keel over from malnutrition, you dunce?”
Gideon’s laughter was rich and rolling, not something she’d heard often. It sounded almost like ... music. He was generally the quiet foil to her brother’s ebullience. When they were together, most people noticed Aaron, who attracted attention like a magnet to iron.
“I’ll survive,” Gideon had answered.
Her brother hadn’t.
Keep your focus on your goal and don’t let Gideon get in the way.
Kevin led them into the cozy trailer, perfumed by pasta sauce that bubbled in a Crock-Pot. The smell almost made her cry. Before, she’d been hungry. Now she was ravenous.
“Shower’s in there.” Kevin opened a small closet and handed her a towel and a black plastic bag. “You can put your wet stuff in the bag. I’ll see if I can get some of my wife’s clothes that might fit.” He eyed Gideon. “You can have some of mine, but I’m a little broader in the beam. Maybe I can find somehing I squirreled away from a couple of pounds ago.” He chuckled, showing a gap between his front teeth.
“I’m grateful for whatever you can spare, sir.”
“Lynn left me a pot of spaghetti and meatballs since I can’t cook, if you’re hungry. I can handle boiling the noodles and making coffee though.”
