“Why won’t you tell me? I’m sure you don’t mean your parents.”
“No. Not them. They’re long gone anyway. But I know some folks. Got no one else now, and I’m not lookin’ to be alone.”
“Okay. Are they expecting you at a certain time? Should we try to send word?”
“Nah. They’re not expectin’ me.” He cocks his head to the side. “How would you send word?”
“Well, there’s no sure way. But I could pass the word on in Cleverly, and anyone traveling in that direction would take a message and pass it on to someone else if they could. I only did it once. To check to see if Jesse reallyjoined up. When word came back that he did, I knew we were over.”
“Is that the only militia group in this area?”
“There used to be another one farther north, but they ran out of supplies and hit the road in a drove. That’s the one some of the others joined up with. Otherwise, there are no big groups around. There’s Logan, of course. But he’s farther in.”
He stares at me, which I take for a silent question.
“He’s organized a bunch of folks—but not into a community. He’s more like a…”
Micah lifts his eyebrows, watching me closely.
“Like a mob boss,” I finally conclude. “His men offer provisions and protection, but it’s not freely given. You take what he offers, and he can call on the debt anytime he wants.”
“So I take it you’ve never received provisions or protection from him?”
“Not a chance. He’s not ruthless like the militia. I’ve not seen him kill just to kill. But he can’t be trusted. And I’m never going to be indebted to anyone. Ever. For anything.”
“Must make it hard on you. Not able to rely on anyone.”
“No point in it. They’ll always let you down.”
“You’re so sure? Everyone?”
“Everyone.”
I have no doubts on this topic, and he must see it onmy face. He nods like he understands. “I get it. Just sayin’ it must make it hard for you.”
“Not as hard as putting yourself in someone else’s hands only for them to yank them away.” Tired of exposing myself so completely without anything in return, I ask, “What about you? So you go around trusting everyone you meet?”
“No. I sure as hell don’t. But there are a few folks I’d trust to help if I needed it. And there’s been at least one person who never let me down.”
“Bunny?”
He jerks. “What do you know about her?”
“Nothing. All I know is that you’ve said her name a lot. Mostly when you were delirious. Is she your wife?”
“Nope. Never married.”
“Girlfriend?”
He meets my eyes evenly.
“So I’m supposed to tell you all kinds of stuff about me, and you won’t do the same?”
He sighs and relaxes back against the camper. Closes his eyes briefly. “Bunny was my sister.”
“Is her name really Bunny?”
“No. It’s Burgundy.”
