Chapter Four
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GG HEARD THE LOW RUMBLEof an engine approaching and turned towards the noise.Dalt had left the old warehouse before dawn to search for transportation.She’d just come back from using a bathroom in a nearby empty house.Her friends were still asleep inside the huge building.They were huddled together on the stained and stinky mattresses.
“Who knew snobby Faye Privette would ever become my friend?”she said, shaking her head at the twist of fate.
An ancient, decrepit silver minivan lumbered into view.GG hurried over to the gate that was barring its way.Dalton had busted the lock before leaving.She’d seen it lying in the snow when she’d left through a gap in the fence a short while ago.
The van eased to a stop and the cowboy lifted his hand in greeting.His smile still quickened her heart even though they’d been apart for eighteen years.She waved back, then wrestled the rusty gate open.
“Mr.Ashton’s back!”one of the women called out to wake the others up.She’d opened the side door, probably to check on where GG was.
Crowding into the doorway, the former captives of the Soldiers of Chaos stared at their ride in various degrees of skepticism.
“How is that thing still working?”Paris asked with her upper lip lifted.“It’s almost as old as Faye.”
“Watch it!”Mrs.Privette said in a mock snarl as the women snickered.“Guess who’ll be delegated to latrine duties when we reach our farm?”
Paris groaned in dismay as she became the focus of their laughter.
Dalt parked the van and climbed out.“Morning, ladies,” he said in greeting.“I managed to find some supplies while I was scouting for this old girl.”He patted the silver van’s side affectionately.
“Good job, Dalt,” GG said, grateful once again that she wasn’t going to have to face her uncertain future alone anymore.She had no idea what their relationship would be like.Maybe they would just remain friends, or perhaps their love would reignite.For now, they had more pressing concerns than rekindling an old flame.
“I aim to please, darlin’,” Dalton murmured.
“What sort of supplies did you find, Mr.Ashton?”one of the women asked.
“I ran into a patrol of the new so-called police officers wearing white armbands,” he replied with a grim smile.“They were busy fighting some people who were guarding a grocery store, so I crept up to their truck and grabbed whatever I could carry from it.”
“You always did have a huge pair,” GG said in admiration.
“Don’t I know it,” he said with a wink, then opened the sliding side door of the minivan.“I’m not even sure what’s in the boxes,” he admitted.
Paris and Faye hurried over to examine his haul.“There’s all sorts of food and beverages in here,” Paris said excitedly as she checked one of the boxes.
“There’s toilet paper, toiletries and feminine products in this one,” Faye said when she checked the next one.“The last box has more food,” she reported.
GG tried not to feel jealous when Paris hugged her ex tightly.“Thank you so much, Dalton,” the younger woman said with tears of gratitude shining in her eyes.
“I’m glad I could help,” Dalt said kindly.He patted her back, but GG could tell he wasn’t interested in her.His eyes locked onto hers and she looked away, feeling weirdly flustered.
“How soon are we going to leave?”one of the women asked from the doorway.They’d lit more fires in the old metal drums before turning in last night, so it was far warmer inside.
“As soon as we can,” Mrs.Privett said.“I suggest we all use the nearby facilities, then get on the road.”A thought occurred to her and she turned to their savior.“Do you think the roads will be clear enough for us to be able to leave New Jersey?”
Dalton nodded.“I scouted ahead before returning here.I think the way will be traversable.Don’t stop for anyone, no matter how pathetic they look.It’ll most likely be a trap to lure marks in so they can steal your belongings, or worse.”
