Adrian slaps me on the shoulder.“Good luck with that.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”Hannah asks me as we pull up in front of the sheriff’s office.She fidgets and tucks her hands under her thighs as she stares out the windshield at the front door.
I turn toward her and reach out to finger a lock of blond hair.“I won’t force you to do this, Hannah.I mean it.It’s your choice.You have full autonomy over your life.”
She turns to me and lets out a slight giggle.“Except in the bedroom.”
I give her a slight smile.“Even there, when it comes down to it, honey.I would never do anything in our bedroom that you didn’t enjoy.”
She takes a deep breath.“I know.I was kidding.But I’m not used to having permission to make my own decisions.”
“Well, you’re taking charge now.I will always be here to help you work through your options and even offer advice, but in the end, anything that affects your life is your choice.”
“And you think I should report what happened with Vanguard to the sheriff.”
“I do.Here’s why: We don’t know what the man is planning.In his mind, he purchased a slave, and she escaped.When you’re on our property, you willalwaysbe safe.No one can get to our cabins or the main house undetected.But I don’t want you to spend your life feeling like a prisoner in your own home.I want you to be able to get a driver’s license and go into town whenever you want.You said you want Eve to go to school with other kids.There will be times when you’ll need to drive her or pick her up.You’ll want to go shopping, or get your hair done, or go out to lunch with Rebekah.You might want to go to college someday.Right now, I would feel very stressed if you left Gallant Mountain on your own.The only way to fix that is to file a report with the sheriff so that Vanguard gets arrested.”
She shudders and then nods.“I know you’re right.What if Sheriff Sherman doesn’t believe me?”
“Then I’ll grab the front of his shirt and shake some sense into him until he does.”I grin.
She rolls her eyes.“As if you’d ever do something like that.”
“I wouldn’t.You’re right.But I will be with you to make sure no one takes your complaint lightly.”
She sits taller, takes a deep breath, and nods.“Let’s do it.”
I know filing that report was one of the hardest things my wife has ever done, but I think she’s lighter and relieved now that it’s done.Luckily, Sherman did not treat her like she was a stupid girl or a liar.He took her story very seriously.And I don’t think he was surprised.
Eve slept through the entire process, but she’s going to wake up hungry soon.It’s almost time for her to nurse.
I fasten her car seat securely into its base in the middle of the back seat before coming around to Hannah’s side of the truck to make sure she’s in and belted, too.She and Eve are my life.I want them secure.
Cupping my wife’s face, I kiss her before shutting her door and rounding to the driver’s side.After starting the truck and checking in the rearview mirror, I pull out of the spot and head down Main Street.
Eve starts making little noises as I drive.Not surprising.It will take about fifteen minutes to get to Gallant Mountain.Hopefully, she won’t start wailing.If she does, she’ll live.
I’m about a mile outside of town when I run over something in the road and blow the front passenger tire.“Shit…” I mutter as I pull to the side of the road.There isn’t much of a shoulder on this road.I look around.This is not a very safe place to stop.We’re on a curve.If someone comes around the bend at a very fast clip, they will rear-end us.
“What was that?”Hannah asks, sitting upright before twisting to look at Eve.
“Not sure, honey.We ran over something.Flat tire.”I pull out my cell phone and call Andrew.It’s instinctive.Whenever any of us ever needed help as kids, we always called our eldest brother.Still holds true.
“Hey,” he answers.“Aren’t you in town?”
“Yes.Well, we were.We’re on our way back now.We’re about a mile from town.But I have a flat tire, so I pulled over.”
“Gotcha.I’m on my way now.I’ll bring Aaron in case we need some muscle.”
“Thanks.This is going to be a hell of a spot to change the tire.I’ve got almost no shoulder.I’ll be glad for your help.”I keep glancing in the rearview mirror as I end the call.I really hate our location, but moving the truck on the rim would not be safe.
Eve is crying.She probably would have been fine if we’d been moving, but now that we’re stopped, she’s pissed.
“Should I feed her?”Hannah asks.
I look around again and shake my head.“I want you and Eve out of the truck before someone comes around the bend and rear-ends us, honey,” I say as gently as possible.
Hannah twists around farther, eyes wide.“Oh.”
