“What are you doing?” she snapped.
“None of your concern,” I grumbled back.
She huffed. “James, listen to me. I’m sorry for being so overbearing and demanding of you, but…I love you. I don’t want to see you hurt.”
I looked up at her. Her face was soft, and I could tell she was serious.
“I know,” I said. “Thank you, Luna. But I need to do this my way, all right? I need to make sure I am prepared for several different outcomes right now.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Please don’t say anything to Walter, but if I need to get Jane out of North Bend, then I am going to make sure I have the tools to do so safely and secretly.”
“The Sevren are smarter than you know.”
“I know more than you give me credit for.”
“So you’re a genius, James,” she started. “That doesn’t mean you can do everything.”
“I know I can’t do everything, Luna. I also realize that I don’t need to.”
I walked past her with a backpack full of clothes. “Don’t follow me.”
I took the stolen Mustang to Pony Village Mall, trying to keep a low profile, charging dozens of items to numerous credit cards. Bottles of hair dye, wigs, and clothes. When I got back home, I used Luna’s outdated laptop to the best of my ability. For hours I sat there, distorting and editing photographs for false IDs and passports. I printed them out and shoved them in a plastic bag. I filled three small duffel bags with all of the items. I shoved the bags into my closet for the time being.
This might work after all.
The next morning, I put all the duffel bags into the trunk and drove to Jane’s house. I climbed into the tree, bringing myself to her window. I saw her toss her scrapbook on the floor and lean back on her pillow.
“Jane, you gotta occupy your mind.”
I rarely even startled her anymore.
“I really wish you’d just knock on the door like a normal person.”
I chuckled. “Normal? Where’s the fun in that?”
She shook her head.
“Are you angry?”
“No.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. Just irritable.”
“I have some ideas in mind,” I said, “just to break the ice.”
“What kind of ideas?” she asked, sitting up and turning toward me.
“I’m prepared for several outcomes, but…we are going to need your attic.”
“Um…okay. Why?”
“I would rather not have Walter asking questions.”
“What are you not telling him?”
I waved my hand at her, shunning her question. “I need to keep some stuff in the attic for a while. There isn’t anywhere at my place to keep it.”
“What stuff?”
“Just some things we may need. Please, Jane. I would rather not tell you yet. Just trust me.”
“Okay.”
I returned to my car and carried the duffel bags into the house. I handed one to her, and she led me to the hallway. I opened the attic door and unfolded the ladder.
“So really, what’s all this stuff for?” she asked again.
“I told you,” I answered. “For plan A, plan B, and plan C to get us all out of this mess.”
“Why don’t you just let me see what it is?”
I sighed, knowing for sure it would frighten and upset her more than I could handle dealing with at the time. “The only reason I’m keeping it here is because you have an attic. Remember, I can’t have Walter asking questions.”
She nodded. “Wow. My dad is such a pack rat.”
I laughed lightly and glanced at all the stacks of boxes and books covered in dust.
“I wonder how much of my old stuff is in here.”
I spotted an old redwood chest in the corner of the attic, sheathed with dust.
“Whoa,” I whispered, crawling to the other side. “What’s in this?”
“According to my dad, nothing.”
“Hmm… I think it needs a key.”
“Eh, maybe,” she answered. “But it’s probably empty. It belonged to my grandfather.”
My thoughts spun, and that’s when I realized exactly what was in that old chest. It was Walter’s. It was the collection of things Jane’s grandfather had taken so Walter would stop making himself miserable constantly reliving his nightmares. I brushed it off, pretending I didn’t know a thing. Lying to her as usual. I was so sick of lying.
I shrugged. “Promise me something?”
“I won’t open the bags, Aidan, okay?”
“I’m just trying to keep things from getting any more complicated.”
She nodded, trailing her finger along the rim of the old chest. “I miss Ethan,” she whispered.
I gently took her by the shoulders and turned her so she was facing me.
“I will get him out of this, love. I swear.”
She sighed and rested her head in her hands. I wrapped her in a hug, and she fell against me.
“I wish I could tell you not to worry.”
“You can.”
“Yes…but what good will it do?”
“I’m not sure,” she answered. “I’m not sure it will make me feel any better at all, but it’s worth a try.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I swear to you that things will end up okay.”
“Thanks.” She moved away from me so she could stare into my eyes. “So, when are you planning on locking me up at Luna’s?”
My mood shifted, and I was suddenly amused. “Nothing gets past you, does it?”
“I know you too well to think for even one second you don’t have something planned—or plotted.”
I smiled. “I just want to keep you as safe as possible. And thank you for not complaining. You tend to not trust me enough.”
I instantly regretted saying that. Her honesty made me feel so guilty. “Okay, I understand why,” I continued, “but honestly, Jane, you’re too clumsy to deny you’re in danger when you aren’t moving.”
Her face curled into irritation.
“I’m sorry. I’m doing a terrible job of trying to cheer you up.”
“I feel better just being with you,” she said softly. “You don’t need to try so hard.”
I smiled thinly. “It’s my job now to protect you in every way that I can.”
“I just can’t stop thinking about Danny,” she whispered. “They killed him, Aidan. I want them dead—all of them.”
I felt myself shudder. “I understand, but this isn’t the time for revenge.”
“How did I know you’d say that?"
“You know me too well,” I answered, smiling falsely. “In all seriousness, I just need to focus on getting Ethan away from The Sevren. You need to stay at Luna’s. I don’t want you here, especially by yourself. They’ll find you, Jane.”
“They found me at Luna’s too. They can find me again.”
I shook my head. “They won’t. We weren’t careful enough before. She’ll keep you safe this time. I promise.”
“I love you, Aidan.”
Her words stung me. It was like I would never again hear her say it.
“It’s okay,” I said calmly. “You don’t have to tell me that.”
“I want to.”
“Then next time…don’t say it like it’s the last time.”
I felt her running her fingers through my hair.
“Why Rudy?” she asked.
“I told you—because you love him.” I turned to look at her.
“And Ethan?”
I hesitated before responding, trying to think of a lie but settled for the truth. “They took Daniel. You and Ethan were supposed to stay safe, but I got involved. I had no idea he was your brother. If I did—well, I don’t know.” At least mostly the truth. “This is all about me,” I continued, “my betrayal of The Sevren and murder of Abraham. My involvement with you as well, especially because you are related to one of our victims—their victims.”
Da
mn.
I saw her shudder.
“I cannot tell you why they chose him either, Jane.” It occurred to me that it was necessary to tell her that before she asked me, and I gave her a stuttered response. I couldn’t risk her reading my lies.
“Why?”
“Well, because I don’t know,” I lied. “If I did, I would explain it to you in unmistakable clarity.”
“Even then it wouldn’t make sense, would it?”
“Probably not. It never makes sense for people to be so evil. Stop driving yourself mad trying to make sense of something that there is no sense to be made of.” That much was the truth.
I watched slow tears roll down her face. I kissed her cheeks in an attempt to make her stop crying. I heard quiet knocking coming from downstairs.
“You should get that,” I whispered in her ear. I wiped away the rest of the moisture on her cheeks with my fingertips.
We climbed down the ladder, and I closed the attic.
“It’s probably Becky,” she muttered.
She opened the door. It was Rudy. He peered behind her.
“Good,” he breathed, stepping inside. “You’re here.”
“You’re happy to see me?” I laughed.
“Not happy,” he corrected, “but relieved.”
“What’s wrong?” Jane asked.
He shook his head. “I’ve been feeling anxious. I’ve been spending too much time worrying about myself, and now I’m beginning to worry that we are waiting too long for Ethan. If you have a plan, I’m ready to hear it.”
“I don’t exactly have a plan, but I’m prepared for a few different outcomes,” I said.
Jane interrupted. “What about plan A, plan B, and plan C?”
“I meant mostly that I am prepared for what might happen.”
“Which may be what?” Rudy asked, his voice sounding distant.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “But blood will be involved, which is why”—I looked to Jane—“you have to stay with Luna.”
“They can find me there.”
“Nobody will steal you from Luna,” I said. “We just need to be more careful.”
“How can you be more careful than handcuffing me and locking me up?”
I glared at her, not in the mood to argue. “Be quiet, Jane.” It was Ian’s fault anyway. It wouldn’t happen again.
She sighed and walked to the living room. Rudy and I followed and sat beside her on the couch.
“Let’s go then,” she announced.
“What?” I questioned.
“Let’s go,” she repeated. “Take me to Luna’s, and go save Ethan.”
I smiled, amused by her as I often was. “Are you ready?” I asked Rudy.
“I’m ready for anything,” he answered.
“Rudy, meet me here tomorrow morning. Jane, I will take you to Luna’s early.”
“What about Dorian?” she asked.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “They wait for Abraham’s call. Dorian doesn’t know of his death just yet. If he did, he would have found me by now.”
“And if he finds you?”
“I just can’t be here when he does,” I said. “I won’t let him find you.”
“So tomorrow?” Rudy asked.
I nodded. “Tomorrow.”
Rudy left, and I watched Jane sink into the cushions of the couch.
“You look exhausted,” I whispered.
“I haven’t been sleeping well,” she answered, letting her voice trail off.
“Rest then. If you’d like, I’ll stand guard.”
She nodded and curled up. I draped a blue blanket over her, pulling it up to her chin and hummed to her, brushing my fingers through her dark hair. I watched her sleep, occasionally peering out the windows to make sure we were still safely hidden. I ignored most of the passing cars I heard, but when I opened the curtains again, I saw I had disturbed Jane.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” I let the curtain fall back into place to darken the room again. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It’s okay,” she whispered, sitting up and yawning. “I need to be awake.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I just don’t really feel safe.”
“I know.” I walked toward her. “You know I care about you, and you know…”
Screeching in, my nerves hit me hard, and I broke off, whirling around back toward the window. They had found us. Damn! I screwed up again.
“What is it?”
“Shh. Jane, get your shoes on.”
“What?”
“Just do it,” I snapped. “Comfortable shoes. Running may be involved.”
She ran upstairs with me not far behind.
“Shit,” I grumbled, watching her fumbling with the laces on her shoes.
“What’s wrong?”
“We’ll have to sneak out through your window,” I said, ignoring her question.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s okay,” I said, not wanting to say his name. “But they found me. I knew they would.”
“Who?”
“It’s okay,” I told her again, “but it’s him—it’s Dorian.”
I saw a shudder shake through her. I tried to ignore how terrified she must have been. I needed to focus only on one thing—how to get away from him.
I opened her bedroom window and stepped onto the roof. I pressed my back against the house. I offered Jane my hand. She gripped my fingers tightly and slowly fell against me. I grasped the tree and swiveled my legs around the trunk and climbed down as quickly as I could. Jane reached clumsily for the tree, her shoes sliding loudly across the shingles. She stumbled forward and grasped the branch. She hung in the tree like a three-legged cat. Oh, for the love of God. I definitely had no time or patience for Jane’s usual inept ways of doing things. I signaled her with my hand to hurry it up. She started to make her way down the tree, but her hands slipped, and she fell to the ground.
“Oh,” I whispered, “are you okay?”
She sat up and placed her hand on the back of her head. “Yeah,” she groaned. “Fine.”
I crouched down and led Jane into the neighbor’s lawn.
“When I say run, you run. Okay?”
“Okay, but what about your car?”
“I can’t get to it without him finding us,” I said, shaking my head. “Don’t worry about it. Just run when I say.”
We stooped down, inching across the lawn. I paid little attention to the houses on the street, not even worried about the neighbors asking questions. I glanced back at Jane’s house, unable to see where Dorian was. I looked to Jane, then once more at her house.
“Okay, Jane. Run.”
I raced down the street, unsure of my decision to simply run away. It seemed that was all I did. We reached the end of the cul-de-sac, and I looked to Jane, who was already breathing like she had run a mile.
“What do we do?” she asked. “Rudy lives only a few houses down from me.”
“Oh my God!” I yelled, pulling Abraham’s cell phone out of my pocket. Rudy—of course. “Do you know his number by heart?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Call him right now.”
“And tell him?”
“Tell him to lock the doors and stay inside until tomorrow. We’re changing plans. Tell him to meet us at my place. I can give him directions.”
“You mean Luna’s.”
I shook my head. “I mean Walter’s. Dorian doesn’t know where that is. We can be safe at Walter’s until the morning.
Jane nodded and dialed his number.
“Rudy?”
I could hear Rudy on the other end but couldn’t tell what he was saying.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
Jane’s face lit up with panic. “No!” she yelled. “Rudy, lock your doors, and tomorrow, meet us at Aidan’s. I’ll explain tomorrow. Just please don’t leave your house.”
After a few more insignificant responses, she handed
me the phone.
“Tomorrow morning at around nine, meet us at my place. Get a pen. You’ll need directions.”
“I know where you live,” he said.
“Do you?” I asked.
“By Gallagher’s, right? Three houses down? I think it’s brown?”
“Yes, Gallagher’s,” I answered. “It’s the other house.”
“Tiled roof and vines?”
“Yeah, the beige one.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Okay, see you then.”
I closed the phone and put it back in my pocket. I had to keep Jane and me safe at Walter’s but clearly couldn’t let Rudy inside. I still couldn’t tell him about his grandfather. This would be interesting.
“What?” I heard Jane murmur.
I looked to her, unsure if she was reading my face or if I had said something out loud.
“I don’t want Rudy involved any more than he has to be,” I said, “but he wants to help, and I’m sure I will need it at some point.” That wasn’t necessarily true, but I had to keep him away from Walter for the time being.
“Why can’t I stay with Walter?” she asked. “You said Dorian doesn’t know where that is.”
“Yes, that’s true, but Walter isn’t the type to kill—Luna is.”
“Kill?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t understand.”
There was no point in lying to her now, was there? I told her things so I wouldn’t have to lie.
“If Dorian found you there, which is a possibility, he would kill you the second he saw you. You’re the one he wants the most, considering your involvement with me. Walter can’t protect you the way Luna can.”
“So take Rudy to Luna’s with me. You don’t have to have him help you, do you?”
I knew exactly what she was thinking. “Yeah, that’s funny, Jane.”
“What?”
“Rudy has a car, and I’m aware of that. Meaning if I tell him to meet us at Luna’s, you will escape.” I tapped my finger to my temple.
“What if I promise?”
I shook my head.
“Then when you drive me to Luna’s, or whoever does, Rudy can come along. That simple.”
“I don’t know, Jane,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
Summers' Shadow (Hunters Trilogy Book 2) Page 18