Page 65 of Harrison Hyde and the Runaway Bride

“Thisis Oak Street,” Harry whispered. “Maple and Poplar are on the other side of the complex.”

“Your dad’s a genius. I see where you get it,” Maria whispered. “It’s them, isn’t it? Whoever they are. They’re looking for you.”

“Or at least looking for my dad, just like they were looking for my sister.”

The car turned right. Harry and Maria, still holding hands, slipped around and into the house by the back door.

“I’ll get Dad,” Harry said. “You get Lily. We have to get them out of here and I don’t think we have much time.”

Maria slipped into Lily’s room, crept over to her bed, and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. “Lily,” she whispered. “It’s Maria. Wake up.”

“Maria?” She sat up and reached for the lamp.

“No lights!” Maria said, covering her hand before she could turn the switch. “The bad guys have found us. Your father’s trick with the street signs bought us a little time. Get dressed. Grab what you need. We have to leave before they find us.”

Lily was on her feet instantly, scooping clothes from a drawer into a big shoulder bag in one motion. She pulled on a pair of jeans and ran into the bathroom while pulling a shirt over her head.

“Try to stay away from the windows,” Maria said. “I’ll meet you downstairs. I have to grab my things. too.”

“Okay.”

Maria ran back downstairs to the living room, where her bag lay beside the recliner. She snatched it up, then grabbed Harry’s, near the sofa. Lily came down the stairs, her steps soft on the carpet. Harry and his father came right behind.

“Okay, back door, my car.”

“What about phones?” Lily asked as they moved into the kitchen. “I took mine offline.”

“You think they’re tracking our phones?” Harry asked.

“How else did they find you here?”

“Turn off cellular and wireless,” Hyram said. “It in settings under?—”

“I know how,” Harry said. “Let’s get to the car first, okay?”

Maria already had her phone in her hand, doing what his dad had suggested. Harry crept to the back door and opened it. Hyram went to the counter and grabbed the big container full of tarts, and when Lily sent him a look of blatant disbelief, he whispered, “What? They’re for the road.”

“I see their headlights three streets over, moving away from us,” Harry said. “Now’s the time.”

He opened the back door wider and nodded to Maria. She took Lily’s hand, and they headed out. Maria wanted to go fast and tiptoe at the same time and the result felt cartoonish. She expected piano sound effects as she crouch-ran to the car, passenger side. In seconds, Lily was in the back seat and Maria was in the front. She closed her door as soundlessly as she could. Lily did the same, but to Maria’s ears it was loud.

Harry walked more slowly beside his dad. It felt like it took them forever, but it was only seconds, and they were in.

“Hand me your luggage,” Lily said as her father settled into the back seat beside her. Maria took Hyram’s bag and Tupperware from Harry and handed them over, along with her own, and Lily shoved them into the space behind the back seat, out of the way.

Harry put the car into reverse, and the headlights and backup lights came on, set to auto. He cussed softly and shut them off, then reversed and shifted gears.

Maria looked toward where that other car had been and spotted headlights closer than before, and heading toward them instead of away. She pointed, not saying a word.

“Take a right,” Hyram said. Harry did so, and his dad, keeping watch of the other car’s headlights as they all were, directed him. “Now right again. Then left.” He kept directing, taking them further from the prowling headlights and around them, toward the exit.

Finally, they came to the gate.

It was raised, so Harry didn’t stop. But as they rolled slowly past the gatehouse, Maria saw a pair of legs sticking out from its open door, shiny black shoes, navy trousers with an impressively sharp crease. Then they were pulling, unseen onto the public road. As soon as they’d rolled out of sight, Harry flipped the headlights on and sped up.

“I’ll text 911 and Willow from your phone before we turn it off, Harry,” Maria said. She took it from his shirt pocket, did just what she’d said. There was an immediate reply. “Willow wants to know where we’re goin’.”

“To the jet,” Harry said. “Ask her to wake the pilot and have him meet us there. Then… back to the ranch. I think you were right. It’s the only safe place right now.” He met her eyes. “And I know you’re trying very hard not to be delighted about that.”

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