Page 127 of Hidden Ascent

The man tipped an invisible hat, then closed the door.

* * *

Isla followed his instructions, and her heart pounded when she spotted the park.

“I can’t wait to have this over and done with.” She pulled the car over a block down the road and closed her eyes, steadying her breathing. “This is turning out to be more stressful than my job.”

In her rearview mirror, she could see a group playing basketball on the court, but she couldn’t make out any faces from that distance.

“Just double-checking, God, that this is a good idea?” She turned off the car but gripped the steering wheel. “I can leave. Please tell me to go. This probably isn’t even you. I’m making a mistake.”

But even as she said the words, she knew she couldn’t get out of this encounter. She’d made up her mind, and chances were that she’d only find Carl here, not Jay. It would be good to see Carl and thank him for what he did for her at the Red Wolves. It was the least she could do.

Her eyes remained glued to the ground as she approached the court. When she reached the fence, she scanned the players, spotting Carl at the same time he noticed her.

“Hold up, guys,” he said. “Give me a minute.”

She smiled as he jogged over to her, and the guys he’d been playing with made a bunch ofoohsand laughed. Carl waved them off, then linked his fingers in the fence where she stood.

“Isla. You’re the last person I expected to see. I hope you’re not here to ask me for another favor?”

“The first time you helped me, you said, if I made it out of that hospital alive, I should stop by and say ‘hi’. Here I am. From what I hear, the Red Wolves have disbanded thanks to you. You didn’t stick around long enough for me to say thanks for saving my life. You risked a lot doing that. It was…unexpected.”

“I didn’t do it for you. I did it for me. I didn’t like the direction Sharpe was taking the group, and I couldn’t abandon those guys to a leader like that. It wasn’t right. They were a bunch of good guys—I mean, not good, but, you know.”

“I know.” She smiled. “It just goes to show I was right about you.”

“How’s that?”

“I knew you were a better person than you let on.”

“Don’t let those guys hear that.” He jerked his thumb behind him. “I need to uphold my reputation around here.”

“Oh yeah? Is that why you’re helping gang kids get off the street?”

“Kind of. These guys are a part of that. But don’t be too impressed. Just like the college tuition, I’m doing it for my daughter. More kids deserve a chance like her.”

“Sorry, but I’m impressed. I hear it’s going well too.”

“Yeah. So, is that why you came here? Just to say thanks and good job?”

“When I heard about what you were doing, I was curious.”

“Curious, huh? You know Jay’s been a big help, too.” By the way he looked at her when he said that, she knew he was fishing for something.

“Yeah, Peter told me.”

“He’s put in a lot of hours in helping me get this thing off the ground.”

“That’s good. I know he was trying to figure out what to do with himself after he worked with me. I’m glad you had a program he could sink his teeth into. It would have been good for him.”

“It is. Does he know you’re here?”

“No. I haven’t spoken to him in months.”

“He’d probably like to see you.”

“I don’t know about that. We haven’t been in touch at all. It’s probably better if we leave things the way they are.” She’d come all this way, and now, she was ready to chicken out.

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