Page 103 of One Last Promise

Outside, under the blue sky, the wind stirred the familiar redolence of the airport grounds—the odor of gasoline, the asphalt tarmac, even the scent of the ocean nearby. Tillie had gone into the Tooth to go to the restroom and make a couple sandwiches for their trip.

She’d gone silent when he’d told her his plan. So maybe he should keep an eye on her. . . .

Because certainly, she knew that trying to steal Hazel out of foster care could land her in jail for a decade, or more.

Even now, she was looking at possibly years behind bars.

“So, making a run for it, huh?”

He winced when Axel came walking up. He hadn’t even heard his brother’s Yukon drive up, so swallowed by his thoughts. Axel wore a jacket, a pair of jeans, and a rare baseball cap. As if he, too, might be on the lam.

“Naw.” And right then, Moose made his decision. He couldn’t do this. Couldn’t fly away, stash Tillie, then return and . . . what? Kidnap Hazel and become a fugitive?

The jig was up.

But he still had promises to keep.

The gas gurgled, and he pulled out the fuel rod and stowed it on the fueling truck.

Axel fitted in the gas cap and closed the door. Turned. “This is a bad idea, and you know it.”

“Mm-hmm.” Moose pushed the cart away. “It’s complicated.”

“I know. But if you want to follow God’s plan—and I can guarantee you that he has a plan here—you can’t panic. And you can’t fight without the armor of God. And that starts with the shield of faithguarding your heart.”

Moose glanced at Axel as he walked back to the plane. “Since when did you turn all spiritual?”

“Since I had you for a big brother.” Axel gave him a grim smile. “You can’t know what to do without praying first.”

Moose ran a hand across his mouth. “Yeah. You’re right. I just . . . I can’t seem to hear God with all the clutter in my head.”

“The what-ifs.”

How—Moose stared at him.

“I’ve been there.” Axel shrugged. “If you want to do the right thing here, you need to stop listening to all the lies and start listening to the truth.”

“Trying.”

“Right. Okay, I’ll help. The truth is that God has a plan. And he loves Tillie more than you do. And if you can show her what faith looks like, then maybe she’ll have it too.”

Right then, Flynn walked up behind Axel, out of uniform, dressed in a pair of jeans and a jacket, and smiled. “Hey.”

Moose’s entire body turned stiff. “What?—”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

Moose looked past Axel, and his heart nearly stopped.

Tillie stood at the edge of the Quonset hut, holding a cooler and a duffel bag. But she wasn’t staring at Moose or Axel?—

“Tillie, just calm down,” Flynn said.

Tillie put down the cooler.

“Hear me out.” Flynn held up her hands in surrender.

Tillie looked past her to Moose, so much betrayal in her eyes.

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