Page 96 of One Last Promise

“And not run.”

She drew in a breath. “And. Not. Run.”

“Good. Because you’re going to have to do all that if this plan is going to work.”

He got up and went over to the counter where he’d taken out the contents of the Walmart bag. “Do you know how to make a hijab?”

She walked over and found the long black scarf. “I can make this work. Why?”

“Because Alicia Torre is now Muslim.”

Her mouth opened. And then she smiled. “Okay. Yeah. This could work.” She picked up the scarf and headed to the bathroom.

A few moments later, she emerged, her head covered.

Meanwhile, Moose had put on a baseball hat, pulled on his jacket. Hopefully no one at Northern SkiesBank knew him. He grabbed a shoulder bag with a long strap and waited as she walked to the door, carrying her bag of toiletries and extra clothing.

He handed her the shoulder bag.

“What’s this for?”

“The contents of the box.”

“Right.” She pulled the strap over her head.

He held the door open. “First stop, Roz’s house. Then to the bank.”

But she didn’t move, just looked at him.

“What?”

“God will show me he cares by giving me back my daughter. Let’s go.” She headed out the door.

But he put a hand on her arm. Took a long breath. “Tillie, I need you to hear this. And I hope it find roost. God loves you even if you don’t get your daughter back.”

A terrible horror entered her eyes.

“No panicking. But I need you to know that.” Then he pulled her to himself, held her, and closed his eyes.

“Lord. We don’t know what you have planned, but we trust you. We commit this crazy endeavor into your hands, and . . . yes, we ask for favor. For us to trust the outcome you desire. And we humbly ask that you bring Hazel back to Tillie and give us justice. Amen.”

When he lifted his head, she was staring at him, her eyes glossy. “Okay.” Then she headed through the front door and down the stairs into the garage.

And he stepped outside and looked heavenward.Please.

“We’re going to get caught,” Tillie said.

“No, we’re not,” Moose said as he opened the door where his truck was parked on the street behind Roz’s house near Earthquake Park. He’d told Tillie to stay put, then sneakedinto the back door of the garage, bypassing the yellow crime tape in the front. He’d emerged with the key on the ring with the yellow flip-flop five minutes later.

Now he slid into the truck’s front seat with a grin.

“Please don’t smile.”

“We’re going to figure out a way out of this. You’ll see.” Moose put the key in her hand. “Keep holding on to faith.”

When he looked at her like that, his gray-green eyes on her, his dark hair curling out of his baseball cap, when he winked and grinned, she might do exactly that. Because Moose just seemed to radiate faith, and it caught her up, made her taste it, long for more of it.

So, yes. “Just drive.”

---