Page 114 of Smooth Sailing

“Okay, Mama,” Madison mumbled, though she didn’t do it chastened, she just agreed.

Mrs. O’Keefe, who might be diminutive, but I was beginning to sense she was a force to be reckoned with, pulled from her husband’s arm, straightened her tidy but pretty blouse and spoke again.

“Now, who are these people who’ve been lookin’ out for our girl?”

Madison tucked herself into her father’s side, a father, I noted, who wouldn’t have let her go if she tried get away.

She didn’t.

“That’s Hugger. He keeps us safe all the time, even sleeping on the couch to do it,” she introduced. “And that’s Big Petey, he bought me a phone yesterday, and donuts.” Her voice lowered. “And that’s Diana, she rescued me.”

I sniffed, wiped my face (glad I hadn’t had time for mascara), pulled away from Hugger and moved to the O’Keefe family.

“I didn’t rescue her. She rescued herself. I just offered her a place to stay,” I explained.

Then I had no choice but to emit a startled cry because I walked too close to the claws of a mama bear, and no hesitation, she sunk them into my shoulder (the woman had really long nails), yanked me into her arms and gave me the tightest hug I’d ever experienced.

“Never be able to repay you,” she whispered into my hair.

“You never have to,” I whispered back.

She snuffled, let me go as abruptly as she snatched me, and moved to shake hands with Hugger and Big Petey.

Mr. O’Keefe stayed with his daughter, deciding on verbal greetings, which he used.

Proving my theory correct about the force Mrs. O’Keefe was, once that was done, she declared, “Now, we got this. First, we’re gonna go to the police station, because Detective Scott has some questions for you.” She said this direct to Madison. The rest, she said to the room at large. “Then we got ourselves one of those Vrbos. It’s got a pool that’s also got a Jacuzzi. We’re gonna stick around until Detective Scott has all he needs, and then we’ll go home.”

Through this speech, I noticed Madison’s face getting paler and paler.

Oh shit.

“Um…” I started, but I didn’t know what to say.

Fortunately, Rayne did.

“I explained a few things to you at the station, Mrs. O’Keefe. If Madison doesn’t stay here, with the protection Diana is offering her through Harlan and Pete, then Madison needs to go somewhere where the Phoenix police have her covered.”

“We couldn’t bring a gun on an airplane,” Mrs. O’Keefe returned. “But we know how to buy ’em, and you can read from that, Elias here isn’t afraid of using ’em.”

“We’d rather no one had to discharge a firearm for safety and protection within city limits,” Rayne noted.

“What Emmylou’s sayin’, son, is that we don’t wanna be away from our girl and we’re hopin’ you understand that and can figure out a way to respect it.”

“I’m safe here,” Madison said softly.

“Baby, your daddy and me are here now,” Emmylou replied.

“I know, Mama, but I’m safe here, with Diana and the guys. It isn’t just Big Petey and Hugger. There’s Eight and Muzzle and Dutch and Core and Linus.”

Both the older O’Keefes turned our way.

“You can stay with us too,” I offered. “We’ll move the dining room around and get an air mattress.”

“You and those fuckin’ air mattresses,” Hugger said under his breath, but he sounded amused.

Even so, I shot him a look.

“Not gonna have Maddy’s parents on the front lines, someone gets in through the front door,” Big Petey stated.

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