Page 29 of Rabid

“All right, you two, give the poor woman a break,” Dale said, pulling the dogs back with a firm tug on their collars. “You’ll have hours to get to know her on the drive back.”

He turned to Willow, his tone softening. “Now, where to first? Food, the store, anything you need?”

She stood slowly, flinging the dog slobber from her arms as best she could. Dale handed her a white handkerchief which she used to dry the wet remnants. Her smile was small but steady, her eyes bright with something he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Hope.

“Just home,” she said quietly. “Home sounds perfect.”

Dale nodded, opening the passenger door for her. As she climbed in, Max jumped in after her, settling himself protectively at her feet, taking up all the space so she couldn’t rest her legs. Dale started to scold the dog, but Willow gently lay her legs and feet across his back and smiled.

Daisy hopped into the back, her tail wagging lazily as she lay down.

Dale started the truck, circled out the way he had entered, and pulled onto the highway. He glanced at Willow. She stared out the window, her hand resting lightly on Max’s head, her fingers idlystroking his fur. The small bundle of papers sat forgotten in her lap.

For the first time in months, Dale felt a weight lift from his shoulders. They were headed home.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Calm

Home

Willow stood just outside Dale’s truck, staring at her grandmother’s legacy. The air was dry, carrying a faint tang of dust and sagebrush. In every direction, the landscape stretched wide and barren, dotted with scruffy shrubs and gnarled trees no taller than ten feet. Farther away, jagged rock formations jutted toward the sky, their muted tones a stark contrast to the pale, cloudless expanse above.

It wasn’t what she’d expected, it was more.

Fear and excitement had twisted together inside her for months. After spending most of herlife behind bars, the idea of freedom had felt more terrifying than hopeful. Leaving prison without Joan waiting for her had only made it worse. She didn’t understand this world, but it was the world her grandmother had fought to give her.

For all its lack of color, the quiet beauty of the land settled deep in her soul.

“I’ll hitch my trailer and be out of your hair within the hour,” Dale said from behind her. His voice carried a gentleness she’d come to cherish. “I’m sure you need some time to adjust.”

He handed her a key ring with at least ten keys dangling from it.

“I’ll check in on you each day. There’s a cell phone inside, it’s yours. My number’s plugged in. I’ll call, not visit, unless you say it’s okay, so don’t worry. Joan always grumbled at me for coming uninvited.” His face reddened slightly as he added, “She’d ask what I’d do if she was walking around naked. I never caught her, though.”

Willow managed a small smile, recognizing his rambling as nervousness. In the months since her grandmother’s death, they had become friends. It felt good to have him close, even if she wasn’t sure how to say it.

“Will you show me around?” she asked, her voice steadier than she felt.

Dale’s face lit up with a grin. “Absolutely.”

Max and Daisy bounded out of the truck, sniffing the ground eagerly. Willow’s gaze lingeredon Max. She’d never had a dog, let alone one so big. His sheer size was intimidating, but his presence brought a strange comfort she hadn’t expected.

Dale walked a few feet ahead, speaking over his shoulder. “I’ll start with the outside. Then we’ll head in.”

He led her to the barn, a modest structure with a sturdy rolling door. He had built it with his own two hands and his own money. “This kind of door’s easier to secure out here,” he said, holding out his hand.

It took Willow a moment to realize he was waiting for the keys. Embarrassed by her hesitation, she fumbled with the ring and handed them over. Dale didn’t react to her awkwardness, no impatience, no judgment. He simply unlocked the door and lifted it with ease, passing the keys back to her.

“With someone on the property, there’s not much theft,” he explained, “but when you leave, you’ll need to lock up tight.”

Willow followed him inside and froze at the sight of the old Ford truck parked neatly to one side. Its glossy paint gleamed in the dim light, a deep shine that seemed almost alive.

“I spent a lot of time getting her pretty,” he said. “There’re two sets of keys on the ring,” Dale went on, “She’s in fine shape. I take her out once a week to keep the battery from dying. They don’t make them like this anymore.”

“Lucy,” Willow whispered, the name catching in her throat.

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