Page 64 of Mountain Refuge

The sheriff nodded at Taya. “I told you he was smart. Have a good day, folks. I’ll have my deputies watch for newcomers. Give the office a yell if you need us.”

After seeing the sheriff out, Ryan turned to his silent “wife and daughter.” “Let’s go clean out your cabin. You’ll need to put your things in the master bedroom, even if you plan on sleeping with Tracy in the guestroom. If we have any uninvited visitors, we want them to think we share a bed.” He headed for the front door, then glanced over his shoulder. “Well, are you coming?”

Tracy glanced at Taya who nodded. “Yes.”

“The hair looks nice on you.” He smiled, liking the way the modern bob framed her face.

“Hmmph.” She brushed past him, headed for his car. “Do you really want three dogs in your luxury SUV?”

“We’ll take your…Jeep?”

“I had to sell and buy something different under my new name.” She opened the back door for Tracy and the dogs. “Scoot them all into the very back. This is ridiculous.” She slammed the door.

“What is? Keeping you safe?”

“Driving around with three dogs. Betty is sufficient.”

“My dogs would pout all day.” He laughed and climbed into the front passenger seat. “I haven’t really spent much time in town. That’s something else we’ll have to do. We’ll need to be seen out and about a bit. Hiding will raise suspicions and people in small towns talk.”

“As little as possible, please. I doubt changing hair color will fool The Boss if he looks close enough.” She turned the key in the ignition and drove to the cabin they’d stayed in.

He’d be glad to have them out from under the sagging roof. Especially with the expected rain for the upcoming week. “While you pack your things, I’ll take care of covering your tracks.” He headed for the woods.

Ryan broke off a large branch from a pine tree, then gathered other small bits of debris to scatter across the porch. He’d use the branch as a broom to muff any sign of footprints. There wasn’t a whole lot he could do about the clean floor inside the cabin. Hopefully, any nosy lookers would see the yard and think no one had been there. Only time could put another layer of dust on the floor.

“How do you know all…this?” Taya waved her arm where he’d scattered leaves and twigs.

“Research. We writers are always researching. While we might not have actual experience, we’ll have read about it or interviewed someone.” He wiped his dusty hands on his jeans. “If it can be imagined, we’ve thought about it.”

“Writing sounds fun.” Tracy glanced around the porch. “You sure made a mess in a short amount of time.”

“That’s the idea.” Taya patted Betty’s head. “Where are the other two dogs?”

“Always sniffing around unless I order them to stay.” He put two fingers to his lips and let out a piercing whistle. “They’ll be here. Are we done?”

“I think so.”

“Good.” He grinned. “We need to take some photos.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Remember not to get our faces.”

“I’ll remember.”

He told her to pull over to an outlook. He put an arm around her, backs to Tracy who had his cell phone, and waited until the girl said she was done. “Now, a selfie. Taya, you gaze up at me like you love me. Big smile.” He stretched his arm as far as it would go. “Tracy, you look off in the distance, okay?” He counted to ten, then grinned before the flash went off. “That’s the one I’ll use to announce our quick wedding.”

“Oh, goody.”

“Do you have any family that might wonder…if they were to see a photo? Friends?”

She shook her head. “I’ve been too busy for friends, and since I grew up in the foster system, any family is long gone.”

That would make things marginally easier. Keeping a smile on his face, he stared down the road where the two men he’d spotted around the campfire strolled toward them. “Tracy, in the car, please. Pretend you’re sleeping, hair over your face. Take Betty with you. Taya…”

“I’ll be on my phone in the passenger seat.” She climbed into the SUV.

With Astro on one side of him and Boris on the other, Ryan greeted the hikers. “Nice day, gentlemen.”

“Couldn’t ask for better.” The one who had lost his hotdog glanced at the Jeep, then the dogs. “Y’all out for an afternoon drive?”

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