Page 84 of Mountain Refuge

On the way to the next destination, he thought of a way to bring Taya out of hiding.

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“Okay.” Ryan plopped a duffel bag on the table. “I only have a couple of handguns. You have a rifle. This won’t be enough.”

Taya’s eyes widened. “We can’t go to war in your front yard.”

“I’m hoping we won’t have to.”

“Your writer’s mind is running off on a tangent. If The Boss or his men show up here, we run. We do not get into a shootout.”

“Again, I’m hoping we won’t have to. I’ve researched warning systems for one of my books.” Ryan sat down and pulled his laptop in front of him. “Let me read back over it and come up with a plan.” He pulled up the needed file and read over it.

In his book, he’d used the standard empty aluminum cans, a trigger that sounded a shrieking alarm. He’d even used the cliché net tossed over the bad guys. All these tactics might run off an intruder or two. At the least, slow them down enough for the three in the cabin to make their escape.

Ryan glanced to where the three dogs lay in a circle around Tracy’s chair. He didn’t want them to go too far from the cabin anymore. They needed to stay close by where they couldn’t be poisoned or harmed in any other way. He might not have experience with “The Boss,” but the man wouldn’t entertain a second thought about harming an animal. Not if he didn’t value the lives of young girls.

“I can get more guns.” Taya crossed her arms. “I still have a contact with the group I once belonged to. They’ll have anything we need.” She lowered her voice. “I still don’t think it’s a good idea considering we have—.” Her head tilted toward her niece.

“What are the options then?” He sat back and gave her his full attention.

She shrugged. “We run again. If we’re lucky, the man will give up.”

“You don’t really believe that.” He leaned back, his eyes studying her. Did she? A man that ruthless would never give up. Not when someone could identify him. He huffed a sigh. “Let’s prepare the best we can and hope the FBI and sheriff’s department handle it.”

“This man has eluded capture for years, Ryan. What makes you think this time will be any different?”

“Optimism. Faith.” He’d grab at any straw. “From what I’ve heard, this town has been to hell and back before, but it always comes out ahead of evil. It will this time, too.”

“I wish I believed that.” Sorrow crossed her face. “More children have disappeared, never to be seen again, than have been rescued. Law enforcement and special forces all across this country have tried to put a stop to the trafficking. It’s happening in America’s backyard. I don’t think it will stop. It’s more lucrative than the drug trade.”

“Then why fight it?” He tilted his head. “If there’s no hope, why keep trying?”

“For that one child who can be saved.” Hands flat on the table, she pushed to her feet. “I’ll contact my source.” With that, she left the room and stepped onto the back deck, pulling her phone from her pocket.

His gaze locked on the door she’d exited. He couldn’t fight without the hope of winning the battle. He glanced at the few guns on the table. Maybe trouble wouldn’t come to the cabin, but he knew it would. They needed to be ready for the worst, and sitting around wasn’t going to prepare for anything.

“I think you should build a pit or hide those spikes that get triggered when someone trips a wire.” Tracy stood in the doorway. “The traffickers are not nice people.”

He bit back a smile at the seriousness on her face. “I’d rather not clean up the mess. That would take time we might not have.”

She nodded. “So, what are you going to do?”

“Set up warnings so we know they’re coming. Let me show you something.” He pushed to his feet and led her to a closet at the end of the hall. “This is where I want you to go if they come. Don’t worry about me and your aunt. It’s you they want.”

He shoved aside some boxes, revealing a trap door. “I found this the day I moved in. Didn’t think I’d ever need it.”

“A cellar?”

“Most likely for tornadoes.” He lifted the door. Stretching down were a set of stairs. He entered and pulled a chain that lit up the space. “I’ll make sure there’s a flashlight on the top step. If you’re hiding, you shouldn’t turn on the light. It’ll show.”

“Okay.” Her reply was hushed. “Can I bring Betty?”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Absolutely.” The dog might very well be the girl’s last line of defense if something happened to him and Taya. At the very least, her bark will be a warning.

“Why haven’t you shown us this before?”

“I haven’t needed to. No storms.” The storm coming was worse than anything Mother Nature could throw at them. “It was probably used as a root cellar for canning.” He pointed to a rack of shelves. “We’ll make sure you have food and water until help comes for you.”

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