Page 66 of Tango
“Okay.”
“Shove whatever you need into a backpack, and let’s go.” Without waiting for her response, I turn and rush toward my hall closet. Ripping the door open, I withdraw my go bag.
It stays packed with essentials, spare rounds, protein bars, two life straws for water filtration, a medical kit, a fire starter, and thermal blankets, as well as some freeze-dried food packs and other miscellaneous supplies.
After that, I grab my radio and toss my cell phone onto the couch. The radio will reach the end of the property line, then I’ll need to find a burner phone to make contact.
By the time I’ve done that, Alice comes out with a small backpack over her shoulders. Eyes wide, she looks genuinely terrified. I certainly can’t blame her. The same people after her now are responsible for two deaths already—and who knows how many others.
Someone beats on the door. Knowing it’s Dylan, I don’t bother to check.
“How did we not know this warrant was coming?” I ask him.
“No idea, but they have it. Gibson called Beckett, and she’s looking into it for us. It really doesn’t matter though because they’re coming for her.” He hands me a black phone. “I bet she doesn’t even make it to a jail cell.”
The thought terrifies me. “I can’t take anything they can track.”
“They won’t trace this one,” he says. “It’s a spare I keep.” He pauses, and that familiar haunted look returns to his gaze. “Just in case.”
I shouldn’t be surprised that Dylan has a burner in his possession, but I’m definitely grateful for it. “You’re not coming?”
“Not this time. It’ll raise suspicion if I’m not here too. I’ll contact you as soon as the coast is clear. Only had time to saddle one horse. You’ll have to share. Ride out, get to the safe zone, and I’ll get in contact with Jesper and have him arrange something to get you out.”
“Got it. You know what to do with my computers?”
He nods. “I’ll get it done.”
Dylan’s not great with physical contact, but I pull him in for a hug anyway. “Love you, brother.”
“Love you too.” He pulls away, then steps aside as I rush out onto the porch, Alice on my heels.
My boy Jax is waiting, saddled, with saddlebags on his back.
“Food,” Dylan says. “Mom ran outside and shoved it into the bags while I was on my way here.” His phone rings, so he puts it on speaker. “Yeah?” he asks.
“They just turned onto the drive,” Elliot says. “Bradyn is intercepting them to buy time, but he won’t be able to delay them long.”
“We’re on our way out,” I tell him.
“Good. Stay safe.” The call ends, so I cross over toward where Jax is tethered and unwrap the reins before wrapping them once around the saddle horn.
“Give me your backpack.”
She does as I ask, so I use a cord to secure it to the saddle bags while keeping mine on me.
“You climb up first,” I tell her.
Without hesitating, Alice slips her boot into the stirrup and climbs onto the animal’s back. I climb on behind her, wrapping one arm around her waist, the other gripping the reins. I can’t even process the emotional turmoil sitting so close to her will throw me into because my only thoughts are about getting her to safety.
I look to Tango, who’s sitting on the porch. Without knowing what’s coming, taking him with me is a risk, but I don’t like going anywhere without him. When he’s not there, it feels like a part of me is missing. But if we end up caught and taken to jail, they won’t hesitate to turn him over to animal control. “Keep Tango with you, okay?”
“I will,” Dylan replies as he crosses over to place a hand on Tango’s collar so he can keep him from following us. “Go. Now.”
With one last look at Dylan, I apply pressure with the heels of my boots to Jax’s side and click. I don’t turn around when I hear Tango’s panicked whine, though it breaks my heart.
I cling to Alice, and she holds onto the saddle horn with both hands as we race back behind the house and into the trees as fast as Jax can take us. I avoid the gravel, since the ground here is strong enough that it shouldn’t show hoof prints.
I’ll change course at the creek just in case, but my hope is we’ll have enough time and distance that they won’t know where to start looking for us.
