Page 105 of Panther's Magpie
“We need all the help we can get there. Meek will be here. He can get her to the safe house if this is a decoy to get us to leave her alone. I have faith in him.”
“All right. We ride out then. I’ll get the men mobilized,” he tells me.
I hang up the phone letting my head hang.
Maggie comes back, hugging my head to her stomach.
“It’s going to be okay,” she tells me.
I hope so. I squeeze her once before I work on getting myself ready. After outfitting myself, I grab a spare bulletproof vest. I put it on her before pulling one of my hoodies over her head.
“This is heavy,” she complains.
“I know, but in case something happens, I want you protected. Wear it. Whatever you do, don’t take it off, not until I get back,” I tell her.
She nods.
By the time we walk over, the place is bustling with activity. Everyone is strapping up and getting ready to ride out.
I nod at a few men as I lead Maggie inside. I show her to Meek’s workroom.
“Meek will be in here. If you need anything, come to him, but he is doing something important, so try not to bother him,” I tell her.
She nods. “I know. I won’t bother you unless it’s life or death.”
She makes the promise to Meek, who turns and nods at her.
“You’ll be safe here,” he tells her.
“I know. I’ll be in the main room waiting for news. You’ll come tell me if you have any?” she asks him.
“Of course,” he promises her.
Turning toward the main room, she stops when she sees all the men waiting for their orders.
“We ride out tonight. We have a good idea of where Aspen is. An insider is helping us. We don’t trust him, but I don’t want him killed. We get Aspen and get her out, then we bring her and the insider back here. I want to question him further. Understood?”
Everyone agrees.
Turning to Maggie, I lean in and kiss her.
“Please be safe. Bring all of our friends back safe, and most importantly, bring Aspen back,” she tells me.
“I will do everything I can.”
She nods. I kiss her again before pulling back.
“Magpie, I love you.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t say those words now. Not when you are going off with weapons and shit. It makes it sound like you won’t come back. Tell me those words when you get back.”
I kiss her hard. “I’m coming back. I love you, Maggie, and I won’t leave you.”
Her forehead falls to mine. “I love you too. I won’t survive if you don’t come back, so come back.”
I nod once, kissing her once more.
We don’t say goodbye because this isn’t a goodbye.
