Page 51 of River

I paid for my food and fishing supplies, and then we left. Bear sat with Haley in the back seat. I made sure no one was outside. I needed my computer, it was packed in my bag. “Do you know what your Dad’s name was?” I asked.

“Yeah, my Dad’s name was Gavin; he didn’t have a fake name.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes, I’m hungry. What is your dog’s name?”

“His name is Bear. How about we go to my cabin, and I cook us something.”

“I’m not supposed to go anywhere with strangers.”

“My name is Gideon Archer, so now we are not strangers. We need to find your Mom. So she can be safe. Tell me about your Grandpa.”

“We never knew Grandpa until he made us move into his house. When he came to our house, mama said we were staying where we were, and he hit her. He’s a bad man,” she said.

As soon as we arrived at the cabin, I opened the windows and doors. Then, I started the fire and cooked ussome bacon and eggs. After dinner, we fished. I was surprised Haley could fish. She was the first one to catch a fish. She even advised me what to fish with instead of worms.

“I don’t want to eat my fish; I always let them go,” she said, looking at her fish.

“That’s what we will do. We’ll let them go. Where did you learn so much about fishing?”

“From my Mom. She used to fish all the time and win trophies, too. She hasn’t fished since we went to Grandpa’s.”

After she went to sleep, I took out my computer and looked up Gavin Reeves; I had a feeling it wouldn’t be good. Gavin’s father, Jonah Reeves, ran the cartel in Chicago. Gavin moved away from him when he was eighteen. He married Riley Dean, and they lived in Oklahoma. They had one daughter, Haley Reeves. Gavin was shot and killed as he and his wife were having dinner.

I wonder who killed Gavin. Wow, so she’s trying to get them away from the cartel boss, and he’s trying to take her daughter from her. I picked up my phone and called River.

“I thought you were on vacation,” River said.

“I am on vacation, but I ran into a little girl who was running from a man. Her grandpa is Jonah Reeves; he’s high up in the cartel in Chicago. “We have to make sure the guy doesn’t get Haley.”

“How did you manage all this on your first vacation day?”

“She was running across the street screaming. I hope he doesn’t go back and get her mother. Could you check to see if you can find Ava Turner, her fake name, or Riley Reeves? I have to find Haley’s mom before they kill her.”

“Gideon, it’s a miracle that you found that girl when youdid. Does she know where her mother was when that man showed up?”

“She said they were at a motel. I have a feeling the mom will return to the grandfather’s home and demand her daughter back. She won’t know I have her with me.”

“Why don’t I get the girl and bring her here, and then you can find her mom? I’ll bring Kat with me. We’ll take a road trip. I wonder what state Haley and her mom were in when he took her.”

“I don’t know, but I’ll have to go to Chicago to see if Haley’s mother is there. It would be great if you could pick Haley up. Can you get here early in the morning?”

“Yes, we’ll see you in the morning.”

“Great. I’ll see you then,” I said before hanging up. I decided to stay up for a while to make sure no one came sniffing around. I slept on the rocker on the front porch. Bear slept with Haley.

I had breakfast and coffee made when River and Kat showed up. I didn’t say anything about her being as big as a house. She still had two months to go before the twins were here.

“Hi, let’s have breakfast, and you can meet Haley.”

“It’s beautiful here,” Kat said. She stretched her back as she looked around.

We walked inside, and Haley was talking to Bear. He sat and listened as if he understood her every word.

“Haley, this is River and Kat. You’ll stay with them while I find your mom and bring her home to you.”

“We can’t go home because Grandpa will find us, and he’ll beat my Mom up again,” she said with a quiver in her voice.

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