Page 29 of Gideon

“We’re taking Bear with us,” I reassured her. “We’re going to rent a car and drive. Remember I said I was going to get your uncle Mike out of prison? That’s what we’re doing.”

We told River and Kat our plan to go to Oklahoma. River tried to talk me out of it, but I’d already set everything in motion. I would get Mike, take him home to Dad’s, and meet the man who had seven kids with different women.

“This is great fun, isn’t it, Haley?”

“I’d rather stay with Kat. The babies are about to be born.”

“Don’t you want to meet the rest of your family?”

“I guess. Will they like me?”

“Sweetheart, they’ll love you,” I said, though deep down, I wondered the same thing. Would they like me?

“We’ll stop at Bass Pro Shops first. I called ahead, and they’re excited to see us.”

“Can I watch the fish swimming? I love watching the fish! And I need a new fishing pole.”

“We’ll get some new poles and tackle. There it is—the biggest Bass Pro Shop. I can’t wait to get a boat and get back to fishing.”

We walked into the massive store, both of us grinning from ear to ear. As I looked around, I spotted Timothy and Tommy watching us from the upper level. I waved, and they made their way down.

Haley noticed them and ran to meet them. “We’ve missed you,” Tommy said, scooping her up in a hug. “Haley, you’re getting so big!”

“We’ve missed you, too. Let’s go to your office, and I’ll tell you what’s been happening with Haley and me.”

“My mean Grandpa kidnapped us,” Haley blurted out as we walked. “He beat Mommy every time we tried to leave. But he’s dead now, so we don’t have to worry about him anymore.” Sherattled on at full speed, her words tumbling over one another until we stepped into the office, and she caught sight of the giant tank filled with fish. Her attention was instantly captured.

“While she’s watching the fish, you can explain what she’s talking about,” Tommy said, motioning for me to sit.

I gave them a condensed version of what had happened. “I asked if my truck and boat were still there, but Jonah burned them to the ground,” I finished.

“Laney, that’s horrible. That bastard!” Tommy’s expression darkened. “Did he kill Gavin?”

“Yes. He was going to kill me, too—just as soon as Haley was old enough to take care of herself.”

“My God,” Tommy growled. “That fucker. It’s a good thing he’s dead. Give me fishing on the lake over that nightmare any day. Speaking of which, we’ve got a new boat and truck waiting for you. When you called, we went ahead and picked them up. Are you ready to get back to making money?”

“Yes,” I said, smiling faintly. “I want to float on a boat and fish all day, record everything, and return to my peaceful life.”

Tommy hugged me, and then Timothy hugged me, too. “We’re a team again,” Tommy said. “Let’s go look at the boat. Can you take it today?”

“Yes, but I have a stop to make first. I’ll start fishing in a few days. Are you going to load me up with fishing poles and tackle?”

“Of course,” Tommy replied with a grin.

“I’ll pick out the pole,” I said, walking alongside them. “I also want to get a new iPad for recording videos. I can’t wait to join more fishing tournaments.” A tear slipped down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away. Tommy noticed and put an arm around me. Poor Gavin, his life must have been a nightmare.

“I need a new pole, too!” Haley piped up.

“We’ll get you one,” Tommy said warmly. “It’s good to have you back, Laney. We’ve been waiting for you. We didn’t knowwhere you were, but we knew if you could have called us, you would have. If that bastard weren’t dead, I’d kill him myself.”

We walked over to the boat, and I ran my hand along its side, hugging it like an old friend. “It’s beautiful,” I said, beaming. “I want our poles to match the color of the boat. I’ve had time to plan some great marketing ideas. First, I’ll get a photo of me driving the truck and pulling the boat, then record myself docking it. The colors will all tie together. I’ve got a month before Haley starts school, so I’ll have plenty of videos by then.”

“It sounds like you’ve thought of everything,” Tommy said. “Let’s get the poles and tackle sorted.”

By the time we finished, the sun had set. The car rental company came to pick up the rental, and I drove away in my new truck, towing my new boat behind me.

When I arrivedat the prison parking lot, I spotted David immediately. My entire body tensed. Being near someone tied to Jonah brought back too many memories. I parked the truck and got out with Haley.

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