Page 109 of Axe-ing for Trouble
“We’ll be okay here. Won’t we, girl?” Gus bent down and rubbed Ripley’s ears.
Frowning, I locked eyes with Jude.
“She’s gotta stay here,” he said, putting his arm around me. “Gus will take good care of her.”
The thought of leaving Ripley, the dog who had probably saved my life today, made me dizzy.
Gus stood and held out a hand the size of a bear paw to me. “Thank you. You’ve done so much.”
I took it, at a loss for what he was referencing. “Me?” I squeaked.
“Parker’s upstairs with my wife, going through your files. Thinks she can get a judge to issue warrants in a few days. We may finally see these guys taken down.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. The past few hours had been a blur.
Jude stepped up beside me. “Mila is brilliant,” he said, giving me a squeeze, “but we’ve gotta run.”
“Hop in,” Gus said. “Stay in the back. We don’t want you to be seen.”
Confused as hell, I moved on autopilot, following Jude to the van and letting him help me into the back. Ripley joined us, sticking close to me. Inside, there were giant backpacks, water jugs, and several other random items.
“Where are we going?” I asked as Jude held a granola bar out to me.
“Off grid for a bit.” He wrapped his arms around Ripley and buried his face in her fur. “I love you, girl,” he whispered. “You did good today. We’re so proud. Uncle Gus is making you a big steak tonight. And we’ll be home soon.”
Ripley put her head on his lap, eyes fixed on his face, and let him stroke her fur.
The ride to Lake Millinocket was bumpy but blessedly short. Gus drove down the service road, and as he approached the flight dock, he glanced at us in the rearview mirror.
“Stay in the van,” he said. “Finn is going through his preflight checklist.”
I peered around the driver’s seat and surveyed the area.
At the end of the wide dock, a plane on pontoons floated in the water. A man who might have been even taller than Gus walked around the aircraft with a clipboard and a flashlight. He wore a flight suit and was rocking an impressive man bun.
This was all too much. “Jude,” I whispered, sitting back, “I’m scared.”
He scooted over, pulling me into his chest. “I’m scared too. But we’ve got this. You and I will be safe, and my family will handle everything here.”
“Won’t they follow us?” I looked around, searching for black SUVs or motorcycles. I didn’t know the area well, but beyond the small park, there was a church steeple and what looked like a main street filled with shops. This was hardly lying low.
“Where we’re going, they can’t follow.” He stroked my cheek. “I’ve got you. I promise you. I’ll keep you safe.”
I opened my mouth, my first instinct to argue. Instead, I leaned in, kissing him softly. His presence was grounding,his voice soothing. His words made me believe that maybe this was possible, despite the constant stream of doubts.
The back doors opened, startling me. Then Gus appeared, the pilot at his side.
“I’m Finn,” he said with what I can only describe as a devastating smile.
Jesus, what was with this family? They possessed some tall, strong lumberjack genes.
“Here.” He threw two dark hoodies and baseball caps at us. “Put these on and stay here. Gus and I will load the supplies, then I’ll need to recheck weight.”
He and Gus grabbed the backpacks, plastic totes, and water jugs, lifting them as if they weighed nothing, and headed off. Two trips later, the van was cleared out.
When he’d finished his weight check, Finn returned, wearing a broad smile. “Okay, lovebirds, Marge is ready for you.”
Once we’d donned our hoodies and ball caps, we jogged down the dock, waving to Gus and Ripley. When we reached the aircraft, Finn lifted me up into the side door like I was a child.
