Page 43 of Jagger
“And you promise we won’t get into trouble if we don’t say anything?” Paula asked in a small voice.
“The men outside want nothing more than to make sure you’re safe, and if we all keep quiet, then no one will be aware of what transpired out here,” I returned.
“Won’t someone come looking for that man?” Pattie asked.
I shook my head. “Everyone who knew he was here is gone, and there won’t be anyone looking for you. You’ll be able to put this behind you and move on with your lives.”
I wasn’t saying that to Laura, and I believed she knew it. Her eyes cast down, and I could tell her pain was real, raw, and present. Pattie and Paula, it seemed, were spared the worst of Blur’s madness.
“We won’t say anything. We promise,” Pattie said, and Paula nodded in agreement.
I reached over and gave the girls a hug, whispering, “Thank you.” I looked at Laura and asked, “Have you decided where you want us to take you?”
She shook her head and admitted, “I know my nieces are safe with their father, but I believe that man . . .”
“Would you like to come back to Rapid City while we figure out what to do next? I can guarantee you’ll be safe with the Sinners Revenge until you decide,” I offered.
“Are you sure?” Laura asked. “I don’t want to be any more of a bother than I already am.”
I hugged her and whispered, “You’re safe with us until you’re ready to leave.”
A knock sounded into the room, and once again, I yelled, “Who is it?”
“It’s Roughstock,” he replied, and I stood from my seat on the crappy couch and opened the door. “We need to get moving if we’re going to meet your father.”
I looked at the girls, and together they stood, keeping their hands intertwined. Laura began to look around, so I suggested, “Pattie, Paula, this is Trent, and he’s married to my cousin. I want you to go with him so he can get you loaded into the truck, and Laura and I will be out in a minute.”
They weren’t sure, but I smiled and nodded. Walking to the front door, they looked down at Trent and back at me before they stepped down. He offered his hand to assist, and Animal stepped to the other side of them as they flanked the girls on their walk to the trucks.
Turning, I looked at Laura and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I . . . I don’t know,” she admitted, and I walked up to her.
“Is there anything you want to take with us?”
She nodded and walked down a small hallway and turned into one of the rooms. Returning quickly, she had a picture album in her arms, and she seemed content now.
“Is that everything?” She nodded, so I encouraged, “Let’s get out of here.”
Taking her hand into mine, I helped her down from the trailer as Jagger approached.
“Is there anything inside that needs to be removed?” he asked.
“We have everything,” I remarked.
“Roughstock and Animal will meet you at the trucks. We’ll be right there. Just need to drop something off inside really quick.” He raised his eyebrows, and I gave him a nod before looking at Laura.
“Are you ready?”
She gave the trailer one final look, straightened her spine, and began to leave without another glance. I looked just as we turned the corner around the trees at the driveway and saw Jagger and Phantom carrying something inside the trailer. Iknew what it was, so I turned away and focused my attention on the girls.
After speaking with Pattie and Paula in the second truck and sending my dad a text that Animal and Phantom were dropping them off tonight, I helped Laura into the first truck. A large whoosh sounded before Jagger and Phantom walked back to the trucks. Phantom placed something wrapped in a black bag into the back of our truck, then Roughstock got into the truck and gave me a look before Jagger got behind the wheel and Phantom walked back to the other truck.
As we turned around in the snow and sand, I saw smoke coming from the trailer, and the farther away we got, the bigger the smoke plume grew. This area was so far from anything that if anyone did see the fire, it would be too late to do anything about it by the time they got here. And if I was right, Blur was inside, waiting to be discovered whenever someone came to investigate.
And if they didn’t, then the vermin could have what was left.
Chapter 21
