one in Paul’s closet is too obvious.”
“I’ll do some camouflaging, then,” said Zachary. “I’m pretty
sure we have more wood flooring slats in the shed. I can make it blend in with
the existing woodwork. We’ll keep blankets and warm clothing in a box down
there just in case.”
“And some food,” Elsie added.
“Nothing should be left in your room to indicate she’s here,
Paul. If they suspect anything, they’ll tear this house apart looking for her.”
“No problem. My room already looks empty as it is.”
Zachary summed up the situation. “We all need to act as if
nothing is out of the ordinary, yet with a thought for everyone’s safety. No
heroics, or else we risk failure,” he said, looking at Paul.
Sierra lay in bed and concentrated on the swirls in the
plaster ceiling as Dr. Jensen inspected her foot. Earlier, Elsie had brought in
a pair of black spandex knee-length shorts to give her a little more modesty,
for which Sierra was grateful.
“I can’t be sure without an x-ray,” Dr. Jensen said to
Sierra. “But if it’s broken, it’s only a hairline fracture. I think by wrapping
it in a splint and keeping your weight off of it for a couple of weeks, it will
heal on its own.”
Dr. Jensen, a middle-aged heavy-set man, began wrapping Sierra’s
ankle. She glanced around the room full of males. Paul stood by the dresser
with his arms folded across his chest with a worried expression and a pursed
mouth. Zachary sat next to Dr. Jensen with the same concerned look. Her eyes
went back to Paul, only to find his hypnotic gaze still on her.
Dr. Jensen finished caring for Sierra and left the bedroom
with Zachary. They walked to the kitchen, where the doctor’s vehicle was parked
out the back door.
“What do I owe you?” Zachary asked.
“Just the usual house-call fee. Zachary, what happened to
her? She has some pretty severe contusions on her calves that I can tell aren’t
related to the ankle injury.”
“She hurt her ankle skiing with Paul and refused to go to
the hospital. Paul worried about her so I called you.”
“Why won’t she go to the hospital?”
“No insurance.”
“Skiing doesn’t explain those bruises.”
“She’s an active, sports-minded girl.”
“Sports-minded people don’t usually get hurt like that. I’m
a doctor, Zach, and I suspect her bruises are from abuse. Her ankle injury is
from a fall. It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me any more than that. Just
don’t think of me as an idiot. I think you’re going to have to pay me a little
more for my silence.”
Zachary’s jaw dropped.
“When I say pay me, I mean with a plate of Elsie’s cookies.
They’re worth a lot more to me than any reward.” He winked.
Zachary let out a breath and smiled. “You had me going there
for a moment, Jensen.”
“I would never turn your family in, you know that.”
“I’m sorry for even thinking it.”
“So how about those cookies?” Dr. Jensen hinted and watched
as Zachary filled a plate with some of the cookies that Elsie had taken out of
the oven about half an hour earlier. “I’m sure all those dark-windowed cars
haven’t escaped your attention,” the doctor said as he bit into a cookie.
“I saw them.”
“Any raids yet?”
“No.”
“It’s her, isn’t it? They’re after Sara, aren’t they? I
don’t understand why you put your family in danger, Zachary. It certainly isn’t
for the money, because I know what you charge crossers. You could be asking for
a lot more, and they would pay it. But I know you well enough to know that what
you do is not for the money. I just don’t understand what else it’s all about.”
“Rawlings ordered a hit. They killed my father, Jensen, but
only because they missed their target, my mother.”
“Are you kidding me? When did that happen? I’ve never heard
that before.”
“I was quite young. But it stuck with me so much that I’ve
defied Rawlings ever since. I’ll keep doing what I’m
“I’ll do some camouflaging, then,” said Zachary. “I’m pretty
sure we have more wood flooring slats in the shed. I can make it blend in with
the existing woodwork. We’ll keep blankets and warm clothing in a box down
there just in case.”
“And some food,” Elsie added.
“Nothing should be left in your room to indicate she’s here,
Paul. If they suspect anything, they’ll tear this house apart looking for her.”
“No problem. My room already looks empty as it is.”
Zachary summed up the situation. “We all need to act as if
nothing is out of the ordinary, yet with a thought for everyone’s safety. No
heroics, or else we risk failure,” he said, looking at Paul.
Sierra lay in bed and concentrated on the swirls in the
plaster ceiling as Dr. Jensen inspected her foot. Earlier, Elsie had brought in
a pair of black spandex knee-length shorts to give her a little more modesty,
for which Sierra was grateful.
“I can’t be sure without an x-ray,” Dr. Jensen said to
Sierra. “But if it’s broken, it’s only a hairline fracture. I think by wrapping
it in a splint and keeping your weight off of it for a couple of weeks, it will
heal on its own.”
Dr. Jensen, a middle-aged heavy-set man, began wrapping Sierra’s
ankle. She glanced around the room full of males. Paul stood by the dresser
with his arms folded across his chest with a worried expression and a pursed
mouth. Zachary sat next to Dr. Jensen with the same concerned look. Her eyes
went back to Paul, only to find his hypnotic gaze still on her.
Dr. Jensen finished caring for Sierra and left the bedroom
with Zachary. They walked to the kitchen, where the doctor’s vehicle was parked
out the back door.
“What do I owe you?” Zachary asked.
“Just the usual house-call fee. Zachary, what happened to
her? She has some pretty severe contusions on her calves that I can tell aren’t
related to the ankle injury.”
“She hurt her ankle skiing with Paul and refused to go to
the hospital. Paul worried about her so I called you.”
“Why won’t she go to the hospital?”
“No insurance.”
“Skiing doesn’t explain those bruises.”
“She’s an active, sports-minded girl.”
“Sports-minded people don’t usually get hurt like that. I’m
a doctor, Zach, and I suspect her bruises are from abuse. Her ankle injury is
from a fall. It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me any more than that. Just
don’t think of me as an idiot. I think you’re going to have to pay me a little
more for my silence.”
Zachary’s jaw dropped.
“When I say pay me, I mean with a plate of Elsie’s cookies.
They’re worth a lot more to me than any reward.” He winked.
Zachary let out a breath and smiled. “You had me going there
for a moment, Jensen.”
“I would never turn your family in, you know that.”
“I’m sorry for even thinking it.”
“So how about those cookies?” Dr. Jensen hinted and watched
as Zachary filled a plate with some of the cookies that Elsie had taken out of
the oven about half an hour earlier. “I’m sure all those dark-windowed cars
haven’t escaped your attention,” the doctor said as he bit into a cookie.
“I saw them.”
“Any raids yet?”
“No.”
“It’s her, isn’t it? They’re after Sara, aren’t they? I
don’t understand why you put your family in danger, Zachary. It certainly isn’t
for the money, because I know what you charge crossers. You could be asking for
a lot more, and they would pay it. But I know you well enough to know that what
you do is not for the money. I just don’t understand what else it’s all about.”
“Rawlings ordered a hit. They killed my father, Jensen, but
only because they missed their target, my mother.”
“Are you kidding me? When did that happen? I’ve never heard
that before.”
“I was quite young. But it stuck with me so much that I’ve
defied Rawlings ever since. I’ll keep doing what I’m
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