Chapter Seventeen
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GG PEERED OUT THROUGH a window of Pastor Hogan’s brownstone townhouse.
“We’re about to get visitors again,” she warned the two men.
Dalt shot to his feet, preparing to go through their usual drill.
They’d been staying at the preacher’s home for the past three days.
This was the fifth time Mayor Giamano’s law enforcement officers had come knocking.
“I’ll try to stall them,” Larry said, rising from the couch he never would have been able to afford in his former life. He’d had to call off all church sermons after GG and the other women had fled from Rahab and his soldiers. His parishioners were all hunkering down, waiting for the search to end.
“Quick, GG!” Dalton said as he climbed up to the top floor. He tugged on the rope that pulled the steep stairs to a tiny attic down. “Up you go, darlin’,” the cowboy said when she hurried after him. They both had their rifles slung over their shoulders.
GG smirked at him, then climbed the staircase. It was cold and cramped in the space that was filled with junk. They’d uncovered a couple of old wooden chairs so they had something to sit on.
Dalt climbed up after his ex and pulled the stairs back up.
He’d installed a couple of bolts on the inside that he’d stripped from a neighboring apartment door.
“I hope they’ll hold if the cops try to break in,” he murmured, sliding the bolts home.
So far, no one had thought to look up here. Different groups had knocked each time.
“Fate’s looking after us,” GG said, mentally crossing her fingers that the entity had their backs. Dalton had to duck as he crossed to her and sat on the vacant seat. A grimy window allowed them to peer outside, but they couldn’t see the street from way up here.
“So,” Dalt drawled. “Do you come here often?”
GG snickered quietly. He’d always had an amusing sense of humor. “Too often for my liking,” she replied. “Rahab still hasn’t given up on finding me. He’s obsessed.”
“I can’t say I blame him,” her ex murmured almost too quietly for her to hear him.
Looking down at her oversized men’s sweater and jeans, GG looked nothing like the polished, sophisticated woman she’d once been.
She’d raided one of the bedrooms to find a few changes of clothes.
They were clean and better than wearing her reversible gold and dark blue ski jacket and pants constantly.
“What did Paris whisper to you just before the girls left?” GG asked, startling him into glancing at her. Even in the dim light, he was as handsome as sin.
“I’ll tell you what she said to me if you tell me what she said to you first,” he said slyly.
Debating about whether her curiosity was worth the confession, GG decided to take the risk of suffering some embarrassment. “She told me you’re a good man and not to screw things up with you this time,” she said, raising her chin to give him a challenging look.
Dalt chuckled and stretched his long legs out. “Paris told me basically the same thing,” he admitted. “She said you’re not a selfish old cow anymore and that I should give you a second chance.”
“Old cow?” GG muttered in affront. “I’m only thirty-six, not sixty-six.”
“You don’t look a day over thirty,” he declared.
She gave him an eyeroll, then flinched when she heard raised voices coming from downstairs. “They’re in the building,” she whispered in dread.
“Don’t worry, darlin’,” Dalton said grimly. “I’ll keep you safe.” He reached for the rifle he always carried with him now.
Their gazes were focused on the trapdoor as the voices grew louder. “What’s up there?” a man with a hard voice asked.
“He’s just a human,” GG whispered. A soldier would have sensed them hiding in the attic.
“I have no idea,” Pastor Hogan said. “I think it’s nailed shut.”
Dalton rose to his feet and pointed the rifle at the trapdoor when someone pulled hard on the rope. GG unshouldered her own gun. Her teeth were bared and she was ready to fight to the death if she had to.
“It’s stuck!” the intruder complained.
“I don’t own this place,” the preacher said. “It’s probably been like that for years.”
“Do you have any food or beverages?” the belligerent cop demanded.
“I have a small supply,” Larry replied in a resigned tone he’d perfected by now.
“Hand it over and I won’t shoot you in the leg for wasting my time,” the newly appointed and highly unqualified officer said.
Dalt let out the breath he’d been holding. “We need to move on,” he said. “We’re putting Larry’s life in danger by staying here. We’re lucky Rahab’s soldiers haven’t been back since they performed their first sweep of Morningside Heights.”
“I’m supposed to meet Wynter in two days’ time,” GG said, heart beginning to return to its normal speed now that her adrenalin rush was fading.
“Where did you two arrange to meet up?” he asked, crossing to the window to try to peer downwards.
“At an abandoned skating rink in Brooklyn,” she said. “I saw it on a news program about derelict properties in New York not long before the Rapture. I figured it would be safe enough for us to use as a meeting point.”
“It would be smarter and safer if we found a place in Brooklyn to use as our base,” he mused. “We’ll be close enough to Manhattan to keep tabs on our enemies.”
“I guess we could relocate there for a while,” GG said reluctantly. “But I’m not giving up on rescuing the rest of the women the soldiers are keeping in their base.”
“With luck, we can get the knights you and the Pastor told me about to help us with that,” he said. “I can’t wait to meet one of them. I want to see these supposedly good aliens with my own eyes.”
“Tolas will be with Wynter,” GG replied. “He’s a decent guy.” She’d only met him briefly, but Wynter had completely fallen for him.
“It’s safe to come out now!” their host called out, startling them both.
“Okay, sir!” Dalton called back. “We’ll be right down!”
GG waited for him to unlock the trapdoor and lower the staircase, then climbed down. He followed her with his rifle in tow and pushed the staircase back into position.
“Thank goodness you installed the locks,” Larry said, holding his stomach as if he was in pain.
“Are you okay?” GG asked, touching his arm in concern.
“One of the officers punched me when I didn’t let them inside fast enough,” the preacher said ruefully. “I’m fine,” he added. “My little sister used to hit me harder than that when we were kids.”
GG snickered, then turned serious again. “Dalt and I need to move on, Pastor,” she said. “We were thinking of heading to Brooklyn. I need to meet a friend there soon anyway.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “You’ll leave after dark?” he figured, not bothering to argue with them. They all knew he would be safer once they were gone. Larry had a flock to look after and he also had a job to do.
“That’s the plan, sir,” Dalton agreed. It was late afternoon now, so they didn’t have long to wait.
“I’ll make us some coffee and you can take a thermos with you,” the pastor offered.
“That would be great, thanks,” GG said in acceptance.
He had food stashed in secret places the cops hadn’t found yet. Packing a backpack with some supplies, he handed it to Dalt once the coffee was ready. “That should last you for a few days,” he said.
“Don’t you need this?” the cowboy asked.
“My congregation make sure I have enough,” Pastor Hogan said, waving away his concern. They sat down in the living room and GG resumed her vigil at the window. She was constantly on edge, waiting for Rahab to find her and make her pay for deserting him.