Chapter 12
Cade drops me off just outside of town.
He gives me repeated instructions about how I’m to walk straight to the Pub, not stop for any reason, and if anyone gives me bad vibes, I should scream and start running as fast as I can.
All of this I already know, but I can tell he’s worried about leaving me on my own after what happened yesterday. So I don’t get annoyed.
In fact, his fussing is kind of sweet.
His mother was right. He wants so much to keep everyone safe.
We’ve worked out our story in detail. I was captured off the road by a group of ruffians, but by some unexpectedly good luck, the Silver Wolf attacked the group on the road. This much has to match the truth because it will have been witnessed and reported.
But then the story goes that I managed to sneak away during the gunfight, and I scrabbled my way back to town on my own. My appearance—bruised and scratched and muddy all over—will bear this out, and this way we can avoid any suspicions about my having a connection to the Silver Wolf.
It’s a reasonable story. People will believe it. So I waste no time in saying goodbye to Cade before slipping out of the ATV he drove me down through the hills on.
I’ll see Cade this weekend. It’s not like it’s goodbye for good.
But I can’t linger any longer in the cave without rousing suspicions and putting not just myself but Cade and all his people in danger.
As I walk through town toward the Pub, three different people call out greetings, expressing relief that I’m okay and asking if I need any help. I wave to them all but don’t pause.
I didn’t realize so many locals know who I am, much less care enough to worry about me.
I’ve kept to myself all my life, so it’s genuinely surprising.
When I get to the Pub, the first person who sees me is Danny. He comes running over, shouting, “She’s back!” so loud that the entire building must be able to hear it.
He gives me a quick one-arm hug and then gesticulates wildly and asks a hundred questions all at once. One by one, the rest of the staff come out from the kitchen or from downstairs, all of them openly joyous about my return.
I’m trying to explain as succinctly as possible when Nell makes an appearance. “Jill! So you made it after all.” When she takes a full look at me, she adds, “Did you crawl back home on your hands and knees?”
“Pretty much.” I’m about to continue when someone else walks out of the kitchen behind her with his arm in a sling and a relaxed smile on his face. “Pete?”
I stand frozen for a minute as a wave of shocked joy slams into me. Then I make a silly sound and stride over to give him a hug.
As unfazed as ever, Pete chuckles and hugs me back with his good arm. “Watch the gunshot wound. I’m only half functioning at the moment.”
“Are you okay?” I pull back to peer at him. “I thought you were dead.”
“Nope. Not me. But I played dead just in case. They didn’t care about me one way or another, so they didn’t even check.”
I can’t seem to stop grinning, but I don’t even care.
“We’ve been up all night hoping for news,” Danny says. “So sit your ass down and tell us how you made it back home alive.”