Chapter 25 Lissa #3
“Rod, you give that back,” said Daisy, closing in on her brother as they rounded the corner of the house again.
At this distance, Lissa couldn’t tell what he’d taken, but it was something small, clutched in his hand. Perhaps a book.
At the edge of the weedy lawn, the children spotted them and froze. Their wide-eyed, stiff stance showed their fear.
“Are your parents at home?” Lissa kept her voice soft. “We’d like to speak with them, please.” Her knees shook, her nerves ratcheting up a notch.
Daisy stared at them, remaining unmoving. Her hands balled into fists. Her eyes glistened with instant tears in her eyes. Lissa could relate. Strangers now meant danger.
The younger brother recovered first. His eyes narrowed as he stepped in front of his sister. “Hey. I don’t know you. What are you doing here?”
Cam’s mouth twitched. She also liked the protective brother move. The kid might be young, but he had solid instincts.
“I’m Lissa, and this is my boyfriend, Cam. We live nearby and were hoping to speak to your parents.” She shot Cam a glance.
He gave an almost imperceptible nod. His tone was calm and even. “Could you please find your parents? It’s important.”
Before Little Rod could return to the house, a deep gravely voice said, “Hands in the air.” The father had gotten the drop on them from behind.
Sweat soaked Lissa’s shirt, making it stick while a lump formed in her stomach. She hoped that coming here unarmed hadn’t been a mistake. She clutched Cam’s hand, her palms clammy. They raised their other hands.
“Turn around. Nice and slow.”
They did, awkwardly, without dropping each other’s hand. Lissa’s knees shook, and her heart galloped. This conversation would be brilliant, or a colossal mistake. Time would tell. She stifled a gasp.
Rod Sr. had his shotgun pointed directly at Cam’s chest. “What do you want?”
Somehow, Cam seemed to ignore the weapon. “I’m Cam, and this is Lissa. We came to speak to you and your wife.”
Rod kept the gun aimed at his original target, but his eyes narrowed like his son’s had. He scanned them from hair to hiking shoes. “Where did you say you were from?”
“We didn’t,” said Cam. “We drove from xTerra this morning, but Lissa has lived near here for six years.” They’d decided to be honest instead of evasive, afraid to appear disingenuous. The approach was a gamble based on Robin and Kory’s experience.
“What do you want with us?” Rod maintained unwavering eye contact with Cam, ignoring Lissa.
While his disinterest in her made this conversation easier, it also seemed natural for someone who had lived with those who’d been quick to strip women of their rights.
This thought caused her knees to shake. Maybe her presence was a bad idea.
“Since we’re neighbors, we’re hoping to become allies.” Cam kept his voice even, radiating calm. Lissa bit the inside of her cheek hard enough she was afraid she’d drawn blood. One mistake and Cam would be killed.
Rod spoke over them without moving. “Kids, run inside. Stay there unless your mother or I say different. Go.”
Behind them, the grass rustled as the kids took off running.
Lissa risked a glance over her shoulder. Little Rod stopped at the top of the stairs on the porch. He hung on the spindles of the railing, dangling and continuing to watch.
“Inside. Now,” yelled his father. Once both children were inside, he continued. “xTerra, huh? Why would anyone from there want to talk to us? Last I checked, we were enemies.”
Lissa bit her lip. Cam had done the talking so far, but she cleared her throat.
Rod’s intense gaze switched to her. She took a deep breath.
“I was here the day you moved in, and I overheard you talking to your wife on the porch. I panicked about more of your people coming, then you mentioned an attack on xTerra. I left to warn them.” She swallowed. “I couldn’t risk Cam being in danger.”
He squeezed her hand while inside she quaked under Rod’s full attention.
“So, the Slains have you to thank for the bombing to have gone tits up.” He flicked a glance at Cam, lingering on their joined hands.
Unable to read his expression, she couldn’t tell if Rod was angry, so she kept quiet.
“Based on her description, some friends recognized who you might be.” Cam said, resuming control of the conversation.
“Friends?” said Rod, a spark of curiosity igniting in his dark eyes.
“Kory and Robin Walker,” said Cam.
Rod’s creased face broke into a crooked grin, showing teeth stained from tobacco use. “How are Goliath and his pretty little wife? I was hoping they’d land on their feet. I heard he was shot during their escape and wondered if he made it.” Rod lowered his gun.
Lissa’s sigh of relief was audible.
“They’re expecting their second child,” said Cam. “Kory suggested you might have more in common with our cause than you do with… your brother-in-law.”
“Why don’t we talk where my wife can join us?” Rod shot Lissa a sideways glance. “If you were here on moving day, you probably overhead more than the planned attack.”
She bit her lip and nodded. “It sounded like you wanted to leave the Slains.”