Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Ethan stood in the doorway to the study.
Asher sat behind the desk, three monitors angled toward him. He leaned back in the chair. “What’s up?”
Ethan leaned against the frame. “We thought we’d go for a walk, down to the water, maybe.”
“No.”
“We’ve been cooped up since we got here.”
“I hear you.” Asher shook his head. “No.”
Ethan shifted so he could see the screens. On the nearest one, the driveway ran gray into the pines. Nothing moved on that screen or any of them.
“Just around the house.”
“Sorry.”
“Is there a trail?” He remembered what he’d seen in the garage. “There must be a trail for those snowmobiles. We could go for a ride. Even if someone saw us, we’d be moving too fast for anyone to catch us.”
“It’s not safe.”
“Come on, man. My wife’s going stir crazy. She was in prison for six years. Did you know that? It’s not fair to keep her locked up.”
Asher made a show of looking around. “This isn’t exactly a Chinese prison. I think she’ll survive.”
“You know what? You’re not the boss of me.”
Asher’s mouth tugged at one corner as if he might accidentally smile. “Maybe not, but I am armed.”
Right. Like he was going to hold them at gunpoint. “You said it yourself—it’s our second honeymoon. Just let us get outside for a few minutes.”
Asher looked at the monitors, then out the window, where the thick forest separated the house from the road. The sky was bright blue, the sun shining overhead.
Ethan had woken with his wife’s head on his chest, her hand flat over his heart, her breath slow and even, and he’d lain there a long time, thanking God for all of it. Mostly, thanking Him for the woman who’d chosen him all over again.
Apparently, Gavin and his official intelligence-official friend had gotten through to the hospital’s administrators. Ethan’s job would be waiting for him whenever he got back. Donahue had texted a couple of hours before.
Can’t wait to hear the whole story. Sounds like you were quite the hero.
Hardly.
Just a desperate husband.
His boss had replied with a thumbs-up, which was more than Ethan had expected. They weren’t exactly friendly, he and Dr. Donahue.
All Ethan had heard from Gavin was that Lu Feng hadn’t tried to get past Border Patrol yet. As soon as he did, they’d have him. It was just a matter of time.
Ethan and Mei Lin had enjoyed a long, leisurely morning—the kind of morning he’d been dreaming of for years.
They’d eaten lunch, and then Mei Lin had gone upstairs to shower.
They planned to look for another movie to watch this afternoon, but the thought of being stuck in this house all day made him itchy.
The longer Ethan stood in the office, the more determined he was to go outside.
Asher sent a quick text, then waited for a response. When it came in, he stood. “We’ll ride the snowmobiles. You and Mei Lin on one, me on the other. That’s the deal—take it or leave it.”
“I’ll take it.” Ethan was already turning toward the stairs. “I’ll tell Mei Lin to bundle up. How soon can we go?”