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"It's not hiding. It's buying time. Let things cool down. Make a new plan."
"Her father would hunt her down."
"Change your name. Use cash. He won't find you in my cabin." Henry's so flippant about his crazy option. It's the kind of thing he would've done without hesitation.
"Shit. If I leave… Your health…" The doctor's appointments. His meds...
"My other kids can take care of me. It's their turn. You did more than your share."
I can't believe I'm contemplating leaving Henry when he needs me the most. Mila would be safe. Vaughn wouldn't know where to find us. I could report what I know about him to the police. It's not much but enough to start an investigation. He'll eventually face justice for his crimes. It could even turn into a new start for us.
"What if we did wit sec and tried to bring him down?"
"They don't give witness protection to just anyone. Do you have valuable evidence?"
"No. Shit. Nothing. Just a few messages from Vaughn and my word."
He shakes his head. "They won't give you wit sec."
"He said he's in with all the judges and cops too."
"Shit. He's more powerful than we both thought."
"Yep. Totally underestimated him." I hold my aching ribs and pace the room. I need to brace my broken finger, but first I need a solution to this. "All right. We'll go. I'll take Mila to your cabin."
"Good boy. Over in my nightstand, there's a box of papers. Bring me those." He angles his thumb back toward his bedroom. "It's a blue shoebox."
I find his box and bring it to him. He unfolds an old tattered paper with lines and handwriting scratched on it. "This here." He points to a square on the map. "This is Pleasure Mountain. You won't believe it till you see it. It's incredible. God made that place with the intent to blow your mind. Clean air, giant sequoias. Man, I loved it there. Now they've been building up around it, but you still got ten acres all to yourself."
I'm about to interrupt him for going off track, but he surprised me. "Ten acres?"
"Most of it's trees."
"But still."
"There's a dirt road off the highway here. Then watch for the iron post. It might be a little grown over, but that post will be there." He hands me the map and a key. "The lake out back doesn't freeze over. Not cold enough in the winter. Can you imagine a lake out here not freezing over in the winter? Doesn't even snow out there."
"Sounds nice, but we need to hurry." He's giving me hope. Mila and I could hide out there for a while, wait for Vaughn Bianchi to get arrested, and then resurface and come back to Henry when it's safe. "I'll do it."
"Good. You pay it forward, we're even."
"We'll never be even. You've done so much for me."
"You've been better to me than the spawn of my seed." He smiles. He's joking about the spawn. He loves his bio kids. He pulls himself up in his chair and levels his gaze on me. "If you change your name, I ask one thing."
"Anything." Anything Henry asks, I give him.
"Become Foster Twist."
A lump clogs my throat. "You want me to leave you and take your name?" He'd suggested the name change when he adopted me, but I refused because I didn't want to impose on his other kids. I didn't know it was still on his mind.
"Yes. Take Mila, my name, my cabin, and go." He flicks his hand like he's shooing off a fly.
I nod and grip his shoulder. I'd be proud to take his name. "I'll be back for you, Henry. As soon as it's safe."
"Don't worry about me. This is your chance."
"I have to pack. I think I have a broken finger and some bruised ribs." It hurts to walk away from him in more ways than one.
