Chapter Twenty-Three

Savage Sanctuary Island, Simon

S imon wasn’t accustomed to anyone worrying about him. Well, Roberto and Yolanda cared, but they had known him for years. Mrs. Miller at the library cared too and he knew how lucky he was to have them in his life. This was different and his well-being seemed to matter to the girls. At first, Paige had brought back memories of the way he was treated on the street. She’d looked at him with fear and contempt, but he no longer saw that in her eyes. Misty and Sarah were easier, and they accepted him quickly. He appreciated their trust.

Simon should ask them why they were on the island. He didn’t think their reason would be anything good. They were running away from something. That he knew.

He slugged through the forest, his pants and shoes drenched within minutes, but thankfully, his upper body stayed dry beneath the slicker. The food and nap helped, and he felt stronger, which was a good thing. The storm was in full rage, and the rain beat against the side of his face to the point he could barely see. He knew the island, though, and could walk it with his eyes closed.

Simon hoped one or more of the cats would seek him out during the walk. Sometimes during storms, they had their fun and were ready for a dry den. Unfortunately, they stayed hidden. They were in danger, and maybe they sensed it. Simon worried about them going up against the hunter. If he put them in their pens, there was nothing to stop Jerry from releasing another cat to hunt. Jerry could replace one of the undocumented cats with one of the documented ones, and the authorities would be none the wiser. It was a huge dilemma that weighed on him every step he took.

The lights of Jerry’s apartment sprang out of the darkness. He unlocked the side gate and crept around to the back to look in the window. Jerry was with the hunter. They were standing over a table and checking out a map. Simon knew whatever they were talking about wasn’t good. The storm would last through the next day, and Roberto wouldn’t return until the day after that. Even if Simon returned the cats to their cages, they wouldn’t be safe.

He shook his head fiercely, the water flying from his skin joining the rain. Summa’s injury was the concern right now, and Simon decided the cats were safer loose on the island. He would check on the bobcats who were still in their pens on his way to the hut. He kept an eye out for Jerry and the hunter in case they came out.

Gerty and Cain were curled up in the back of their den waiting for the weather to improve. The swish of a tail let Simon know they were okay. He never released them because they couldn’t hold their own with the larger cats. Assured they were well, he continued to the hut.

He walked around inside, grabbing the items he needed, trying to remember everything. Misty had done a good job getting the bullet out of his shoulder, and he hoped she would help Summa. It was nearly impossible for Simon to kneel, and without a table to put the lion on, he would need to if he had to stitch the wound. At the hut, he had a table where he could work comfortably on the cats when it was needed. He had learned so much because Jerry hated paying for the veterinarian. In Simon’s opinion, the man wasn’t a very good doctor, and he always smelled like alcohol, and it wasn’t the antiseptic kind.

He heard a noise at the door and quickly carried the things he’d collected into his bedroom. Jerry walked inside with the hunter.

“They’re at the lighthouse, I promise,” Jerry said. “I have a key back at my room.”

“Why didn’t you bring it?” the hunter complained.

“They might have been here. You want them, they’re yours, but how are you going to explain the death of your friend?”

“Baxter doesn’t have family. He had money, and he was trying to spend it before your giant killed him. I’ve paid you a lot out of my own pocket, and I want those girls. I’ll take killing the giant over one of the beasts too. No one will ever find his body, and they most likely won’t find Baxter’s.”

“What a friend,” said Jerry.

“Baxter and I lived to hunt, but our dream was hunting a human. You said I can take down the Neanderthal, and I’m taking you up on it. I’ll kill that POS in Baxter’s honor. Who gives a damn about his body?” There was a short silence, and then he said, “Let’s get out of here. I want those girls.”

Simon listened to their steps and then the closing of the door. He took a moment to think about what they said. Jerry and the hunter knew the girls were at the lighthouse, and he needed to keep them safe. He hurriedly gathered the last few things he needed before he left the warmth of the hut. The wind had grown worse, and even with his large size, Simon had to put his head down and push through it as the rain beat against him. Lightning struck another tree, and he felt the shake beneath his boots.

While he moved, he thought about where to take the girls so they could be safe. He went past the cat enclosures and realized they might work. Each enclosure had a den that was sheltered and would keep them out of the storm. The doors to each pen were metal, and they locked with the key Simon carried. Jerry didn’t have a copy of it. He’d been surprised when he overheard Jerry had the key to the lighthouse. He had to beat them there, and he increased his pace.

He made it to the rocks and climbed upward. Misty stuck her head over the stairwell when he entered the door.

“We need to get out of here now,” he told her when he reached the top.

“Now?” she asked.

“Jerry has a key to get in here, and he’s coming with the hunter.”

Paige sat up. “Would he shoot us?” she asked.

Simon didn’t immediately answer. His world was turning upside down. The hunter would do worse than shoot the girls, but yesterday he would have said Jerry was safe. He realized how stupid he was. Jerry was just as dangerous to the girls as the hunter.

“Jerry will hurt you if he’s given the chance. The other guy wants to hunt me after he has you.”

“We should stand our ground,” Paige said, her bravado back in full swing.

“Not here,” he said.

“Is there anywhere safe we can go?” Sarah asked, lifting her head from beside Summa.

“Yes. The lions' pens are empty. They have dens in the back where you can hide and stay dry. It won’t be as warm as it is here, but it won’t be bad.” He gave them a pleading look because he had to keep them safe, and he wasn’t sure what to do if they wouldn’t come with him.

“If Simon says we need to move, we’re moving,” said Misty.

“I agree,” said Sarah. “But what about Summa?” She stood and began collecting her items.

“I’ll carry him if he can’t walk,” said Simon.

“What about our things?” Paige asked, grumpily.

“I’ll carry it all,” Simon told her, his frustration growing because they had to hurry. He leaned down and gritting his teeth against the pain in his knee, he picked up Summa. The cat didn’t object. He carried him to the stairs wondering if the large cat would survive. “Change into your wet clothes,” he told the girls and heard Paige grumble, but he ignored her. “Hurry.”