CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“I’m sorry we had to burn the house down, Ed,” said Myrtle, gripping his forearm. They were standing by the river in a remote park, hoping to be able to figure out their next move.

“Don’t be. It was just a house. What we’re doing is far more important. We just have to find another place to live for a while.”

“Maybe we should think about moving on,” said Helen, nervously wringing her hands together. “That young woman you took is from a very influential and powerful family. They won’t let this die. I say we go to Canada or Mexico.”

“We’d still have to have valid passports,” said Mac. “Getting through border security would be difficult. If this girl and her family are as good as you say, they probably already know who we are.”

“Listen, I know it’s difficult, but we can’t quit now,” said Jeffrey. “We’re close. So close to being able to help others and living the way we always intended. We can’t give up now.”

“I agree with Jeffrey,” said Mac. “We’re too close to throw in the towel now. We’ve done so much good, and I think if we just push ourselves a little more, we’ll achieve our goal.”

They all stared from one person to another. They’d come a long way, and they’d done a lot of good. They didn’t start out to rob banks, but they were only able to contribute small amounts stealing from others. They never stole from anyone who didn’t deserve it. They targeted their victims with intent.

Sometimes, it would be stealing a watch or jewelry and selling it. Sometimes, it was taking evidence at the Treasury or from Jeffrey’s job. They weren’t proud of themselves, but it had to be done. They might be elderly, but they weren’t useless.

“We made a mistake in killing those agents,” said Mac. “We’re wanted for murder now, not just bank robbery.”

“We’re all aware of that, Mac. We just have to stay cool and out of sight. No one has been suspicious of a group of senior citizens. I think we’ve played that well.”

“But now they know, Jeffrey,” said Helen. “They know, and they’ll be looking for us. I know how the agency works and how this young woman works. She won’t give up.”

“I think we’re worrying about things we can’t control. Let’s find a place to rent for a few weeks, and then we’ll finish what we started. After that, we can head to Miami and follow through on our plan.”

“Then what?” asked Myrtle. “It’s not like we’re all healthy as a horse. We’re going to need medications, doctors, maybe one day, something more serious. At this point, we can’t use our medical plans, or we’ll be identified in the pharmacy or doctor’s office. Did you think of that?”

She was starting to become panicked and wasn’t sure they understood just how desperate they were about to become. Without a permanent place to live, they were now homeless. They were wanted by the FBI and the friends of the young woman they drugged. Things were not looking good.

“I know you’re feeling overwhelmed, Myrtle, but I’m not giving up,” said Mac. “Estelle didn’t die in vain, and I won’t let her death be the end of this. We’re going to prove that there’s a better way to manage this whole process of getting old and dying.”

His friends stared at him, unsure of what to say. They looked down at their feet and then back up at him. It was cold in D.C. today, and the winds whipping off the Potomac were picking up. Jeffrey looked up at the sky, then back at his friends.

“There’s a storm coming. We need to find somewhere to stay for a few weeks.”

“This needs to be done in a few days, Jeffrey. Not a few weeks,” said Helen. “We won’t have that much time.”

“Alright, then. A few days. But we still need a place to stay. Let’s find something.”

The troop piled into the minivan, all their belongings in the back, with additional tubs of personal belongings in the small trailer they were pulling behind them. If anyone asked, they were on their way to Arizona and their new retirement community.

No one would suspect a thing.