11

I couldn’t say I enjoyed the last dinner with my parents. Because that’s exactly what it was. Everything was too intense. I was frantic and desperate. I felt like I had to absorb every smile, every look, every word and hug and mannerism, and before I could savor the moment, it slipped away with the knowing that this was all I’d ever have of them.

Memories.

Pictures in my head.

I wouldn’t get to see the fine lines around my mom’s eyes and mouth age into proper wrinkles. I wouldn’t get to see the gray streaks in Dad’s hair overtake the brown. I would never again get to see my dad’s eyes and words fill with the pride and love he carried for his only child. I would never again feel my mother’s comfort or even feel the sting of her stern reason.

My parents would be captured in this moment, forever frozen.

As the evening drew on, I became quieter and quieter, frustrated at myself for wasting this precious time.

It didn’t go unnoticed, of course.

At one point, my mother dragged me into the kitchen on the pretense of helping her serve dessert.

She folded her arms and pierced me with a worried look. “What is going on, Georga? You look utterly miserable.”

I couldn’t tell her the truth. Her loyalties were already conflicted, and she’d be losing me in the process. What if she decided that betraying my confidence was the only way to save me?

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “Sorry, I’ve just had a long day.”

“Is it that place?” Her mouth pursed. “I know you want to do your part, darling, but honestly, does it have to be at the rehab center? No wonder you’re depressed.”

I jumped at the excuse. “You’re right, it’s affecting me worse than I thought it would. But it’s not a permanent position. Another week or so, at the most. Rose has asked me to join her team and I’m thinking about it.”

Cautious relief relaxed Mom’s features and she unfolded her arms to hug me. “I love you.”

I hugged her back fiercely, blinking back tears. “Love you, too.”

When Roman and I climbed into his truck a little later, I asked him if we could stop at Jessie.

“Do you mind if I drop you off?” He started the truck, sliding a look my way. “I planned to take a drive to the rehab center and scope the area. About an hour? Is that good?”

I’d walked the perimeter of the building many times over the last few days, mapped the emergency exits for each ward and road access and surveillance cameras. But Roman insisted on seeing it for himself.

“I don’t know if she’ll want to see me,” I said as he pulled away from the curb. “She’s probably still pretty mad at me.”

We completed the short drive to Jessie’s street in silence. He cut the engine and leaned across to brush a kiss over my mouth. “Should I wait to see if you’re received?”

I shook my head. I wouldn’t allow Jessie to turn me away. “I have my iComm. I’ll send you a message if I need you to pick me up sooner.”

His hand rested on my thigh, his eyes on me. “Are you okay?”

“Just a lot on my mind.” I smiled for his benefit. “This is hard.”

“You don’t have to go through with it, you know.” Moonlight bathed the interior of the cab, casting shadows on his face and contemplative expression. “There’s always Plan B.”

I laughed. “The one where I slip a fast-acting sedative into the coffee supply and hide behind the couch in the staff lounge, waiting for the unsuspecting night nurses to come in, one by one, to get their coffee fix? Then, when they collapse, I stack their bodies behind the couch, steal their security cards to gain access to the wards and hope no one notices anything is amiss. What could possibly go wrong?”

Especially since we weren’t taking out the guard stationed at reception. His absence would be far too noticeable, especially since the on-call doctor could arrive at any time and sound the alarm.

“I mean the other Plan B,” Roman growled, unamused at my sarcasm. “I blow out the emergency exit with explosive putty and you don’t need to be involved at all.”

We’d already discarded Plan C. “You’d need to take out the reception guard for that to work. It’s too risky. If someone comes along, or he doesn’t answer his iComm, it’ll raise the alarm.”

There was no way to blow the door out quietly. Then Roman would still need to sweep the wards and get everyone out of their rooms. The timing just didn’t work.

“We’re going with Plan A.” I planted a kiss on his cheek and climbed out of the truck. “I love you.”

“Love you,” he said, his jaw softening, and he didn’t pull away, watching, waiting as I walked up to the front door of Jessie’s white-washed terrace.

I knocked and turned to blow Roman a kiss, then made a shooing gesture to give him permission to go.

Jessie’s husband answered the door. His green eyes lit on me with surprise, quickly followed by a warm welcome. “Georga, lady of the hour.”

“What?”

“Oh, you know…” Harry smiled sheepishly and pulled me into a hug. He must have seen Roman’s truck over my shoulder. “Is Roman coming in?”

“Not tonight,” I said. “He has to be somewhere. But he’ll be back to fetch me in a while, if that’s okay?”

Harry waved at the truck and closed the door.

“We’re always happy to have you here, for as long as you like, and as long as possible.” He winked playfully and lowered his voice. “If you could put in a good word with Jessie for me, I’d be forever grateful. I don’t know what I’ve done, but I’m sorry. Really sorry. Don’t forget to mention how sorry I am. I’m groveling here.”

He was speaking in a teasing tone. That was Harry, always a laugh, always good-natured, truly one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. But it seemed something was going on between them… or not. I gave myself a mental slap.

Harry hadn’t done anything wrong.

I had.

And apparently Jessie hadn’t shared why she was in a bad mood.

“Jessie’s in the kitchen,” he said. “Go on through.”

“Thanks.” I almost gave him another hug, because I could, because Harry was another person I would miss. But that would have been weird, so I didn’t.

Jessie wasn’t aware of my arrival. She had her back to me, water running in the kitchen sink as she rinsed off their dinner dishes. The kettle on the stove whistled and she shut off the water, grabbing a drying towel as she turned, and abruptly dropped it when she caught sight of me.

“Sorry,” I said, stepping deeper inside the kitchen. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“What?” She scowled at me. “What are you doing here?”

“Harry let me in.”

“That’s not…” She flapped a hand, sighed, and moved to take the kettle off the stove. “What do you want, Georga?”

I hated this.

Some of her anger was justified, but I was done taking the blame for everything she’d thrown at me. Still, I hated this rift between us. I’d do just about anything to get my friend back.

That wasn’t why I was here, though.

Jessie flicked her voluminous black curls over one shoulder and reached for mugs. “I’m making hot chocolate. Or would you prefer coffee?”

“Jessie.” I edged around the kitchen table, but her knitted brows stopped me before I got anywhere near her. “I don’t want hot chocolate. I don’t want coffee. I just want to talk.”

“Well, go on.” She shoved her hands into the front pockets of her pants, every bit as stubborn as me. Her brown eyes were flat without the mischief we usually amused ourselves with. “I’m not going to kick you out of my house, Georga, and it’s not like you’re going to leave of your own free will until you’ve had your say. So what is it?”

I rubbed the ache developing at my temple. “You know what I said about Daniel?”

“Of course I do.” Jessie blew out a noisy breath. “I’ve also spoken to Brenda about it. She lives two streets over from me now. Did you know that?”

The accusation in her tone grated on my nerves. “I didn’t know, but what are you saying? Is that somehow my fault now, too?”

Her expression softened fractionally. “I’m not blaming you, Georga. I’m just…it was distressing, seeing Brenda like that. She’s lost everything. Her husband. Her home. Her future. She knows Daniel is going to be sent to rehab, and she knows what kind of life she’s looking at with him once he returns.”

I thought of Brenda’s outburst of spiteful rage and had to bite my tongue. That’s not why I was here, and I wasn’t heartless…or maybe my perspective had just shifted. I was also about to lose my home. My future. At least I still had Roman. Maybe she was just hurting so badly, and I’d been the face she’d lashed out at.

I pulled out a chair and sat. “What I’ve got to tell you, please, don’t say anything to anyone, and especially not to Brenda. At least, not until it’s done. Then you’re welcome to let her know.”

Jessie took one step closer. “What’s going on?”

“Daniel and the other heirs will be admitted to rehab within the next day or so, and Roman and I have a plan to get them out,” I said. “We’re taking them to The Smoke, and we’re going with them.”

“What do you mean, you’re going with them?” She came another step forward, pressing her palms to the table. “You’re coming back, right?”

“I can’t.” My throat thickened with all the emotions warring inside me. “Roman is organizing his own transfer out of Capra. We’ll be living in The Smoke.”

“I don’t understand. You’ve been there before and you’ve come back.”

“Roman and I have been over it, again and again, and there’s no way to hide my involvement,” I told her. “It won’t be safe here for me, not once Geneva knows I helped the heirs escape.”

Jessie deflated into the chair across from me, half-slumped on the table with a hand dragging through her hair. “You can’t do this.”

“I’m so sorry.” I stretched my arm across the table, my palm turned up. “I can’t not do this. I can’t leave Daniel to whatever fate Geneva has in store for him.”

“What about your parents?” She stared at me, wetness gathering in the corners of her eyes. “Your mother will be devastated. Does she know?”

“I can’t tell her,” I said. “But I plan to write them a letter and…and I was hoping you’d deliver it once I’m gone.”

Jessie’s gaze dipped to my upturned hand and then, to my relief, she placed her hand in mine. “When?”

“I don’t have an exact date, but it will be soon,” I said. “A couple of days at the most, if everything goes according to plan.”

“There was supposed to be time for me to be mad at you, and to get over myself.” Her voice developed a quiver. Her grip on my hand tightened. “We were supposed to raise our children together. We were supposed to have family barbeques in the summer and toast marshmallows around a log fireplace in the winter.”

“I’m sorry,” I said again.

What else could I say?

And then, suddenly, there was something. The service hatch to the train tunnel. We were using it to get everyone out, but there was no reason anyone would discover our secret route.

“Jessie, you’re right. I have been to The Smoke and back,” I said excitedly. “Once the dust has settled and no one’s actively searching for me, I should be able to sneak back into Capra for visits.”

Jessie’s eyes brightened. “And, maybe, one day I could sneak out to visit you in The Smoke.”

I’d have to discuss that with Roman, but he wouldn’t have a problem with bringing Jessie to visit. Suddenly anything seemed possible. My chest felt as light as those marshmallows Jessie envisioned us roasting.

Jessie made us hot chocolate as the mood in the kitchen swung from heartbreak to laughter.

A few hours later, back at the cabin, I sat down and wrote a letter to my parents. I didn’t know if either of them would understand why I had to do this, but I had to say goodbye, and leave them with a little hope. And although I couldn’t mention how , I promised I would see them again.