Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 122097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Ike’s last words to me were, “I do not ever want to see you again.” And I just meekly agreed because I was young and afraid I’d get stuck up here forever if I didn’t just shut my mouth and let him have his say. And… whatever. Like I cared.
Obviously, I didn’t want to stay. I didn’t care if I ever saw him again.
But, as the years went by, I would think about that day and roll that last conversation over in my head. Trying to remember every word. And of course, years and years later, I would have a proper comeback for that. Something along the lines of, If you were the last man on earth…
But it wouldn’t have been true at the time. Even though I did not want to stay, I was still quite caught in his spell when he let me go. If I hadn’t accidentally seen something I shouldn’t have in that short time I was with him, I might’ve stayed up there forever and just let him take care of me.
That’s just not how it happened, though. And I’m glad I saw what I saw. It would be far worse to be caught up in his lies and live as a fool than it was to admit he was just a liar right from the start and excuse myself from the situation.
What I saw scared me. I didn’t really understand it, but I knew there was something bad going on and I knew it was a secret. After that, nothing about him—not those eyes, not that body, not that face—nothing about him was enough to make me stay.
He didn’t know I saw what I did. If he had… well, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me. I just know I wouldn’t be living this life. There would be no McBooms. There would be no buying Collin’s childhood home. There would be no Collin.
I need to get this conversation over with quick and then start back down the hill and be gone.
“Well,” Ike says, still sittin’ on that horse so he’s even more imposing than he would naturally be. “Why are you here, Lowyn? Should I take a guess?”
I let out a sigh. Jim Bob already told me Ike called about Collin. So he knows why I’m here and there’s no reason to beat around the bush. “Jim Bob sent me.”
Ike laughs. “I bet he did.”
“Do you mind gettin’ down off that horse?”
“Am I too big for you, Lowyn?”
I turn my back on him and just stare down the hill. I want to walk away so bad, but I can’t. Not until I set things right. So I turn back and my wish has been granted. He’s on the ground now, only slightly less imposing.
He spreads his arms wide. “Well, I’m listening.”
I take a breath and begin. “I’m not sure what happened this morning—”
“You’re not sure?” He cuts me off with the most incredulous look. “You’re. Not. Sure?”
“I don’t know why Collin came up here. The dog ran off, maybe. He doesn’t have a reason to come up here.”
Ike lifts one eyebrow. “Is that so? So he doesn’t know we’re married?”
“We’re not married. That was not legal. I was distraught, and… and sad… and…” I let out a long breath. “It wasn’t legal. We’re not married.”
“Well, now that’s funny. Because all this time I’ve been saving myself for the day you came back because I thought you were my wife.”
I just squint at him, confused. He was… saving himself?
A laugh bursts out of him. It’s so loud, it startles me and I take a step back. He points. Right at me. “Your face.” He laughs again. “Oh, my God, your face, Lowyn. You really thought I’d been saving myself for you!” Another guffaw bursts out. “That’s amazing. You always were gullible.”
“Anyway.” I huff this word out. “I just came up to tell you that it’s not gonna be a problem. He doesn’t know anything. And when I say anything, I mean nothing. He doesn’t even know you guys are here.”
Ike’s laughter is dead now, his face angry. “Well, obviously he does. Because I saw him in my boneyard this morning. Him and his trackin’ dog. And I know that’s a trackin’ dog, Lowyn McBride, so don’t try to deny it. I’ve had men on the inside of his compound since the moment Amon started hiring them. He’s got a whole kennel of special dogs and a bunker underneath the church with a SCIF in it. So what hell is he doin’? Why the hell does he need all that shit?”
“Ike, I don’t even know what a SCIF is.”
“It’s a private room. Everything’s encrypted, all phone lines are secured. No recording devices. It’s a custom-made private room that prevents high-level spying, that’s what it is. So why the hell does he need one of those? That’s government shit, Low. And if he’s doin’ something for the government, I need to know about it. So what’s goin’ on?”