“We’ll have none of that. Any friends of Alex and Kate’s are friends of ours, and you’re all welcome to stay here indefinitely. That’s an unconditional offer,” said Tim.
“That’s very generous of you.”
“This isn’t an offer of charity. Your husband volunteered to go with them to get the kids?”
“Well, he’s a little touched in the head,” said Linda.
Tim laughed. “I bet he is, but that doesn’t change anything. My house is yours. Simple as that. Where’s Samantha?”
The back driver’s-side window lowered.
“Good to see you again,” he said, shaking her hand through the window.
“Call me Sam. You remember my daughter, Abby?”
“Sure do. I’m just surprised Ethan didn’t manage to squirm his way into the back seat here with her,” said Tim.
“Grandpa!” yelled Ethan from the cargo area.
“Behave yourself, Tim,” said Kate. “Sorry, girls. He’s really pretty harmless.”
“I’ve been called a lot of things before. I don’t remember harmless on that list.”
“I’m just doing my best to keep them from turning the car around and taking their chances on the outside,” said Kate.
“I’ll behave. Promise. Let me get this gate locked, and I’ll meet you back at the house. I have one of the two-seaters,” he said, raising the handheld radio to inform his wife that they had guests and update her on the missing family members.
“I’ll keep him company,” said Kate. “We’ll be right up.”
Tim slid the gate across and locked it, giving it a pull to be sure.
“How did you know we were coming?”
“The camera is out, but the buzzer still goes off when the gate is opened. Some stuff works, some stuff doesn’t. Most stuff doesn’t. I’m over here,” said Tim, motioning toward the olive-drab ATV nestled into the forest on the edge of the clearing.
He cranked the engine, and they lurched in their seats as the ATV broke out of the brush into a brown grass field. Kate grabbed the nearest vertical upright bar with her right hand, but immediately pulled the hand back to her side.
“Hit a rough patch on the way?” Tim inquired, eyeing her bloodied hand.
“We need to keep the car out of sight,” said Kate vaguely.
“I figured as much with the out-of-state plates. What happened?”
“Two drunk kids stopped us on Route 5 in front of the Hannigans. One of them mentioned a toll and kept staring at the girls. Claimed to be part of a militia. We didn’t wait for them to explain the details.”
“I don’t blame you. Locals with an out-of-state car?”
“The real owners are probably dead. I took the kids’ ID. Waterboro addresses,” she said, pausing. “We should sink the car in the pond tonight.”
“We might need it in an emergency. Does Alex have a car?”
“They took the Walkers’ Jeep. It was the only car working between the three families,” she said.
“How did you get out here?” he said.
“Rode our bikes until Waterboro.”
“You’re kidding me,” said Tim.
“We’ve had a long day,” Kate said, stepping off the ATV.
“Well, it’s over,” Tim said.
“For now.”
Tim parked in front of the house next to the BMW SUV. A wide farmer’s porch extended the full length of the gray colonial, wrapping around the right corner and connecting to the mudroom stoop. A gray-haired woman wearing jeans and a purple blouse yelled from the door and ran down the front steps. Ethan’s brother, a thin, dark-haired boy in swim trunks, followed.
Kate hopped off and opened the back of the SUV.
“Finally,” said Ethan, untangling his legs from Daniel’s.
“No shit,” said Samantha’s son.
“Watch your mouth, Daniel,” scolded Samantha.
“You can blame that on me. Grab your stuff and drag it inside,” said Kate, catching a glimpse of Ethan’s hands. “Let’s wash those off before your grandma gets a hold of you,” she added.
“Wash what off? Where is he? Where is Ethan!” said Amy Fletcher.
“Come on, Nana. Not now,” he whispered, glancing into the back seat behind him.
“I won’t smother you in kisses in front of your girlfriends,” she said.
“Someone help me,” muttered Ethan.
Daniel patted him on the back. “You’re on your own, man.”
Ethan dropped to the crushed rock and grabbed his rucksack, trying to delay the inevitable hug, which hit him before he could turn around.
“Your brother was worried out of his mind,” said his grandmother.
Ethan’s face flushed red, but he returned the hug and stuck his hand out to grab his brother. The three of them clung together for several moments before Kevin pulled away, examining Ethan’s hand.
“What’s this?”
Amy grabbed Ethan’s hands and gasped.
“It’s not his,” stated Kate. “We ran into a problem on the way.”
“I’m just glad you guys are all right,” Amy said, holding her arms open for Kate.
“I’m a little ripe,” Kate warned.
“I don’t care,” said Amy Fletcher, starting to cry. “Thank God you made it!” She rushed forward and held her.
“Alex is on the way to Boston,” said Kate. “I’m scared.”
“I am too, honey. We’re all scared. But he’s the best hope of getting Ryan back,” said Amy. “He’s a very capable man.”
“He is,” Kate agreed.
“And he has help?”
Kate nodded and walked toward the house, motioning for Amy to follow. Her motherin-law got the message and joined her near the garage door.
“Ed Walker and Charlie Thornton went with him. They left early this morning. Ed’s daughter is at Boston College.”
“That’s right. Aren’t those two an item?”
“That’s not something we advertise.” She winked.
“I’m not the one you have to worry about,” said Amy.
“Believe me, I’ve already had a talk with your husband,” she said, smiling.
“And Charlie’s with them?” Amy asked, raising an eyebrow.
“He volunteered. What could Alex say? He’s been a great friend,” said Kate.
“I know. It’s good that you’re all together. I just hope they don’t slow him down,” whispered Amy.
“I’m sure he planned for it somehow,” said Kate.
“I wouldn’t be surprised. Let’s stop looking suspicious and get everyone cleaned up. You guys smell like sewage,” said Amy.
“You have no idea.”
Chapter 32
EVENT +33:39 Hours
Haverhill, MA
Alex studied the GPS plotter for a few seconds, looking up to compare the digital map to the real world. Emerging from the shelter of the dashboard, a stiff wall of air buffeted his face from the damaged windshield, causing him to involuntarily raise his free hand to block his face. He felt a quick sting on the palm of his hand, followed immediately by another on the top of his left ear. At least he could duck down momentarily to escape the onslaught. Ed didn’t have that option.
Lowering his hand a few inches, he spotted a break in the road, which more than likely marked the last rural intersection before they turned onto East Main Street, in the hopes of finding the bridge over the Merrimack River intact.
“I think this is Merrimac Road coming up,” he said. “After that we only have another mile or so to Rocks Bridge.”
Their concern about Rocks Bridge had more to do with the effects of the tsunami than with what happened in Milton Mills. If anything, further concerns about roadblocks and rogue militia units had eroded over the course of two completely uneventful hours of travel. True to what the biker had said, the roads had been mostly empty of vehicles and completely devoid of trouble.