of bikes is just gonna put a bullseye on our backs.”
Chunky nodded slowly. “I’ll take care of shit here,” he said quietly, as if Casper’s decision was finally coming into focus. “I’ll keep you updated. You let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“Absolutely,” Casper said. He moved toward where I’d been eavesdropping and slapped my shoulder as he passed me.
“You ready?” I asked as I turned to follow him to the trucks.
“Don’t like it,” he muttered. “But I don’t see a better way.”
“On that, we agree,” I said.
I climbed into the truck and checked on Cecilia. She was crammed into the back seat again, surrounded by the car seat and baby supplies, but she didn’t seem bothered by any of it. All of her attention was focused outside the window.
We were quiet as we pulled out of the front gate.
“This better work,” Farrah said, her shoulders stiff as she stared out the windshield.
“It will.”
Fifteen minutes later, Eli and Lu pulled away from the caravan with Cam following behind them. Five minutes after that, Forrest did the same. Then it was just us, Casper following behind as we headed north.
“Take care of my granddaughter,” Farrah whispered, leaning her head back against the headrest.
When I looked back at Cecilia, her hand was resting inside the empty car seat and tears were rolling down her cheeks.
* * *
Four hours later, we stopped for gas. Farrah and Cecilia stayed inside the truck as planned, and I hurried through the motions so we could get back on the road. Inside the cab was eerily silent, and as I waited for the tank to fill, I pressed my hand to Cecilia’s window. When she looked over, I pressed my lips against it in a kiss. Her lips curved up slightly as she rolled her eyes. I considered that a win.
I jerked in surprise as Casper came jogging around the pump.
“What’s up?” I asked, my head snapping up to scan the surrounding area.
“Found ’em,” Casper said, out of breath. “Rose came tearin’ through the gate not twenty minutes ago.”
“No shit?”
“No shit,” Casper replied, nodding. “On their way to get Mack now.”
“That’s good news,” I said with a grin. “They’re okay?”
“Far as I know,” he said, slapping me on the shoulder. “I’m gonna let Farrah know.”
He rounded the truck and I looked over to meet Cecilia’s eyes. She smiled with her mouth, but the rest of her face and body practically radiated a mixture of fear and helplessness. I had a feeling that any relief about finding Rose was being completely overshadowed by the fact that Olive was probably a hundred miles from us by now.
We’d agreed to go radio silent until we met up that night, and I knew it was absolute torture for Cec. I had to admit, it wasn’t real fun for me, either. Not knowing where Olive was, how she was doing, or if the plan would work was really wearing on me. It also didn’t help that our truck was technically the bait truck. Anyone who didn’t know what we’d done would assume both Cecilia and Olive were with me, driving north to the clubhouse in Eugene.
Only our small group knew she was in a box on the passenger seat of Forrest’s SUV. Not the safest way to travel, but we were pretty much beyond that worry.
“Let’s head out,” Casper said, meeting me back at the pump. “Got a lot of road to cover before we get there tonight.”
“You think this’ll work?”
“Pretty damn sure,” Casper replied. “Long as they don’t try to ambush us on the road. Only a few people know about Poet’s place on the coast and the security is prime. Even has safe room.”
“Haven’t felt like I’m being watched since we left the clubhouse,” I said quietly. “It can’t be that easy.”
“It might be,” he said with a shrug. “They think we’re headed to Eugene—and a straight shot up I-5 means we’d have to drive right through the territory they’re controlling. No need to follow if they know we’re headed right for ’em.”
“Let’s hope you’re right.”
We were on the road again pretty quick after that, and I let myself relax just slightly into my seat. If we could all just get to the house on the coast, we could figure out what to do next.
“What’s wrong?” Farrah asked, turning in her seat to look at Cecilia. “You okay?”
I looked in the mirror to find CeeCee crying silently, shaking her head in dismissal. She’d been in tears