Back home, Hope wandered into the kitchen, pulling things from the refrigerator. We hadn't eaten breakfast before meeting with Alan Bloomgate and I was hungry, so I followed her. "Are there any more of those--"
She handed me a container over her shoulder, and I grinned. It was the oatmeal bake, as she called it, with apples, cinnamon, and nuts. "Thank you," I responded appreciatively. There was just enough for two servings, so I cut it in half, placed each on a plate, and then put them in the microwave. I inhaled deeply as the smell of warm apples and cinnamon wafted to my nose.
"You don't want this?" I asked her, placing her dish in front of her with a fork.
"Oh, no, I'll eat it, thank you," she flashed a distracted smile in my direction. "I'm just prepping what we're eating for lunch. Part of it needs some time to marinate so I'm starting now."
I observed her placing some weird things that looked like malformed cheese puffs minus the orange powder into a bowl. She added seemingly random spices, apple cider vinegar, molasses and...maple syrup...? Then she poured water over everything, covered the bowl, and put it into the refrigerator. Next, she heated some water in the microwave and then added some nuts to the hot water and left it on the counter.
"How did you know the correct amounts to add?" I questioned curiously. "I did not see you measuring anything."
"Measuring is for chumps," she muttered, and I threw my head back and laughed. She looked up at me in surprise. "I like to hear you laughing," she disclosed, coming to put her arms around my waist.
"I hadn't even considered laughing for years until I started communicating with you again," I told her. She smiled, still having trouble making eye contact. "You are still depleted," I commented. "Can you not rest now? What can I do to help you?"
She rested her head in the crook of my neck. "I guess after breakfast I can relax a bit. I'm sorry--this was the weakness they saw in me, and I don't want it to make me a liability to you. I know we have a lot of work to do."
I took a few deep breaths, anger flowing through me at the idea of the abuse she had been through. "Hope," I replied quietly, trying to keep my voice steady. "Hope, my love. You are not weak, nor are you a liability. You are a force to be reckoned with, and not fitting into their mold is a good thing. It makes you exactly who you are, and I would never trade you for anyone or anything."
I tilted her face up toward mine and kissed her tenderly. She melted against my body and I held her close. I wanted to protect her, and fight anyone who threatened her well-being. But I knew she didn't need that from me. All she needed was a reminder of the amazing woman she was and how grateful I was for her existence.
"Thank you for loving and accepting me," she said, finally able to meet my gaze.
"And thank you for doing the same for me," I replied. We had a quiet breakfast after that and then Hope agreed to lie down while I did some work. I checked on the query for star tattoos and found it complete, I forwarded images to her through a private chat.
Jessy: That one. Number three.
Jake: Thank you, Jessy.
Jessy: Where is Hope? I'm surprised to hear from you directly.
Jake: She is resting.
Jessy: Is she alright??
Jake: Yes, do not worry. She has been working very hard, and just needed a break.
Jessy: OK. Please tell her hello for me.
Jake: I will. Bye, Jessy.
Jessy: 👋
I plugged the image into the criminal database and searched for a match. Thinking it could take a while, I washed the dishes in the sink and then decided to start some laundry. Hope had been doing all of these things for both of us, and it was not fair. I was a part of this household now and I should do my share of the chores.
Next, I found the cleaning supplies and worked on the bathroom. I was just finishing up when Hope wandered out of the bedroom groggily. "What are you doing?"
"Cleaning," I replied, shrugging. I put the supplies away and washed my hands. "Why are you looking at me like that? I have lived alone for many years, I know how to do such things."
She laughed. "Of course, you do. I just never thought it would be so attractive for you to act domesticated."
I chuckled. "Are you feeling better? Jessy says hello, by the way."
She kissed my cheek, then splashed some water on her face. "I am better, thank you. Did you find a tattoo that Jessy recognized?"
"Yes. I already executed the search," I responded.
She walked into the kitchen for a glass of water, then started cooking our food. When the washing machine buzzed, I moved things along to the dryer and came back to her. She had her headphones on while she used the blender and had multiple pots and pans in use on the stove.
Then the laptop's alert went off, and I signaled for her to take her headphones off. "Well, if this is the person Jessy saw, then we are at another dead end," I commented with a sigh. The physical description matched Jessy's recollection, but the boy had died in prison a few years ago. Nonetheless, I sent the photo to Jessy, who immediately replied that it looked like the same person.
Hope made a disappointed noise and continued cooking the food. When it was done, I dug in hungrily, making happy noises at the taste. I was about to run through options with Hope when her phone rang. "Hello?"
"Hope, this is Alan Bloomgate. I wanted to warn you that the FBI is in town."
"What? Why?" She looked at me with wide eyes.
"Before we spoke, I made inquiries about..persons in your group. It seems I exposed them, just as you feared."
"Are you certain it's the FBI and not the CIA?" Hope asked him. She took the words straight from my brain.
"I can only tell you what their credentials say. I'm sorry, but I must go. Good luck." He ended the call, and we sprung into action. I went to pack bags for us, but Hope picked up her phone.
"Richy, I need your help with the thing that we discussed," she said, and I looked at her in shock. "Can you come right now? It's...it's happening. Thank you." She hung up and met my eyes. "I have an escape plan, but it's a bit intricate. It was already in place before you came here. It will still work for both of us, but we need Richy's help with something."
"What do you mean?" I exclaimed.
Hope sighed, and held out her hand. I took it, and she brought me out her back door to a garage at the back of the property. "Please memorize," she requested and had me look at the keypad. She punched in a six-digit code, and the door rolled up to reveal a dusty, beat-up-looking van. She pulled open the sliding door on the side and I peered in.
It wasn't just a van. It was a complete stealth camper van. A bed stretched across the back. There was a tiny bathroom, a compact kitchen, and a bench with a swiveling tabletop in front of it. The cab was separated from the cargo area by a stock metal wall with a door in it.
"It comes with lithium house batteries, water and waste tanks, solar panels, and an omnidirectional antenna to pick up internet signals," Hope told me. "The only problem is it's been sitting for so long that it needs an oil change, new gas, the tires need to be checked, and the battery needs to be reconnected. That's why I called Richy. I told him I had an emergency getaway vehicle, because he was worried about what would happen if someone came after you. He told me I could call him anytime, day or night, and he would make sure the van was ready to drive within 30 minutes."
I looked over the van. I looked at Hope. "Are you angry?" she asked worriedly.
"No. I am impressed."
She smiled briefly and hugged me. "I can show you where to fill up the water tanks and I'll go get linens for the bed, food, and some other things we'll need."
Ten minutes later I was still holding the hose in the water tank. Hope was inside when Richy pulled up in a tow truck. I waved at him and he marched over carrying some tools. "Hey, Jake," he said, a concerned look on his face. "I'm sorry it's come to this. You'll be alright, won't you?"
"Thank you for your care, Richy. I think we'll be fine, so long as we leave soon."
"You'll be good to go in no time," he said reassuringly. He topped off fluids, added gas to the tank, and then connected the battery. Richy climbed into the driver's seat and turned the key in the ignition. It clicked but did not start.
"I thought that might be the case," he muttered. "I brought a brand-new battery, fully charged. Hang on." He jogged back to his truck and came back with the battery, then switched them out. This time, the motor started immediately. He nodded to himself and then went around with a compressor and filled all the tires. He even wiped the dust from the windshield. "You should be all set," he told me. "But if anything happens, call me and I'll try to walk you through any issues over the phone, or I'll come to wherever you are."
"Richy. I really appreciate this. Please allow me to pay you for your time and the battery," I offered, but he held up his hands.
"No way. You and Hope have done so much for everyone already. Especially me; I didn't know how much better I would feel until I talked to her. It's been such a relief. Anyway, it's me that owes you." He shook my hand, and it occurred to me that I actually liked this guy.
Hope came rushing out. "Richy!" she cried. She set down the items in her hands and hugged him fiercely. "Thank you so much for coming. Did you get it to run?"
He grinned at her. "You bet. You guys be safe, OK? Will you be in touch?"
"It'll probably be sporadic, but we'll contact you when we can. Thank you again."
He smiled sadly at her. "I'll miss our talks, but I'm glad that I was able to see you before you left." He hugged her quickly, and then turned and waved at me. "Bye, Jake."
"Goodbye, Richy." I quickly turned off the hose, realizing water was dripping from the tank. I closed the cap and then helped Hope load items into the van. We made a few more trips back into the house and then locked it up. Hope pulled the van out of the garage and then I used the code to roll down the door.
"Where do you want to go? I can't stand the thought of just sitting around hiding while your sister is still out there," Hope commented.
"Why don't we try to trace Hannah's route toward Colville? It is the only lead we have yet to explore." She nodded, and we drove to the highway.
On the way, I tried to stifle my agitation, but Hope sensed it anyway. "What's wrong, Jake?"
"I am upset that they found us in Duskwood."
"Well, that's Alan Bloomgate's fault. He's quite the go-getter for a small-town police chief," Hope commented.
"Or perhaps it is my fault. By involving myself in Hannah's investigation, I drew attention to a place where everyone would otherwise be safe."
Hope shook her head. "Nowhere is truly safe from the CIA. You know this. Jake..." she reached for my hand across the distance between the two seats, and I leaned over so I could grasp it. "This life that you and I have lived, isn't a safe life. But it's all we have, at least for now. There's no point in feeling remorse over what you can't control. And if this is how it has to be, at least we have each other."
I rubbed my thumb over the top of her hand. "That we do. It was much harder being alone. Even though I tried not to think about it, I longed for what we have. I did not know what I was missing until I found you."
Hope smiled ruefully. "I may have had more contact with people, but I was very alone as well. No one understood me the way that you do. I couldn't truly let them in and allow them to see all of me." I pondered her words. We were kindred spirits, she and I, who'd been separated physically for years, but were always connected. If I believed in such things, I would say it was a miracle that we found each other. Not everyone was so fortunate to find such a compatible person to spend their life with.
"We're here," Hope announced, pulling over. I recognized the spot from the crime scene pictures and the nearby mile marker. This was where Hannah's car was abandoned. We stepped out and examined the area. We knew the police had already combed the woods next to the turnout as well as the dirt area where the car was parked; we saw nothing new. I referred back to the report I'd taken from Bloomgate's computer on my phone.
"Highway patrol noted the vehicle had not been there the day before," I recited. "No visual damage to the car, no signs of foul play, and the vehicle was mechanically sound. Keys were found on the driver's seat but all doors were locked. Hannah's phone was powered off but had a sufficient battery to turn back on at the first attempt. Why, of all places, would the car be left here?"
Hope spun in a circle. "There aren't any cameras and no street lamps nearby. If they arrived after dark, they could wait for a quiet moment and then leave it here."
"But that implies a second driver," I countered. "Someone else needed to drive the escape vehicle to this position."
"Unless Hannah drove here herself," Hope mused. "But if she escaped and got into her car, why not call for help? Why not drive to Thomas, the police station, or her parents? This isn't adding up. The most reasonable explanation for why her car is here is that Hannah, and whoever took her, was headed toward Colville. Then they decided to switch cars before they arrived. Can you think of an alternative theory?"
I clenched my jaw and stared at the ground. I had my suspicions but didn't want to taint the investigation with them. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hope approach me. "Let's go back into the van," she suggested gently, taking my hand. I followed her in and then moved aside the table so I could sit on the bench with her in my lap.
"I needed a hug," I explained, feeling deprived. She ran her fingers through my hair and rubbed small circles on my back while I leaned my ear to just below her clavicle, listening to her heartbeat.
"I love you," she told me. "And no matter the outcome, I'm with you in this. Please don't forget that. I want to find Hannah, but I'm here for you."
The tightness in my jaw loosened, and I breathed out. "I am starting to wonder if Hannah was not abducted. That what I saw when I called her, all of the threatening messages you have received, it was all a ruse."
Hope did not react at all how I expected her to. "The thought has crossed my mind as well," she answered. "But I did not want to upset you by suggesting it." I started to respond, but she held a finger up. "There is a rest stop five minutes down the road. Why don't we park there, have a meal, and discuss this further?"
"A rest stop?" I echoed. "Yes, let's go there. I want to see if they have security cameras." While Hope drove, I got a laptop online in anticipation of finding cameras in the rest area. And there were; they were attached to the restrooms and street lamps. I eagerly infiltrated their meager system while Hope heated up her delicious macaroni and cheese concoction for us. I'd gotten in barely a few bites before we had to flee.
"You're thinking that someone parked Hope's car at the turnout and then walked here to another vehicle," Hope guessed.
"Yes. It would take several minutes, and in the dark along the highway, it would be dangerous. But they could also cut through the woods." I went through the camera feeds starting at the time the car was found and worked backward at an accelerated speed.
"There!" Hope cried, and I slowed the feed. We both stared at Hannah, perfectly well, exiting the passenger side of a car. The driver got out as well and they hugged and smiled at each other. Hope gripped my shoulder, but we did not utter a word.
The driver was Cleo. Anger burned in me as Hannah retrieved a bag from the trunk of Cleo's car. They chatted for a few more moments, and then Cleo drove away, leaving Hannah waving at her. I switched camera feeds as Hannah walked out of the frame, and caught her walking into the restroom. She stayed there for twenty minutes.
I began to question if she had exited through some other, unseen door when someone emerged. She wore different clothes from Hannah's but carried the same bag. She now wore a wig in a short bob with bangs. Hannah hurried over to another car and entered the passenger side. After checking all the cameras, the driver's face was not captured at a good angle. They wore a ball cap with the bill tugged low and kept their head down. By the person's build, they might be male, but I couldn't know for certain. Out of habit, I mechanically made note of the license plate before they drove away.
My hands shook as I closed the laptop, and looked up at Hope. "Love, I'm so sorry," she told me, stroking my cheek.
"I can't believe her!" I roared. Tears stung the corners of my eyes. "She dragged me into this, and then you. She had everyone worried when she was just running away! Her selfishness has caused so much trouble, and may end up costing our lives!" My chest heaved with hurt and betrayal. "We are done," I declared. "I am not wasting a single moment more on finding Hannah."