Chapter Twenty-Four

  Julia looked ashamed of herself for cornering Ben about her husband’s willingness to help them sneak into town. “I know you’ll do your best, but it won’t stop me from worrying. I just got my parents back. I don’t want to lose Ed.”

  Ben nodded. “I understand.”

  The two of them shared the awkward silence for a moment.

  “Well, that’s enough of that kind of talk. Let’s go eat breakfast before it gets cold.” Julia led the way down the hallway and back to the kitchen, where everyone was now gathered. Martin was at the table with a plate of food but somehow looked like he was still sleeping.

  “How’s Emma?” Allie asked.

  “She’s doing well. Resting again, but the medicine is working,” Julia said.

  “Does that mean there’s a chance you won’t have to go tonight?” Brad asked.

  “I’m afraid not, buddy. Dr. Julia doesn’t have enough for Emma to get better all the way,” Ben answered. Brad looked disappointed, but Ben wasn’t sure if he was worried about his sister or upset because he wasn’t going to be included in the outing. Probably a little of both.

  “What time are we going to leave?” Joel stepped up to the kitchen island and gawked over the spread of food with wide eyes. Brad was already eyeing the pile of plates and looked ready to eat.

  “I figure we could head out around one or two in the morning, give the troublemakers in town plenty of time to wear themselves out fighting amongst each other.” Ed spun around from the stove with a large platter of the fluffiest scrambled eggs Ben had ever seen. “Dig in, everyone.”

  “Is it really that bad in town?” Sandy started handing out plates to the kids.

  Ed raised his brow. “It’s like the wild west over there. You’d have to see it to believe it.”

  “No thanks. We’ve seen enough of that already,” Sandy replied.

  “After breakfast, I’ll take you and Joel out to see the shop. We can check out the RZRs and figure out what we need to bring tonight.” Ed stuffed a chunk of freshly baked bread into his mouth.

  “Check out the what?” Ben asked.

  “Our way into town. The Polaris RZRs we’re going to use to get into town tonight,” Ed said casually, like they did it all the time.

  Ben was confused. “I thought you had a four-seater utility vehicle we would all be in together.”

  “No, I have a couple two-seater RZRs. Like the one I was driving last night. Me and Max will take one, you and Joel in the other.” Ed went back to his breakfast. Ben was slightly familiar with the Polaris lineup of utility vehicles. Last winter, he needed a part for the snow blower and the place happened to sell Polaris ATVs as well. He couldn’t help but indulge his curiosity while the guy at the parts counter retrieved his order, so he killed some time perusing the showroom floor. The bigger rigs weren’t cheap, and some of the more expensive ones rivaled what he’d paid for his used Jeep.

  “I think I know what those are. Do they look like little dune buggies?” Joel asked.

  Ed smiled. “Yep. They’re a lot of fun back in the woods.”

  Ben was beginning to wonder if they should just take the Blazer, although he did like the idea of not putting the old Chevy through a potentially hazardous situation. If one of Ed’s side-by-sides broke down or ended up damaged, it wouldn’t prevent them from continuing on to Colorado when they were done here.

  “It’ll be fine. And I think using the RZRs will work out much better than driving in on the main roads. Like I was saying before, we can pick up some of the old logging roads all the way to the sawmill on the outskirts of town. From there, it’s less than a mile to the clinic. We could go the rest of the way on foot if we had to.” Ed must have sensed Ben’s hesitation about his plan.

  “I guess we’ll take a look after breakfast and see what you’ve got.” Ben tried to sound optimistic, but he’d reserve his final judgment until Ed laid out the entire plan in detail. The last thing he wanted to do was overcomplicate things all because a man with overpriced toys wanted to play GI Joe for the night.

  Based on what Ben had gathered from his observations around the house, the outbuilding would be no less impressive. He’d caught a glimpse of its massive interior last night, before carrying Emma inside. And he was willing to bet it held more than two Polaris RZRs.

  The others carried on with small talk while finishing breakfast. It was a treat to have a variety of foods for a change, and the promise of a day not spent behind the wheel or on the road lightened the mood even further. Brad soon forgot about the fact that he wouldn’t have a part in the early-morning run into town and was laughing along with Joel and Allie at the table.

  Ben was both disappointed and relieved that Martin hadn’t asked to join them. But after Ed mentioned only having enough room to take four people, with Max filling one of those spots, Martin was off the hook. He might have also been embarrassed about being passed over for a dog. Either way, it was just as well, and as much as Ben hated to admit it, he suspected Max would be the bigger asset on tonight’s excursion. The dog’s obedience put Gunner to shame. Not that Ben wasn’t happy with Gunner’s contributions on this trip, but Max was impressive. And if Ed wanted to put his dog to work, Ben was all for it.

  With breakfast finished, everyone helped clean up. It was a weird feeling to be somewhere and know they were staying put for at least a day or two. There was no urgency or need to reorganize the trucks and prep for travel. Not yet, anyway. For the first time in a while, they all had the luxury of doing whatever they wanted. Ben hoped the others would take advantage of the opportunity and get some much-needed downtime. They all deserved it. When it came time to leave here and head for Colorado, no matter the route they decided to take, it would be back to MREs, warm drinking water, and countless hours on the unforgiving road.

  Of course, the caravan would be one less vehicle when they resumed travel. This was home for Rita and Carlos. And in spite of all of Ben’s hesitations and second-guessing the plan to come here, he was glad he’d seen the older couple all the way to their daughter’s house. It was fulfilling, knowing you made someone’s life significantly better. And seeing a family reunited gave Ben a sense of vindication over the challenges they’d faced in getting here. The satisfaction of a mission accomplished was a hard feeling to top.

  The wins were hard-earned and scarce these days, so it was important to recognize them when they happened. The smile on the old couple’s faces and the elation in Julia’s eyes over getting her parents back was priceless. It was morale-boosting to be responsible for something good in a world full of disappointment and sorrow.

  If not for Emma’s health, Ben might have actually been able to let himself enjoy the calm before the impending storm. But there was no glossing over the challenges they would face tonight with the run into town. It had to be done for Emma’s sake; there was no choice in the matter. But the necessity of what they were going to do didn’t make it any easier to stomach putting Joel in harm’s way.

  “Should we go take a look?” Ed caught Ben off guard and deep in thought. It was easy to drift off with a belly full of food and a lack of urgency driving him. The comfort of this place made the troubles beyond seem very far away.

  Joel was nearby, standing halfway between the kitchen and the living room, where most of the others had gathered. “I’m ready.” He stepped toward the kitchen and was followed by his brother.

  “Can I come?” Brad asked.

  “Sure, maybe we can go for a quick ride.” Ed’s smile disappeared as he glanced at Ben and then back Brad’s way. “If it’s okay with your dad,” he quickly added.

  “I don’t know. Won’t that draw attention? I’ve seen those things on the trails in the back country. They’re not exactly quiet.” Ben was familiar with four-wheelers and side-by-sides from the encounters he’d had while hiking in the San Juans. To be honest, he wasn’t a fan of the noisy people-movers. In fact, quite the opposite. He saw them as a means to put unqualified people farther into the back country than they had any business being. Eliminating the work required to reach some of the pristine places offered by the mountains made the places less pristine, in his opinion.

  “No one will hear us out back in the woods. Besides, I’ve got aftermarket mufflers on both RZRs to help keep the noise down for hunting,” Ed assured them. He was first to the door, snatching a small cluster of keys from a pegboard nearby. He punched the code into the mechanical keypad and flung the back door wide open. Grabbing his AR as if it were an afterthought, Ed carried the rifle loosely at his side. Ben cringed at Ed’s brazenness. Stepping outside without making sure the area was secure was ill-advised these days.

  “Aren’t you worried someone could be out here snooping around?” Ben cautioned.

  “Not really. If there was someone, Max would let us know.” Ed sounded sure of himself, and based on the way he strolled outside, it was obvious he wasn’t concerned about too much. His nonchalant attitude was starting to worry Ben. Ed and Julia lived in a little bit of a bubble out here. Maybe Ed was underestimating just how bad it had gotten beyond his fenced-in utopia.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The sunlight stung Ben’s eyes as he stepped outside, and he immediately regretted leaving his sunglasses in the Blazer.

  “Oh, man.” Joel held his forearm up over his head as if the heat were a weight pushing down on him. The glare and familiar yellow hue in the sky was like an insult Ben wasn’t prepared for. The brutality of the sun, even at this hour, was a quick reminder that things were in fact not okay with the world. How easy that was to ignore from the comforts of the house.

  “I’m glad we’re not stuck in the truck today,” Brad exclaimed.

  Fortunately, it was a short walk to the side entrance of the massive outbuilding. Along the way, Ben and the boys took in the elaborate exterior of the stone- and cedar-clad home. The sprawling backyard opened up to a large patio area and outdoor kitchen that flanked a long rectangular swimming pool. Even with the weathered flower beds and the weeds threatening to take over, the setup was impressive, and it was easy to imagine how nice it must have looked in its prime.

  “I’m afraid the pool isn’t running right now, or I’d say you guys were welcome to use it.” Ed noticed Brad staring at the bluish-green water. It was the only feature of the backyard that looked uninviting, aside from the dying vegetation. The heat and dust had taken their toll, and Ben guessed it wouldn’t be long before it looked more like a pond than a pool.

  “Running the filter and pump isn’t exactly high on the priority list.” Ed shook his head as if he were embarrassed by the state of his backyard and continued along the tumbled paver walkway.

  “No, I guess not,” Ben agreed.

  “All right, guys, welcome to the Ed cave,” he joked, putting the keys away in his pocket after unlocking two sets of deadbolts and a knob. It was well-lit inside, but compared to the sun’s glare off the metal on the outside, it seemed dark. When his eyes adjusted, Ben noticed the semitransparent roof panels spaced out across the ceiling. They allowed enough sunlight inside to mitigate the need for artificial light during a day like today without any problem. Ben was thankful for the shade and the drop in temperature when they entered. It was nowhere near as cool as the house but much better than outside.

  To their left was an enclosed space lined with interior windows facing the inside of the building. A desk with an oversized monitor was visible in the corner, along with a refrigerator and a pool table. Ed certainly had built himself an impressive man cave. The rest of the building was wide open. Their vehicles were parked in a neat diagonal line across the far wall. Some forty feet away stood Ed and Julia’s vehicles. The building had to be upward of five thousand square feet of open floor space. Or at least it had been open before Ed filled it with stuff.

  Ed beckoned them to follow as he led them around a couple John Deere tractors, one fitted with a mower deck and bush hog attachment. Ben wasn’t surprised to see a flashy bass boat and another smaller camouflaged aluminum duck boat on the other side of the tractors. It reminded him of Jack’s, only larger. Was there anything Ed didn’t have at least two of?

  “Is that them?” Joel asked.

  “Whoa.” Brad ran a few steps ahead before stopping to wait for the others. There, in the dust-particle-filled light, sat two Polaris RZRs. They looked more equipped to run the Baja 1000 than carry a deer out of the woods.

  “Yes, sir. The new XP Turbo S model, 925ccs with all-wheel-drive and a top speed of eighty-five miles per hour.” Ed pushed on one of the bumpers, causing the RZR to bounce on its oversized, bright-blue coiled suspension. Ben inspected the RZRs as he walked around the outside of the vehicles. One of them was matte blue and black, while the other sported a gray and red graphic pattern. The tires on these things were almost as big as the Blazer’s, and for a vehicle this size, that was impressive.

  “Hunting, huh?” Ben shot Ed a look of disbelief.

  Ed smiled. “Well… I mean, I use them for that, too.”

  “So you said they were quiet. Because they don’t look quiet.” Ben continued circling the buggies until he joined the boys around the other side. He’d seen some of the more practical side-by-sides used for hunting or farm work, and these were nothing like those.

  “Yeah, check this out.” Ed reached into the closest machine and turned the key. The RZR’s engine jumped to life and purred quietly. Ed smiled and stepped back. “See, I told you.”

  He left the mini dune buggy running and strolled over to one of the large overhead garage doors. He threw the bolt back on the door and pushed it up by hand, revealing an open field. A set of dirt tracks led out of the garage, through the tall grass, and straight toward the woods at the rear of the property.

  “Go ahead. Take it for a spin. Might as well get used to it for tonight anyway. Drives just like a car.” Ed put his hand on Joel’s shoulder and pushed him lightly, encouraging him to approach the RZR.

  “Me?” Joel looked surprised.

  “Sure, why not? Ben, you can go with them. Take the other one. Key’s in it.”

  Joel looked at his dad for approval before accepting Ed’s offer. How could Ben say no? Even though there was no reason for Joel to practice driving, there was no denying the fun factor involved here. And Joel deserved to do something that didn’t involve saving his sister or fighting off bad guys. This was a chance to forget about the fact that life was hard right now and to blow off a little steam.

  Ben nodded, and Joel’s and Brad’s faces lit up with smiles that seemed to brighten the garage bay.

  “You guys have fun. Just follow the trails and come back when you’re done.” The boys eagerly climbed into the blue RZR and strapped themselves into the racing-style seats with the four-point harnesses. Ed handed them each a pair of goggles and stepped back, making room for them to head out.

  “Go for it.”

  Joel’s RZR lurched forward, then stopped quickly. He looked around nervously and gave it a little more gas, easing it out of the building. He looked back one more time, and Ed waved, indicating that he wanted Joel to go. Seconds later, the RZR shot forward and all but disappeared into the almost chest-high grass and giant cloud of dust. The boys’ whoops and hollers could be heard over the quiet-running RZR’s engine. The sound made Ben smile, and Ed caught him.

  “You’re gonna let them show you up like that?” Ed tossed him a pair of goggles.

  “I guess I better not.” Ben slid his holstered Glock around from the small of his back to his hip and climbed into the RZR. His started up just as easily as the other one while he watched the needles on the instrument panel do a quick but full limit test into the red and back. As he strapped into the harness, he imagined this was how a fighter jet pilot felt when getting ready to take off. Not only did this thing probably cost more than his Jeep, but it was also nicer and better equipped.

  “Is that a navigation screen?” Ben shook his head.

  Ed shrugged. “It was.”

  “I appreciate this, Ed. I really do. You guys have been too kind. You don’t have to do all this.” Ben crept forward until he was even with where Ed was standing.

  “Are you kidding me? I have my wife back, thanks to you. She hasn’t been herself, worrying about her parents. You, bringing them to us, have changed everything for her.” Ed stepped back from the vehicle. “You better get going or you’ll never catch up.”

  He didn’t have to tell Ben twice. The guilt he felt about doing something so trivial while they had so many concerns and responsibilities slowly evaporated as he pressed down on the throttle with his foot. He had to do this anyway, right? He needed to be familiar with how this thing handled and what its capabilities were if he and Ed were going to use them to get into town tonight. Even that sounded like a thin excuse for goofing off like this, but it didn’t stop him from pushing his foot to the floor and pinning himself to the seat.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Ed’s network of trails was almost as impressive as the amount of land Ben assumed he owned. There must have been a couple miles of well-used tracks running through the woods and past numerous deer stands. After a while, Ben got a sense of the layout of the place and started to let loose a little on the RZR. It didn’t take much to catch air in one of these things, and from the glimpses he caught of Joel’s machine, his son had figured that out as well.

  He and the boys enjoyed themselves for about an hour or so before Ben realized how long they’d been racing around the trails. The next time he had the boys’ attention, he stuck his hand above the roll bar and waved them down. Joel maneuvered his RZR alongside his dad’s, only facing the opposite direction.

  “We should probably get back.” Ben tapped his watch.

  “Already?” Joel lifted his dust-covered goggles.

  “Yeah, I don’t want to take advantage of the guy. It was pretty nice of him to let us play with these things at all. Plus, we need them tonight, and the way you’re driving, they might not last that long.” Ben smiled.