“I’ll call a wildlife rehabilitation center to learn how to care for him before I go home tomorrow.” Tomorrow. Her flight left at eleven on Thursday morning. She felt as if she were leaving everything behind to go home to nothing. No job, no real friends, and an apartment she was going to have to give up at the end of the month.
Annie didn’t say anything, but she did worry her lip as she refilled Mila’s coffee. Mila practically fell from her stool when her phone buzzed. She picked it up and read the text message from Zain. “Queen Fatima is alive. She was at an opening for a new school when she was shot. Luckily, a guard noticed someone suspicious and was pulling the queen down when the shot was fired. It only grazed her.”
“Was the man caught?” Annie asked.
Another message came through on her phone. “Yes. However, the citizens of Rahmi caught him and beat him into unconsciousness. Like the others, there was no identification and his face was too swollen to run facial recognition. Zain tells me that Abby will be here soon. They’re having Gabe rush from the B&B within minutes.”
Annie nodded. “You’ll need to play your part. You will need to look very concerned.”
“I don’t think that will be a problem,” Mila said honestly. There was a soft rap at the back door at 6:13. They’d moved the timeline ahead. She could actually visualize Cade and Miles sitting with stopwatches in some dark room, pulling the strings.
It didn’t stop Annie from pulling out a gun Mila hadn’t even seen to answer the door. Sure enough, Abby walked in.
Mila let out a hiss. “Oww. How are you feeling?”
“Really pissed off.”
Mila would be, too, if she had a tight bandage across her nose and two black eyes. “We need to get moving. Miles has me on a tight timeline. Are you ready? What the hell is that?”
“It’s Squirrel. Zain and I rescued him yesterday.”
“Well, it’s not coming with us.”
“No. I’ll leave him to his breakfast.” Mila gave him another gentle stroke and put the unhappy squirrel back in the cage.
“Is that a grenade launcher?” Abby asked suddenly.
Annie smiled proudly. “Yup. An M-32. She’s a beauty, huh?”
“Can we bring it with us? I would love to use it sometime. Maybe I can just blow up the guy who did this,” Abby said as she picked up the grenade launcher that looked to be an old Tommy gun from mobster movies, except on steroids.
“Sure. I never leave home without it,” Annie said as she strapped an arsenal to her body. “Ready?”
“I guess so.” Mila felt naked with only Dani’s old switchblade attached to her bra.
They took an all-terrain vehicle through the woods and pastures until they came to a cute house on the other side of the fence. “This is Sienna and Ryan’s home. Sienna is going to give us a ride to the courthouse. We’ll be able to sneak into the backyard of the B&B from there. Poppy left the backdoor unlocked for you,” Abby explained as she easily climbed the black four-plank fence. Mila climbed over next, followed by Annie. The back door to the house opened and a black beast from the depths of hell ambled out.
“What is that thing?” Mila asked, wondering if she had better odds facing down the bad guys over this beast. It shook and its ears, skin, and jowls suddenly became one as drool went flying in all directions.
“That’s just Hooch, Sienna’s dog,” Abby said as she bent down and called the demon dog. Hooch lumbered down the stairs, his whole body undulating as the loose skin moved with his gallop. A giant pink tongue sprawled out the side of his mouth.
“Hey, buddy,” Abby smooched his face and shook the loose skin. Hooch’s black nose shot up and twitched.
Mila watched in horror as the dog emitted a deep woof and headed straight for her. She backed up until the fence was the only thing behind her. She didn’t have time to climb back over it. Two paws the size of salad plates were on her chest pinning her to the wooden fence. His head was the size of a basketball and covered in wet drool as it shoved against her chest. His nose was inhaling so deeply that her shirt was sticking to it.
Annie started laughing and Mila tried to push the beast away from her. However, he probably weighed more than she did. “Annie, pass me the grenade launcher!”
“He smells your squirrel.” Annie shook her head with laughter and pulled out her phone. “I have to get a picture of this.”
“Oh my God, he’s so wet and sticky.” Mila pulled her hand back and watched the drool slowly slide down her hand.
“Please tell me you got her saying that on video!” Abby said as she bent over laughing.
“Sure did! As soon as we kick some traitorous ass, this is going out on a town text.”
Hooch tossed back his head and howled. The back door opened and Sienna walked out dressed for a day at work. “Hooch! Get off her.”
Mila felt the air being pushed from her lungs as his massive paws shoved her back before dropping to the ground to lumber to his mistress.
“Sorry about that. He likes you,” Sienna rubbed behind Hooch’s ear and the world thumped around them as his tail hit the porch, sending a flowerpot falling from the rail. “Are you all ready to go? I borrowed Ryan’s SUV so you all can lie down in the back.”
Sienna opened the door and Hooch ambled inside before the nightmare sounds of him getting a drink of water reached them. “Right this way,” Sienna smiled, completely ignoring the horrific sounds coming from inside.
Mila, Annie, and Abby climbed into the SUV. Mila and Abby lay in the trunk space and Annie sat up front with Sienna. “Abby, I’ll drop you at the courthouse where your car is waiting. You can drive to the B&B as if you came from the farm to get Mila. Annie will help sneak you into the backyard,” Sienna called back.
Mila looked at Abby lying next to her with a gleeful look in her black eyes. “So, want to have some girl talk?” Abby asked on a low whisper. “Has Zain told you he loves you yet?”
Mila blushed. “You want to talk about this now?”
“What else are we doing? And I take by your pink cheeks that the answer is yes. It’s so romantic. Did you tell him you love him, too?”
“Seriously?”
“That’s a yes.” Abby sighed happily. “I’m so excited for you two. Zain is a great guy, and you both deserve each other. I’m sorry I’m going back to Virginia only to have you come here. I wish I had known you sooner, and we could have hung out.”
Mila frowned and Abby instantly frowned as well. “You are moving to Keeneston, aren’t you?”
“Abby, it’s all so new. I can’t just uproot my life because I’m in love.”
“But Zain’s the one, right?” Abby asked.
Mila nodded. She knew he was. That’s why it hurt so much to think about leaving tomorrow.
“Well, if he’s the one then it will work out. You just have to make sure you’re brave enough to let it. And from what I know about you so far, that shouldn’t be a problem.”
Mila reached out and hugged her friend. That’s what Abby and all the others in Keeneston had become. She was going to miss them.
“We’re here,” Annie called out.
“I’ll be going in through the front door of the B&B for all to see. I’ll meet you at the back door. We’ll change quickly and walk out front looking hurried and upset. We’ll drive to the house and you’ll kiss Gabe before he takes off for his walk. Ready?” Abby asked as she lifted up the tailgate and hopped out.
“Let’s do it.” Mila crawled out and met Annie beside her SUV, which was blocking the view from the street.
“Good luck!” Sienna called out before driving away.
Abby got in her car and Annie was already leading Mila through the shadows of the morning’s dawning rays. They darted through a park, over a fence, and pushed through a hedgerow. The door opened and Abby stood looking around.
“See ya around, kid. You’ve held up well.” Annie gave her a quick hug and shoved her into the yard.
In minutes, Mila was changed and walking out the front door with Abby beside her. They headed to the farm but stopped when they saw the people gathering in the alley beside the café.