Something passed between them in the look they shared. Like they were daring each other to be the first to jump off a cliff.
“Okay,” Rafe said. “I guess Dad will just have to get over it.”
Chapter Fourteen
A HALF HOUR later, they all gathered on the front porch. Rafe’s mother seemed resigned to their leaving. She stood in her slippers and flannel bathrobe, a stern look on her face as she gave them their marching orders.
“All right, kiddos. I don’t like letting you go,” his mother said, “but I know you’ve got to do it. I know what it’s like to have someone I love in those woods. I know what it’s like to bring them home again. You promise me with all your heart you’ll be safe as you can.”
“Promise,” Jeremy said.
“I promise,” Emilie said.
Rafe nodded. “Of course, Mom.”
“Good,” she said and took a shuddering breath. “Now, presents. You got your new bow, baby, so this is for you, Red.” She pulled a plastic baggie from her robe pocket and gave it to Jeremy, who took it with a smile. “That’s an antique, but it would have gotten you two home in five hours back then.”
“Is that a Nokia?” Emilie asked, eyes wide with awe. “I’ve heard about those.”
“They’d survive the end of the world,” Jeremy said.
“Still works to call 911,” Bobbi said. “Fully charged and waterproof.”
Jeremy tucked it in his pocket.
“For Miss Emilie.” From her other pocket, she pulled out a pale leather sheath with a large knife in it. “That was Bill’s old hunting knife, good as new.” Emilie was almost shaking as she took the knife from Bobbi.
“Will I need this?” she asked.
“You better take it,” Bobbi said, “and hope you don’t need it. But you’ll be glad you’ve got it if you do.”
“Right. Thank you.”
Bobbi took another shuddering breath. Rafe couldn’t imagine what his mother was feeling now, allowing her son to walk back into the woods that had taken him from her before, and all to help a girl she barely knew.
“All right. You three hit the road, hit it hard, and come back to me before the rest of my hair goes gray.”
With that, they were dismissed. Bobbi walked them all to the car. Each of them got hugs and kisses on the cheek. The longest hug was for Rafe, who hated to let her go. But he knew if he didn’t, she never would. He pulled back and she released him.
“It’ll be okay,” he said. “Might be a good while before we come back, but we’ll come back.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I hope I know.”
Bobbi let Rafe go and then turned without another word and went back into the house, shutting the door fast, like if she didn’t, she might come back out and stop them.
The three of them got into Jeremy’s Outback. The roads between home and the Red Crow State Forest were all terrifying switchbacks hidden in shadows. Nobody but natives could drive well on West Virginia roads. Forty-five country miles could take ninety minutes if you didn’t know what you were doing. And Jeremy clearly didn’t know what he was doing.
“Grandma was slow, but she was old,” Rafe said. “My beard’s going to grow back by the time we get there.”
Emilie snorted from the backseat. “You are driving in a rather snaillike fashion.”
Jeremy glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Can it, Prius.” He looked at Rafe. “Can you do better?”
“So much better it’s causing me physical pain.”
“Aren’t you the man who literally got arrested for driving in his sleep?” Jeremy asked.
This should have hurt Rafe’s feelings. It didn’t. It felt like old times, actually. Old times he’d missed, though he would never admit it out loud.
“I’m awake now.”
“Fine.” Jeremy slowed and turned onto the nearest side road. Rafe got out, and they switched places.
They started off again on a particularly treacherous winding road kids at their high school had nicknamed “Slaughter Alley.” Rafe took it fast and loose like he had a thousand times before.
“I want to get there too,” Jeremy said, melodramatically clinging to the door. “But I’d like to get there alive.”
Rafe couldn’t stop grinning. “I learned to drive on these roads. You learned to drive, I don’t know where…Wait, did you ever learn to drive?”
“I never should have talked to you in Miss Farris’s class,” Jeremy said. “My original sin.”
“Do they have Subarus in England,” Rafe said, “or are you guys still on carriages?”
“Just drive, redneck,” Jeremy said.
“That’s an offensive term,” Emilie said from the backseat. “You should apologize.”
“What? Redneck?” Jeremy said. “Not if I’m being literal. Check the back of his neck.”
