holding up two sets of keys in his hand.
“My desk and the small cabinet in my study have locks on them. You can put your food in there. That way, you can’t steal from each other.”
Ms. Wentworth seemed pleased with this arrangement. Not only would she have her own food, but no one would be able to take it away from her. She took one of the keys, cradling it to her chest with a protective hand.
Garrett, Amy, and Justin began to go through the contents in the sack. Despite the limited time they had in the shop, Marie had chosen a wide selection of much-needed products. She had avoided canned soup, favoring chunky stews and chilies, beans, and pasta. A lot of the dry packaged meals were rice-based. Feminine products, aspirin, cough medicine, toothpaste, bottled water, powdered milk, a small bag of kibbles for Walter . . . Amy sent a silent “thank you” as she pulled them out one by one.
About half an hour later, they had neatly arranged everything into eight small piles. Amy and Justin put them into plastic bags. When they finished, Amy handed a bag to Garrett, and then placed two bags on the island counter for Ms. Wentworth and Patrick. Lastly, she and Justin carried the rest.
“Three of these bags will go to Daniel’s apartment. The remaining two will be ours. Are there any objections?”
Patrick didn’t speak up. Maybe it was because Garrett was watching him closely, and the younger man was well aware of it. The silence continued on. With a satisfied nod, Garrett moved toward the balcony.
“It’s been quite a day, especially for you both. Why don’t you get some rest? And I’d like to invite you all to my place for dinner. How does that sound?”
“Well, I don’t know if I can climb down that ladder,” Ms. Wentworth said, wincing. “I have bad hips. And my heart . . .” She trailed off. “I think it’s best if we eat here.”
Patrick paused, then said reluctantly, “Would we have to serve dinner from our portion?”
“Of course not,” Garrett answered at once. “I have extra camping stuff we can eat. I’ll bring them up, along with the powdered eggs. Probably best to finish them, anyway.” He leaned against the railing, thinking. “Now that we’ve got extra groceries, we should start thinking about moving. I don’t want to make my daughter wait any more than she has to.”
“We’ll talk later,” Justin agreed. When he and Amy went to join Garrett at the balcony, Justin paused to throw a glance over his shoulder.
“By the way, Patrick, you should do something about that barricade. Find something to replace the bookshelf we broke up. That door’s looking pretty vulnerable.”
“Don’t worry about it. I will,” Patrick answered dismissively. He plopped down on the sofa and stretched out his body. “I’m going to take a nap. It’s been a rough afternoon.” And he promptly shut his eyes and rolled over to his side, showing them his back.
Garrett raised his brows, looking faintly amused. Then he turned to Justin and Amy. “I suggest you do the same. I’ll see you both tonight.” He climbed down the ladder, quickly disappearing from their sight.
Chapter 11
Dinner was once again enjoyed by all, despite the circumstances. Garrett had made macaroni and cheese and scrambled powdered eggs, and he’d brought up a large thermos flask of steaming cocoa for everyone. Unlike the previous night, Walter had his own kibbles and warm powdered milk for supper.
Amy had no idea why, but she felt a strange premonition that this could be their last meal together. Of course, maybe it was because Garrett was already planning to leave on his campervan. Judging by his words, it sounded like he wanted to leave the next day.
“Don’t you think that’s too soon?” Amy asked as she sipped her cocoa. She understood his urgency; after all, he had a daughter to go to. Her life depended on her father finding her . . . if she was still alive.
“Maybe tomorrow is too soon,” Garrett
“My desk and the small cabinet in my study have locks on them. You can put your food in there. That way, you can’t steal from each other.”
Ms. Wentworth seemed pleased with this arrangement. Not only would she have her own food, but no one would be able to take it away from her. She took one of the keys, cradling it to her chest with a protective hand.
Garrett, Amy, and Justin began to go through the contents in the sack. Despite the limited time they had in the shop, Marie had chosen a wide selection of much-needed products. She had avoided canned soup, favoring chunky stews and chilies, beans, and pasta. A lot of the dry packaged meals were rice-based. Feminine products, aspirin, cough medicine, toothpaste, bottled water, powdered milk, a small bag of kibbles for Walter . . . Amy sent a silent “thank you” as she pulled them out one by one.
About half an hour later, they had neatly arranged everything into eight small piles. Amy and Justin put them into plastic bags. When they finished, Amy handed a bag to Garrett, and then placed two bags on the island counter for Ms. Wentworth and Patrick. Lastly, she and Justin carried the rest.
“Three of these bags will go to Daniel’s apartment. The remaining two will be ours. Are there any objections?”
Patrick didn’t speak up. Maybe it was because Garrett was watching him closely, and the younger man was well aware of it. The silence continued on. With a satisfied nod, Garrett moved toward the balcony.
“It’s been quite a day, especially for you both. Why don’t you get some rest? And I’d like to invite you all to my place for dinner. How does that sound?”
“Well, I don’t know if I can climb down that ladder,” Ms. Wentworth said, wincing. “I have bad hips. And my heart . . .” She trailed off. “I think it’s best if we eat here.”
Patrick paused, then said reluctantly, “Would we have to serve dinner from our portion?”
“Of course not,” Garrett answered at once. “I have extra camping stuff we can eat. I’ll bring them up, along with the powdered eggs. Probably best to finish them, anyway.” He leaned against the railing, thinking. “Now that we’ve got extra groceries, we should start thinking about moving. I don’t want to make my daughter wait any more than she has to.”
“We’ll talk later,” Justin agreed. When he and Amy went to join Garrett at the balcony, Justin paused to throw a glance over his shoulder.
“By the way, Patrick, you should do something about that barricade. Find something to replace the bookshelf we broke up. That door’s looking pretty vulnerable.”
“Don’t worry about it. I will,” Patrick answered dismissively. He plopped down on the sofa and stretched out his body. “I’m going to take a nap. It’s been a rough afternoon.” And he promptly shut his eyes and rolled over to his side, showing them his back.
Garrett raised his brows, looking faintly amused. Then he turned to Justin and Amy. “I suggest you do the same. I’ll see you both tonight.” He climbed down the ladder, quickly disappearing from their sight.
Chapter 11
Dinner was once again enjoyed by all, despite the circumstances. Garrett had made macaroni and cheese and scrambled powdered eggs, and he’d brought up a large thermos flask of steaming cocoa for everyone. Unlike the previous night, Walter had his own kibbles and warm powdered milk for supper.
Amy had no idea why, but she felt a strange premonition that this could be their last meal together. Of course, maybe it was because Garrett was already planning to leave on his campervan. Judging by his words, it sounded like he wanted to leave the next day.
“Don’t you think that’s too soon?” Amy asked as she sipped her cocoa. She understood his urgency; after all, he had a daughter to go to. Her life depended on her father finding her . . . if she was still alive.
“Maybe tomorrow is too soon,” Garrett
Similar Books
