Behind the Lies (Montgomery Justice #2)(60)

“What if he gets blown farther and farther away and she can’t ever find him?” Sam asked.

Jenna didn’t know how to answer. Sam’s five-year-old mind was trying to process the strangeness of learning the truth of the man they had both once loved.

In the last three days, Sam’s entire life had changed.

Zach stilled. He turned slightly and walked over, crouching in front of Sam. He held a dandelion.

“Is this the guy you were looking for, Sam?”

Her son squinted. “I can’t tell.”

“I think Zach found him,” Jenna said softly, pointing to one edge of the flower. “Right there.”

“Sometimes you can be lost for a while,” Zach said. “But that doesn’t mean you won’t be found.”

“Like when you and Mommy found me on the mountain.”

“That’s right.”

Sam nodded and Jenna squeezed Zach’s hand. Thank you, she mouthed.

He nodded, but his face had gone solemn, as if a light had been doused from within. She couldn’t tell if it was concern for his mother or her and Sam, but she didn’t know how to comfort him.

A buzzing noise drifted toward them from the east. A small plane glided, turned, then touched down lightly on the flat field.

“Let’s go,” Zach said. He picked up Sam and strode to the airplane.

“Zach,” the pilot said. “Sorry to hear about Anna.”

A man somewhere between fifty and sixty held out his hand then dropped it when he saw the makeshift sling on Zach’s arm. “Seems like you’ve had an escapade,” he said, crossing his arms.

A tattoo of an arrow crossed with a hatchet rippled over moving muscles. Zach nodded and set Sam down.

“I’m Ace,” he said, tilting the brim of his hat at Jenna. “And who might we have here?” He knelt down to her son’s level.

“I’m Sam,” he said, his eyes wide as he stared at the tattoo.

“Sam, I am?” Ace winked.

Her son smiled for the first time since they’d left the mountain. “You’re funny.”

“I bet you’ve heard that joke more than once. So, young Sam, would you like a special seat in my plane?”

He glanced back at Jenna.

“Go ahead,” she said with a smile.

She ran her hands up and down her arms.

“Getting cold?” Zach asked.

She nodded. “What happens now?”

“I go see my mom, and we find a place for you and Sam to hole up until I can collect new documents to start your new life. Then you leave.”

She grabbed his hand and squeezed.

Zach pulled away. “Don’t, Jenna.” He led her to the plane and within moments the Piper Lance was airborne.

Sam stared into the sky. “Look at the stars, Mommy. They’re sparkly.”

The flight barely lasted an hour before Ace eased the plane onto a small runway. He turned back to Zach. “You need anything, you come my way. I owe your dad.”

Ace exited the plane, and Zach followed. An SUV screeched to a halt near them. A man exited, limping toward Zach, his face none too friendly, but the square jaw was all too familiar. Obviously this was one of Zach’s brothers.

“Stay inside, Sam,” Jenna ordered.

She slid from the plane and cautiously approached the two men.

“Where the hell were you?”

“Calm down, Gabe.”

“You bastard. Mom could have died.”

“I’m here now.”

Zach’s face had gone as expressionless as a movie poster.

Gabe reared back and punched Zach in the chin. His head snapped back, but he didn’t even raise his fist to defend himself. His brother’s jaw clenched and he muttered under his breath.

“The least you could do is give me the satisfaction, not go all peacenik on me. You had everyone worried. Especially Mom.”

Zach rubbed his jaw with a wince. “I don’t have an excuse.”

He met his brother’s gaze, and Jenna recognized the pain in his eyes.

“How is she? Really?” he asked.

“Caleb can tell you better than me using ten-syllable words, but they say she’ll make a full recovery. It was touch and go for a while.” Gabe crossed his arms. “The house is gone. The pictures, most of Dad’s stuff. Everything. She doesn’t know yet.” Gabe narrowed a dangerous glare at Zach. “Seth wouldn’t say much, but I get the impression you know who did this. I want in. I have…connections. I can help.”

Zach laid his hand on his brother’s arm. “Listen to me, Gabriel. We almost lost you once. You stay out of this mess. It’s mine.”

His brother’s jaw tightened. Must be a family trait.

“Crazy fan? Crazy girlfriend?”

“Something like that.”

Jenna couldn’t stop her open-mouthed gape at Zach. Why lie? Clearly the brothers loved each other, despite the punch. Still, she got the impression that Gabe didn’t know Zach at all.

He gestured to her. “Jenna, this uncouth person is my youngest brother, Gabe.”

The six-foot-three man took a careful step forward and tilted his head. “Are you the crazy fan?”

Irritation chewed at the nape of Jenna’s neck. She wanted to defend Zach, but he squeezed her hand, giving her a warning look.