CHAPTER 26: THE REFUGE
We drove for hours.
Finally, we stopped.
A small motel by the road.
Thomas got us a room.
Emma fell asleep almost immediately.
I watched her breathe.
"I'm sorry," Thomas said. "We didn't think they'd come that soon."
"I should have known."
"You can't blame yourself."
"I blame myself for everything. If I'd just been smarter—"
"You were smart. You survived. That's what matters."
I looked at him.
"Where do we go now?"
"Somewhere they won't find us."
"Where?"
"Scotland. Remote. Isolated. Safe."
I nodded.
"Let's go."
We drove through the night.
To a place I'd never heard of.
A place where no one would find us.
A place where we could start over.
Again.
I looked at Emma.
She was still sleeping.
Still peaceful.
May you like
And I promised her that I'd protect her.
No matter what it took.
