CHAPTER SIX
“ I can’t believe someone could justify owning something like this. I mean, it has enough food stocked in that fridge to last me over a month. Seriously, Newman, you have to see this.”
“I’ve been in one of these before with Tex.”
Newman was lounging in a seat that allowed him to be horizontal. He cracked open his good eye and watched Hope investigate the interior of Tex’s uncle’s jet. She was opening cupboards and poking about on shelves like a kid in a candy store.
“This extravagance should really shock and horrify me.”
“But it doesn’t because secretly you’re impressed.”
She bent and he studied the line of her legs, and her butt.
“I’m not impressed. What impresses me is people who have small carbon footprints, and know how to minimize their waste.”
“I’m sure there’s a recycling bin in here somewhere.”
She ignored him and continued to look around. Opening the fridge again, she pulled out a bottle of water and held it up for him to inspect.
“Got any soda in there?”
“Water is better for you.” She lobbed it at him.
“You must be hell to date.”
“I haven’t had any complaints.”
“Sure you have, they’re just too scared to voice them loud enough, in case you stomp all over them in your shitkickers.”
She uncapped her water and drank deep.
“How’s the hangover?”
“Better. How’s the eye?”
“Aches like a bitch.”
“Close it then, and stop talking.”
He did, but he could still hear her moving about, until she took the seat across from him.
“I can’t believe you actually picked me up and carried me onto this jet.”
“You weren’t coming willingly, so I was compelled to use force.”
“I should really hate you about now.”
Newman opened his eye an inch. He watched her settle in the seat then lift the leg rest, and sighed.
“Comfortable?”
“And then some.”
“So I’m curious, Hope. No savings to live off from all those magazine shoots and wildlife expeditions?”
She didn’t speak.
“He take that too?”
“Some.” Her voice was small. “He took my cash.”
“And the rest of it?”
“I use the money I don’t need for good causes.”
“God save me from idiots.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that!”
“There is when you find yourself without a job, and have no money to live off.”
“I had money in a place in my room. He took it.”
“You should try a bank, Hope. They look after your money for you, so you don’t have to.”
“I just hadn’t got round to it.”
Newman raised his head to look at her, not quite believing they were actually having this conversation.
“You haven’t got a bank account?”
“Of course I have. You saw my credit card, idiot!”
“Right, I forgot about that.” Newman settled back into his seat.
“I would have been fine if you hadn’t kidnapped me.”
“You do know that because of you I’m going to get teased mercilessly about this eye when I get back to Howling,” Newman said, deciding he’d poked at her enough.
“And I should care why?”
“Heartless wench.”
“I’m not going back, Newman. I’ll stay in Brook for a bit, then start hiking around Oregon. I can see now it’s the best place for me to be, but it would have cost me too much time and money to get there. So thanks for organizing the ride.”
All he could see of her now was the soles of her boots. Like him, she was lying back.
“You have gum on your boots.”
She snorted.
“You’re coming to Howling, Hope.”
She didn’t speak again, and he closed his eyes. A nap was just what he needed before he resumed his battle with Hope, to get her back to Howling.
Newman opened his eye when someone touched his shoulder. Looking up, he saw one of the crew standing over him.
“We’ve landed, sir.”
His eyes went to the seat opposite, and saw it was empty.
“The young lady has already disembarked. She said not to wake you until it was absolutely necessary.”
“Shit!” Newman got himself vertical. “Thanks.”
Grabbing his bag, he left the jet, ran down the steps and into the small terminal. Sprinting down the corridor, he saw Tex, aka Ethan Gelderman III, big, well-built, and, Newman had to give him, handsome. Woman certainly thought so, if the looks he was getting as he approached were any indication. Dark haired and blue eyed, he was married to Annabelle, a friend, so now he was one too. He and his brother flew tourists about in their helicopters.
“Christ, tell me the other guy looks worse?” Tex straightened as he saw Newman approach, and held out a hand. They did a chest bump.
“I’ll explain, but for now can we ditch the bitch talk, because I need to find Hope. Did you see her come through here?”
“If I knew who Hope was, I may have,” Tex said in his slow drawl.
“Blue fitted dress, black lace-up boots, long black hair, and a backpack. She’s Militant’s daughter.”
Tex flinched. Hope’s mother was not one of Howling’s most loved citizens.
“She went that way about ten minutes before you arrived.” Newman followed Tex’s finger.
“I have to find her. She’s in trouble, and is the reason I needed to get back here via your uncle’s jet.”
“Okay, well let’s start looking.”
Newman and Tex ran out of the terminal seconds later.
“Cab?”
He shook his head. “She has no money, so she’ll be on foot.”
“Left leads to town, right leads out of it.”
Newman headed right.
After an hour of searching, he knew he wasn’t about to find her anytime soon. Frustration sat heavy on his shoulders as he stood on the main street of Brook.
“I’m gonna kill you when we meet again,” Newman said softly.
Worry for her was swirling like acid in his stomach. Would she end up drunk in another bar? Would someone take advantage of her kind nature? Would he see her again?
“Fuck,” he said softly, because the word fitted how he felt.
“So what’s the deal? Is she in trouble? Sick? A longtime lover? Why are you so worked up about not finding her?”
“We grew up together. I’m not sure about the trouble aspect, but pretty sure something’s riding her. She’s got no money or job, and I found her drunk in a bar dancing on a chair.”
Tex whistled.
“And I’m pissed because it’s downright disrespectful to do a runner after I got her back here for free, and add to that I washed puke off her, bought her clothes, and any number of other things, and this is the thanks I get!”
Tex’s hands shot up in the air as Newman snarled out the last word.
“Christ, Newman. I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you truly pissed off.”
“Whatever.”
He looked up and down the street again, but knew Hope wasn’t going to appear anytime soon. She’d probably already got on a bus out of town. They’d been to the depot, but no one was willing to say if she’d bought a ticket. Some shit about privacy that didn’t impress him.
“So can we go now?”
“I guess.” He wasn’t sure why he was so worked up about not finding Hope, but he was.
“You really are worried about her, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, but then she’s lived without anyone watching her back for years. Not sure why she can’t for a while longer.”
“And that’s just plain sad if you ask me.”
He fell in beside Tex as they headed for a cab that would take them to the helicopter.
“Her mother’s Militant, bud. Can’t imagine there was a lot of caring, supportive friends and family in her life growing up.”
Tex shuddered. “True that.”
“Thanks by the way, for the flight and pickup.”
“All good, bud. Now I want to hear about the black eye, the bar thing with this Hope, and why the hell you were washing puke off her and buying her clothes.”
They took off twenty minutes later, and Newman watched Brook disappear and wondered if Hope had left already. Wondered if he’d see her again anytime soon. Wondered where she’d end up next, and how she’d survive with no money, friends, or job prospects.
When I do catch up with you, Hope, you better run.