“I spy a wolf,” Haine said, staring out the car’s passenger window.  

“Oh my god.  That looks more like a bear,” Alex whispered as they drove by the biggest wolf she had ever seen.  She’d slowed, pulling her car to the side of the road so she could get a better look at the animal.  She clicked the lock button on the doors when the wolf moved a little closer to her car, then he dashed into the woods.

“Alex, did you see that?  A wolf, a real one.  It was way bigger than the ones we saw in the zoo.  Do you think there will be wolves where we’re going?”  Haine asked, smiling.  

Alex’s mouth went dry as she listened to the fascination in his voice. “I hope not.  If that thing got a hold of us, it would drag us off and eat us.  Never go near anything like that.”  When Haine continued to stare out the window, she grabbed his arm jerking him around.

“Ouch, sissy.  That hurt.”  

“I’m sorry, but you need to understand, Haine, that a wolf like that would kill you.  I can’t lose you, too.  Promise me you would never go near an animal like that.”  Her eyes were wide with fear as tears built.  

“I promise, Alex.  Please don’t cry, sissy.  I need you, too.”  Haine was scared now and she could kick herself for making him feel that way.  She was so emotional after her parents’ death and the incident with Dominic Santora. 

She needed to tell Haine the truth about why they left home because if she didn’t, then he might do something that would get them caught.  It could be something as innocent as telling someone they were hiding from one of the biggest crime families in the United States.  

“Haine, I need to talk to you about something.”  She glanced in her rearview mirror waiting for her little brother to look up.  “Please, put your video game down.  This is serious.”  

Her brother was only eight years old, but he was smart and a good kid.  His brown eyes stared up at her and she realized he looked like their mother.  Every time she looked at him, she’d see their mother staring back.  It was comforting. She prayed she used the right words to express how serious this was.  “Okay, I’m listening.”  

“We’re in trouble, Haine.  Bad people are after us for reasons unknown to me.  They want to hurt us and that’s why we had to leave everything behind.”

“So, we’re on the run?”  Haine asked.

“Well…yes, I guess we are, but the difference is that we didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then why are they mad at us?”

“I don’t know, sweetie, but I plan to find out.  But I need to keep us safe until I can find out.  That means, Haine, we have to fib a little.”

“Mom said fibbing is just another word for lying.”  

Alex had to smile. Her mom was the best mother and always made sure her kids knew the difference between right and wrong.  “That’s true, but for this one time, we have to do this until I know who we can trust.  Can you do that, Haine?”

“Uh-huh,” Haine said then stared out the window.  

She hated lying and now she had to get her little brother to lie.  It was almost too much to take, but she had to keep them safe. 

When she was packing, she came across a catalog from the Jade Cross Jewelry line.  It was her and her mom’s favorite.  Once she got her first bracelet in the mail, she never purchased any other brand.  

In an earlier edition, she’d read about Jade Cross living in New Hope, Georgia.  When she looked it up on her computer, she learned it was a very small town with little to no industry.  And that was what she needed.  A place she could lay low until she spoke to someone in law enforcement who could help her and Haine.  

The closer she got to New Hope, the more anxious she felt.  She was seeing no hunting signs every mile tacked to the trees. She couldn’t stop thinking about the wolf. It was incredibly huge. She had never seen anything like it. At first, she thought it was a bear. Knowing how curious Haine was, it scared her thinking that maybe she had made the wrong decision.  What if Haine tried to get close to a wolf or other wildlife. He could get hurt or worse, killed.

They had reservations at Charlotte’s B&B for a week, but if her brother was in danger from the animals, she didn’t want to stay in New Hope.  She would give it one week. If it proved too dangerous, she would leave and go farther south.

Alex slowed the car as they pulled into the city limits.  Her stomach growled when she saw a restaurant.  She was starving as she pulled into the only free parking space.  Apparently “Get Your Grub” was the hottest place in town.  She liked the look of the place.  Rocking chairs sat outside and flowers were planted everywhere.  The restaurant was definitely small town as two older men sat outside playing chess. 

“Are you ready to eat, Haine?”  Alex said, turning around in her seat.  

“Yes, ma’am.  I want the biggest hamburger they have with onion rings,” Haine said opening the door.  Her little brother was small but he could put away some groceries.  Her mom called him the bottomless pit.  

“Okay, let’s eat that big hamburger, big boy.”  Alex got out and helped her brother out of the back seat.  She ruffled his hair as they both stretched taking in the town.  “Oh, look, Haine.”  Alex pointed at the sign that said Southern Treasures.  “That is where my favorite jewelry is sold at.  I can’t wait to see all of it.  But first, let’s eat.”

Alex and Haine walked into the diner. All the booths were full except one table that sat in the middle of the floor.  

“There’s a seat,” Haine squealed, rushing over to the table and sitting down.

“You look like a hungry young man.”  Alex watched her little brother poke his chest out at the waitress.  

“Yes, ma’am.”  Haine smiled as the waitress sat across from him.  She looked a lot like her mom.  

“How are you two doing?  My name is Mildred Sharpe and I will be waiting on you today.”  Mildred was pretty and seemed to be a nice lady.  Haine sure thought so, too.

“We are moving here,” Haine said.

“Haine!”  She didn’t mean for her voice to be so loud when the other tables turned and looked at her.  

“I’m sorry, sissy.”  Haine’s eyes watered and now she felt like a piece of crap for yelling at him.  He had been through a lot and he sure as hell didn’t need her yelling at him.  

“It’s okay, miss.  Let me get this one some coloring pencils so he can enter the contest for the best picture.”  Mildred pointed to the back where coloring book pictures had been taped to the wall.  “The winner will win fifty dollars in cash money.  See that glass jar down there at the end of the counter?”  Haine stood as he searched for the jar.  

“I see it.”  

“That’s the money for the winner.  It has fifty-one dollar bills inside it.  Just imagine if you won that money.  Well, you would be rich,” Mildred said, smiling.  “But the picture has to be good.  You can draw just about anything, so take your time, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.”  

“Okey-dokey.  Let me get you some paper then.”  Alex watched as Mildred walked behind the counter.

“Haine, I’m sorry I yelled at you, but you can’t tell people our last name or give them too much information.  Just let me do all the talking about where we are living, okay?”

“Okay,” Haine whispered.

Mildred came back with a box of crayons, coloring pencils, and one sheet of construction paper.  “Now before I give you this I need to know your name.”

Haine stopped smiling and looked at his sister.  “His name is Haine.”

Mildred slowly said his name. “Haine.  I really love that name.  It fits you.  Okay, Haine, tell me what you want to eat and I will let you start your masterpiece.”  

“I want the biggest hamburger with onion rings.”

“Do you think you can eat a big one?  Because we call it Finley’s Monster burger.”

“I can do it,” Haine said, sitting up straight.  

“You know, I think you can.  Miss, what can I get for you?”  

“The same and we want chocolate milkshakes to go with it,” Alex said with a smile.

Mildred moved a little closer and whispered, “I wasn’t joking when I said it was a monster burger.”  Mildred’s smile put her at ease.

“That’s okay, what we don’t eat we can take for later,” Alex said.

“Sounds good to me.  I will be right back with water.”  Mildred rushed to the back and put their order up in the window.  To be a small town, there were a lot of people outside shopping and even in here eating. 

Mildred sat the glasses down then went to help other customers.  She watched as the waitress seemed to know most of the people sitting at the bar and tables.  The majority of the customers were casually talking using each other’s first name.  As she looked about the restaurant, a young group of guys sitting along the back were all checking her out.  One of them winked making her turn back around.  She sure didn’t need to bring any attention to herself.  The table next to her finished and left as the front door opened bringing in three of the biggest men she had ever seen.  

The last one got her attention.  Sandy blond hair cut short with a dark scruffy jaw. He had two dimples showing as he smiled at Mildred.  Dear lord in heaven give me strength.  This man was insanely good looking.  Perfect in every way.  Every man and woman in the place gravitated toward the three men, including herself, and she had enough problems so she did her best and looked away.  Unfortunately, the three men decided to sit at the empty table beside her and Haine.  

Looking away from the Adonis, Alex focused on Haine.  Her brother had his head down concentrating on his picture.  His tongue stuck out between his teeth as he drew.  The fact that her brother was a natural artist was an understatement.  He was only eight, but he was talented beyond anything she had ever seen.  Her IQ was high, but Haine’s was much higher even at his age.  The picture he drew looked just like the wolf they saw on the side of the road.  It was breathtaking even with crayons.  

“Good grief, that’s beautiful.  Did you draw that?”  Mildred asked setting their hamburgers on the table.

Haine nodded and continued to color in the trees that looked like you could reach out and touch them.  It was beyond good.  Mildred glanced at her and then at the three men.  There was no need to explain.  Her brother was just that good.

“I don’t think anyone can compete with you.  What did you say your name was?”

“Haine,” her little brother muttered. Alex smiled with pride. She was proud of Haine and all his achievements, but most of all she loved her little brother for his big heart.

“Put the crayons down, Haine, and let’s eat.  You still have time to finish,” Alex said.  Apparently, her little brother was so hungry it didn’t take her long to convince him.  He moved his picture over and dug in.  

“This is good,” Haine said, chewing with his mouth open.

“Don’t talk while you’re eating.”

Haine nodded and continued to chomp.  Alex’s eyes widened as she stared at the hamburger called Monster.  Picking up her knife, Alex cut her burger in half. 

Before she took her first bite, she glanced to the table with the Adonis and what she saw frightened her.  The guy she was having dirty thoughts about was frowning at her like she took something from him.  Even his friends were worried as they both looked back and forth.  He looked pissed off at her the way his nostrils flared and the glaring.  

She could hear the two men whispering to the Adonis, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying.  The two words she did hear were “calm down.”

It was time to go.  She didn’t know what was going on and she didn’t care.  One crazy man after her was enough.  Quietly, she motioned for Mildred and asked for a to-go box.  She put her hamburger and fries inside and asked for the check.  

Mildred picked up on her fear, apparently, and asked if everything was okay.  She just nodded and laid down a twenty-dollar bill.  When Mildred said she would be back with her change, Alex grabbed the bag of food, her brother’s hand, and pulled him out of the restaurant.  

She pushed Haine in the car and locked the door.  “I was still eating,” her little brother hollered.  

Her heart was beating so fast when she saw Adonis jump up from the table, pulling away from the other two men.  She didn’t give him time to get out the door before she had the SUV in reverse and flooring it down the road.  She couldn’t go fast at first because people were walking across the road.  Abruptly, she pushed the breaks to the floorboard.  When she looked in her rearview mirror, the Adonis and the other men were running for her vehicle.  

“Shit, shit, move…move,” Alex screamed.

“What’s wrong?  What’s wrong, sissy.”  She could hear the fear in Haines voice, but she couldn’t stop and explain.  Blowing her horn, the people quickly moved out of her way as she sped off.  

“Who was that?”  Haine asked worried.  He was turned around in the seat watching the men chase their car.

“I don’t know but it’s going to be okay.  Sit down.”  Alex was out of her league right now.  Whoever the man was, he was scaring the crap out of her.  The way he stared at her was frightening, but why?  What did she do to this man?

“I want to go home.”  Haine’s eyes filled with tears.  

“It’s okay, Haine.”  She glanced down at the GPS and they only had one mile until they got to Charlotte’s B&B.   “I got my hamburger and fries you can eat and we only have one mile left.  Then we will be at the B&B.”

Her heart broke as she glanced back and Haine was wiping the tears away.  “I love you.”  Her voice was high as a couple tears fell down her own face.  She couldn’t let him see her break down.  Haine had been through too much losing Mom and Dad and he needed her to be strong for him.  But why were people chasing her?  None of this made sense.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, she didn’t see anyone.  Thankful, she slowed and continued to follow the GPS to the B&B.