“You . . . helped them?”
Rain nodded and did a quick scan of the lot. “But they did a good job of helping themselves. That’s a brave boy you’ve got. Evie, too.”
Did Rain think Dash was his son?
Manus was suddenly fighting back tears. This was all his fault. Something terrible could have happened, almost did happen . . .
They’re fine. They’re fine.
He was desperate to see them. But he dreaded having to explain.
A moment passed. When he felt more in control of himself, he said, “Thank you.”
Rain nodded. “So you know, there are two more people in the room with them—a woman I’m with, named Delilah, and a young woman we’re taking care of, named Maya. And Maya’s dog. I’d suggest you and I go in one of the side entrances and I’ll take you to them. Is that okay with you?”
Manus was impressed both by the man’s calm and by his manners. Offering someone options was a good way to create confidence. Trying to hem someone in tended to cause suspicion, and suspicion between dangerous people could escalate fast. Having dealt with Dox, Manus wasn’t surprised that Rain knew what he was doing. But it was reassuring regardless—especially because just hours earlier he’d entrusted Evie and Dash to this man’s care. And knew now they might be alive because of it.
“Yes,” Manus said. “Please.”
Rain used a keycard to let them in through a side entrance. They took an internal staircase to the second floor. Halfway down the corridor, Rain stopped at a door and gave a single knock. The peephole was dark—probably they had covered it, to prevent anyone from knowing if someone inside was looking out.
The door opened. It was an attractive blonde, her right hand concealed behind her back. She must have been the woman Rain mentioned, Delilah. Manus, no longer suspicious, wasn’t concerned. He was glad they were armed.
Dash and Evie were standing alongside one of the two twin beds. Dash was holding a small dog. He set the dog on the floor, ran over, threw his arms around Manus’s back, and buried his face in his chest. Manus put his arms around the boy and looked at Evie, speechless. She smiled, then started crying. She walked over and hugged him, Dash in between them.
Manus looked around the room. He saw a young woman sitting in the desk chair—the one Rain had mentioned, Maya. A laptop was open in front of her and she was intent on it. He glanced back. The blonde—Delilah—had closed the door and was talking to Rain.
He could feel Dash shaking. He must have been crying. They’re fine, he told himself. They’re fine. But what had happened?
After a few moments, they disengaged. Dash wiped his face and began signing. A man had come for them at the school. Evie had hit him with a cart of books. And Dash had hit him with a table leg. Dash held up his hand so Manus could see he’d torn up his fingers getting the bolts loose so he could detach the leg. And then Evie had taken the man’s gun and killed him. And Mr. Rain had killed another man. And then they came here. Manus looked from Dash’s signing to Evie’s face and back again, rocked by a storm of emotions.
As Dash finished relaying the story, Evie signed, You should have seen him with that table leg. Our brave boy.
This time, when Manus tried to suppress the tears, he couldn’t.
Dash signed, Why are you crying, Marvin?
Because I’m proud of you. You protected your mom.
Dash smiled. You would have protected her, too. Probably better than I did.
But I didn’t. He looked at Evie. I put you in danger.
Dash shook his head in confusion. How?
Manus no longer towered over Dash as he had when the boy had been younger, but it felt wrong to be looking down at him now. He squatted and met Dash’s eyes. No, this wasn’t a little boy before him. It was a strong young man. Who was old enough to make up his own mind. And Manus would have to live with what he decided. One way or the other.