"Oh, I'm fine, Sol. Real fine," he said, a wide smile spreading across his face.
"Milking it, huh?"
A shadow fell over Solly. "Did I really just hear you giving marriage advice?"
"Oh, hi love," Solly said. "Come join us. Apparently, a fella isn't allowed a moment's peace."
Bella waved at Ross who dropped the two chairs he was carrying and huffed off to fetch more. She set them up and sat down beside Solly. "No rest for the wicked, Solly Masters."
"So it seems," he said, taking her fingers and squeezing. It felt odd and comfortingly familiar at the same time. On the one hand, they were the same people they'd always been, while on the other, it felt as though they'd only just met. "Any news?"
Bella leaned in close to whisper. "We need to watch Maddie. She's spending a lot of time on her own with Ross."
Solly turned his head and kissed her.
"They're making out," Jaxon said. "I ain't deaf, you know."
Solly almost fell off his chair as he twisted around. "They're what?"
Jaxon shrugged. "You heard me. Though why she's interested in him, I don't know, when she could have me."
"Who could have who?" Ross asked, as he finally got to sit down.
"I was just sayin' I don't see what Maddie sees in you."
Ross' cheeks flushed. "Nice!" His eyes flitted to Solly, then to Bella. "Sorry, I was going to mention it."
"When? On the engagement party invite?"
"What?" Ross erupted. "No, we're only dating."
Bella laughed out loud. "Don't pay him any heed, Ross. He's jerking your chain."
"Oh, is he?"
"Yes, you are. We couldn't wish for a better boyfriend for Maddie."
Solly's face relaxed into a smile. "Don't worry, son, you're off the hook. For now."
Maddie appeared from behind the barn and dropped into the chair next to Ross. "What?"
"They know," Ross hissed.
"They know what?"
"About us."
"So what?"
That shut him up.
Solly turned to Bella. "So, aside from family gossip, any other news? Al's glued to that receiver; he must have heard something."
"He hit the jackpot this morning. McBride sent a message to us. It was on a repeating loop using the decrypt codes Joe left us."
The sun went behind a cloud for a moment as Solly thought of Joe Kuchinsky. He'd found his friend's broken body at the foot of the PNC Tower when he'd been searching for Alison's cylinder. Solly reached into the pocket of his shirt and touched the dog tag. It would have to go to McBride soon enough, but for now he kept it close.
He also ran his hands over the dented and scratched cylinder that lay on his lap. Soon enough, he would have to make the journey to New York so Alison could return into it. She'd communicated through the Reaper that had come back with them from Louisville and he knew she wanted to come home. And he knew that he wanted her close.
"What did McBride say?"
"It's mainly good news. The Chinese and North Korean forces have fallen back to positions they can defend from the Reapers. They're not going home, but it buys time for the federal government to organize the defense."
"Good. As long as they leave us well enough alone."
Bella smiled and squeezed his hand. "Oh, and he had a message for this Paulie Ramos you told me about. She intends to come here, apparently. Left Wright-Patterson a while back with some others. If she turns up, we're to tell her that McBride's heard from someone called…" she looked at a scrap of paper on her lap "…Vogelbach. She was mayor of Paulie's home town. We're to tell her that Vogelbach and the others are okay. Including the dog, apparently."
"Right. I'll remember. It'd be good to see her again."
"Would it?"
Solly smiled. "Jealous, my dear?"
"You bet I am! You're quite the catch now."
"You're not so bad yourself."
"Oh, get a room!" Maddie snapped. "Hold on, what's that?"
Maddie got up and walked across the grass toward the edge of the field. "Someone's coming. Looks military."
With a surge of adrenaline, Solly was on his feet instantly. He pulled the handgun from his belt and, followed by the others, stalked across the grass. It was easy to think that all was now at peace, but the world was still broken and there was no shortage of bandit groups looking to prey on communities like this. He was pleased and proud to see others rushing out, guns in hand, to defend the farmhouse in case of trouble.
A Humvee rolled along the dusty lane and turned onto the driveway leading to the house. Solly and Jaxon went around to the driver's side as a man in a military uniform got out, his hands held out in a gesture of peace.
Someone got out the other side. "Solly, it's me!"
"Paulie!" he called, rushing around to the passenger side. "It's okay, everyone, she's one of us."
After a brief hug, they parted. "It's great to see you."
"You too. This is my daughter, Luna and my…friend Marvin, Marvin Tucker."
Solly smiled at the young girl holding on to Paulie and then shook hands with a rough-looking man who wore a broad grin.
"Sure is good to be here," Tucker said. "Paulie’s told us a lot about this place."
Solly smiled. "You're welcome. I've got a message for you from McBride, Paulie," he added, turning back to her.
To his surprise, she shook her head. "That can wait. There's someone here who you'll want to see first."
Puzzled, Solly stepped back as, out of the shadows from the far side of the Humvee, a pair of legs appeared. A man got out. Instinctively, Solly knew him, but his thinking mind simply couldn't accept what he was seeing.
Then Bella shrieked.
"Jake!"
The Long Night Box Set Page 97
