Eighty-Sixed [manxman]

XI | Erode |

XI

| Erode |

-

"Mr. Alec!" Paige ran up to me, bouncing with energy. Ella trailed behind her, skipping with a grin that showed off the dimples in her cheeks.

"Yes?"

"Are you packed?"

"Packed?"

"We're going to the beach," Paige said with as much 'duh' injected into her voice as a five-year-old could muster. "Didn't Daddy tell you?"

I blinked, thinking back over the handful of conversations I'd had with Harlow over the last week. When they returned home Saturday--and I clocked back in--he commented how pale I looked. Later in the week, he said I'd been scarce. He wasn't wrong. Before leaving for work Thursday morning, he asked if I was feeling sick and needed a day off to rest. I refused and said I felt fine--just tired. Harlow hadn't mentioned anything about the beach from what I recalled.

"I forgot," Harlow said as he strolled into the room, fixing the collar of his gray polo shirt. "We're going to the beach for the weekend, and the girls and I were hoping you'd join us."

"Sure," I said. "When do we leave?"

"Once you're packed. You won't have today off, but you can take off Monday when we return, if that's okay."

"Absolutely! Will you still have someone to watch the girls?"

Harlow nodded. "I'm taking Monday off too. I hate to work the day after I've come back from traveling."

"I'll go put a bag together."

"Do you have swimming trunks?"

"No."

"I'll get some sent to the beach house. Let me know if you need anything else."

Thanking him and saying I'd reimburse him, despite his insistence I would do no such thing, I headed to my room and began packing the few pieces of casual summer attire I owned. At least we'd only be there for a couple of days. The trip was sudden, but I hoped getting away from the house, even for a weekend, would be enough to get my head back in the game. Like, maybe the girls would be better off in the state's custody. They'd be as far away from the gangster lifestyle as they could get. Normalcy might even be attainable.

Dressed, packed, and as prepared as I could be, I met up with Harlow, Paige, and Ella. Instead of loading into a car, we stepped into an ATV and rode about a mile across the property to a simple hangar. Inside was a jet as nice as--if not nicer than--a commercial plane. Vin loaded the luggage onto the plane and two security team members boarded.

"Oneida is a pilot," Harlow said. "And Martin is tagging along in case of any emergencies."

I nodded, wondering if Harlow ever went anywhere without at least one member of his entourage. Hell, could Harlow go anywhere without an 'emergency' cropping up?

Filing onto the plane with the family, it looked more like a lounge than a cabin with two plush sofas on either side. A row of actual seats were nestled in the back. Additional seating was in the center with a couple tables. Stowed away were board games and toys for the girls. I suspected there were weapons hidden about the cabin and cockpit as well. It was Harlow, after all.

With that thought, I wondered how much of the trip was for leisure with Paige and Ella and how much Harlow needed to do some business outside of town. Hating the thought and the slew of images it brought of Garcia's impending raid, I shut it out and followed Harlow to the back of the plane to sit and buckle up until we'd taken off.