“I can’t …,” I said, and shook my head. “But they’ll be coming for me when they find out I’ve gone.”

“Then we have to decide what to do right now.”

I was relieved to turn my thoughts elsewhere. “The military contractors don’t know who I am, but whoever killed Wil does.”

“You’re assuming that Wilcox’s murder was a message to you. So why Wilcox, and not you?”

“Everyone knows I’m hard to kill.”

“Is there anything else?” Mercedes asked.

“Well, there is one thing,” I said. “Wil’s body is in my truck. At least it was when I left it there.”

Mercedes put her hands to her forehead and massaged. She said, “Airports are a problem, but we can get you across the border into Mexico or Canada.”

“The safest place for me is Oswald’s ranch. The contractors don’t know who I am and won’t look there. And if the Vampire Council is behind Wil’s murder, they won’t try anything while I’m with the Grants.”

“Let me call Gabriel and see if he’s got another safe house.”

But I didn’t want to go anywhere else. The ranch had been my refuge when I was first infected, and it had been my home. I wanted to go home. I said, “I just want to be there.”

“What about telling Ian?”

“What if Ian had Wil killed?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think he’d do that, but … I’m not sure.”

“Ian does anything he feels like doing,” I said. “That’s why I could never consider him even though …” I stopped that thought.

Mercedes said, “Are you sure Oswald will let you stay?”

“Oswald will want to help me. That’s who he is,” I said with more certainty than I felt. “He’s always been there for me.”

“That was different. He was in love with you then.” She sighed heavily. “If your truck is still near Ian’s, we’ve got to get rid of it, get rid of your laptop and electronic trail, and get you a new ride. Pepper can help.”

Ernest “Pepper” Culpepper, biker and former meth chemist, had helped us before.

“He’s two hours away.”

“No, he’s not,” Mercedes said.

It took me a second to figure things out. “You and Pepper?” It felt wonderful to laugh again. “You and Pepper! I’m amazed and intrigued. You and Pepper!” She had rejected countless musicians as not worth her time and now she was dating a biker!

“It’s none of your business and, besides, did you know he plays the bagpipes brilliantly?”

“‘Bagpipes’ and ‘brilliant’ should never be uttered in the same sentence.” When I finally stopped laughing, I said, “I trust Pepper.”

“He can help get you to the ranch and I’ll drive up later.”