Chapter 79

Ian

Waiting for nightfall was torture. He’d packed the essentials and loaded them into his truck in the privacy of his garage, but he wanted to make sure no one was hanging around before leaving.

He’d called Tyler and Sissy first, and that phone call had been tough. He was happy to leave them to the task of explaining his absence to the kids. They would be devastated. Lydia adored Ian, and he’d appreciated being able to be himself around her. It was easy to relax and forget about the tougher parts of life around an innocent toddler.

The call had begun and ended with Sissy in tears, but there wasn’t much he could do to change things. He and Sara needed to leave now, and waiting for the cover of darkness was almost too long. Owen McCall had at least a day’s head start on them.

Next had been Ian’s parents. His mom had shed some tears, but this wasn’t the first time he’d warned them he intended to be gone for an indefinite amount of time. Coming from a marine family, his mom was used