When Love's Gone Country - By Merri Hiatt Page 0,43
hang of it now.”
“Court, let Brad drive. We want to get there in one piece.”
“I’d argue, but we’re wastin’ time. Bart and Red are on their way to the river.”
“How do you know?” Alex said as he and Purity got in the back seat and Brad maneuvered the cart back onto the path.
“I ran into Charlie Mankins. He’s such a nice guy. Did you know he’s engaged to Sam? They met right here on the ranch.”
“We know. Focus,” Purity said.
“Oh, yeah, well, Charlie said he saw Bart and Red headed toward the wheat field.”
“That’s not unusual,” Brad said.
“Charlie said that’s the way to the river. You go past the wheat field, follow the road to where the two big ol’ oak trees flank another path. You follow that one through the woods and on the other side is the river.”
“And the double y?” Pure asked.
“Yes. And, the waterfall.”
“Sounds like it’s a pretty good distance,” Alex said. “Were Bart and Red on foot?”
“I didn’t ask, but I got that impression.”
“Better slow up a bit then, Brad. We don’t want to get too close.”
“I’ll keep an eye out.”
When Brad came to the end of the wheat field and was about to turn right, Courtney said, “Watch that brake. It’s tricky.”
Brad rested his foot on the brake pedal and turned the corner.
“What the hell?” Brad felt the cart tilt to the right and the wheel underneath him become airborne.
“Hang on!” Courtney yelled.
Purity and Alex grabbed the poles on either side of the open exit doors.
“What happened to the brakes?” Alex yelled.
“I don’t think we have any.” The cart resumed its normal position with all four wheels touching the ground.
“You thought I was just a bad driver, but it really wasn’t me, it’s the cart, I tell ya!” Court said.
“You’re right. I’m going to go slower. I don’t want a repeat of that again.”
“Probably a good idea anyway, Red and Bart can’t have had that much of a lead on us.”
“When we get to the oak trees, maybe we should ditch the cart,” Court said.
They all agreed.
Brad pulled as far off the dirt road as he could get and let the cart roll to a stop.
“Is that them?” Court asked, ducking down below the dashboard.
“Where?”
“By the edge of the forest.” She peered over the steering wheel. “Just to the right a bit.”
“I see something,” Purity said.
“Isn’t this enough evidence?” Brad asked. “They’re obviously headed toward the river. There’s nothing else over here.”
“Purity, you stay here and try and get Frank or Emma on your cell and tell them we’ve spotted Red and Bart. We’ll follow them.”
“Okay.” Purity retrieved her cell phone and began making the call to the Double Y Ranch number.
“I don’t see them anymore, they’re undercover of the woods,” Brad said.
“Good. We’re far enough behind them that we don’t have to be too quiet,” Alex said.
“Good thing. Quiet isn’t my specialty,” Courtney said.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The path through the forest was easy to traverse. Courtney imagined kids with flashlights following the trail to go skinny dipping in the river late at night. It’d be fun to grow up in the country.
She could see Brad sitting on the porch sipping sweet iced tea at the end of a long, hot summer day. The screen door would bang every time someone came through the door. Their home would be a haven for friends and family, and anyone who needed a safe place to sleep for the night.
“What are you smiling about?” Brad asked, as they walked toward a bend in the path.
“Just thinking what it would be like if you and I lived in the country.”
“I’d love it. So would Diego.”
“He’d definitely love it, except for the heat. He’d probably shed—”
“Sh.” Alex put his hand up.
The snap of a twig nearby made them all look toward the sound. Nobody moved. They didn’t realize they were all holding their breath as they strained to hear the slightest sound.
Courtney pointed to an area off the path to the left. They could barely see a few leaves moving. It could have been the breeze, but none of them believed it was.
“You’re hearin’ things,” Bart said. “There ain’t nobody followin’ us.”
“I was sure I heard voices.”
“It was probably just the river.”
“Maybe.” Red made one more look around the area, then they headed back toward the path.
“Hang back,” Alex said. “Let’s give ‘em some room.”
“Mums the word from here on out,” Brad said.
They all nodded in agreement.
When five minutes had passed, Alex started walking around the bend in the path again.