how shallow the ditch was – she just gunned the engine and the car jumped on ahead. Gravel flew as she sped down the drive. To her immense relief, there were two other vehicles parked in front of the brick house. Wanting only to get inside, she threw open the car door, slammed it, and made a mad dash to the covered carport. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the black truck had stopped also – it was just sitting there, engine still running – waiting.
With a clasped fist, she banged on the door. From the angle she was standing, the lights of the truck didn’t touch her. At this point, they couldn’t see her very well, if at all. When no one readily answered, she banged again. Journey bit her lip to keep from screaming. She didn’t want to alert the imbeciles stalking her that she was still alone and vulnerable. After one more round of knocking, she had to admit there was no one home. With the truck still parked at the end of the drive, Journey was effectively trapped. When she heard the engine cut off and a door open and shut, she knew she couldn’t wait around until they caught up with her.
Staying in the shadows, Journey dashed off the carport and into the yard. She moved slowly, allowing her eyes to grow accustomed to the darkness. A full pink moon gave off sufficient light for her to see the way. As she moved, trying to put distance between herself and the men who meant her harm, Journey tried to envision where she was in relation to Myra’s house. Hopefully, the men assumed she’d gone indoors. The last thing she needed was for them to start tracking her like an animal.
Biting her lips to keep from crying aloud, she darted across Mr. Blue’s property. As she rans, she passed an arbor with a swing, a small patch of vegetables, and an unoccupied doghouse. Soon she came to a barbed wire fence. Holding down the bottom strand, she crawled through it. She’d taken no more than three steps when she heard one of the men shout. God, no – they were coming after her. Journey choked back a scream and kept running. As far as she could tell, she was now on state park land. She’d have to cut across a wide swath of rugged terrain near Enchanted Rock to reach her aunt’s property.
CHAPTER FIVE
Reno
Reno was glad of the darkness. He kept the older two boys as close to his side as he could as he eased out of the cabin, rifle cocked and ready. “All right, Clay. Run to the barn. I’ll cover,” he whispered the words close enough for his friend to hear.
“Understood.” They moved together as Reno tried to figure out where their enemy was hiding. “Take off to the barn, but don’t go inside until we make sure there’s no one in there,” he instructed the older boys.
Clay ran with them. A heartbeat after they moved, an arrow whizzed through the air and landed in the ground at Reno’s feet. He took a shot in the direction from which it came. “Bastards,” he growled under his breath.
At the barn, Clay sat the little ones down next to their brothers. “Stay here while I check inside to make sure all’s clear.”
“Reno!” Tess cried out, tears flowing down her cheeks.
“I’m here, little one.” He joined them, standing at the corner so he could keep a lookout. His mind was racing, straining to come up with a plan that would keep the children safe.
“Clear.” Clay announced.
“Get the horses hooked up to the wagon,” he told his friend. “Saul saddle up Traveler and Clay’s horse.”
“What?” Clay asked. “Are we gonna try and outrun them or just shoot it out?”
Reno shook his head. “No.” His mind raced. What did they want? There was nothing of value except the horses. Were they just blood thirsty? Possibly. “I’m going to try to lead them away. If I can, you go in the opposite direction and take the children to Ela Blue’s. You can keep an army at bay from inside that cave.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Clay agreed. “Not a good plan – but a plan. How many of them are there?”
“I don’t know.” Reno frowned as he watched the cabin. There didn’t seem to be as much smoke as one would expect. “What the hell?” As he watched, two Indians in full warpaint rushed out the front door of the