Maggie was sitting at the table waiting for them boys. They must be just drunk right now she thought. Bertha was quiet but she really like her. Yep once I get her warmed up she is going to be great.

"Wasn't that the truck?" Bertha was looking out the window eyes glaring trying to see what or who that was. She realized after the night before that she really should be more aware of herself and what is going on.

"I didn't see anything Bertha" Maggie looked but didn't see a single thing.

Bertha jumped up and walked quickly to the front door. She looked back at Maggie. "Go lock the back Maggie. NOW! I'm not sure who is here but it isn't the guys and they don't look friendly." She walked over to the front door and locked it. Maggie had run and locked the back door.

"Bertha what is going on?" Maggie was confused but just as she started to think there was something not right with her she saw it. "Psst… Bertha come on… Get back here."

Both rushed to the back office. There was really no place to go from here for them. Bertha just hoped they didn't break a window. Maggie was looking for the gun she knew Forrest kept somewhere in there. They could both hear voices outside.

"I know them boys are gone. Just the one girl in there." one of them said

The other replied "I heard that there was another girl here too. Sumthin' about movin' in today. Left where she was. I don't know for sure"

"Well what the hell did Gummy want us to do?"

Maggie got this look of panic on her face. "Bertha this is not good. Those men…. that are out there. They work with Floyd. That is where the boys went."

Bertha started thinking quick. "Okay we need to get out of here. We need to get upstairs. There has to be a place we can hide there. It's like a damn maze."

Maggie just stared at Bertha. "Changin' you around won't take as long as I thought." She just smiled. "Okay so, we have to peak…. Bertha where the heck did you go?"

"Psst… Over here. We used to sneak out all the time when we were younger and would have to hide from my dad. This part is easy. I can see perfect when I say run you gotta run as fast as you can so we can get up stairs."

Maggie wasn't used to having to listen to other people. Especially another woman. Not many could handle themselves in situations like she could.

"Now!"

Bertha's voice snapped her out of thought and she ran across the floor up the stairs. Maggie and Bertha ran to Forrest's room. "Bertha we can hide in here"

They slipped into the closet which had a false back to it. She slid to wood panel to the side and in they went. Maggie slid the panel closed behind her. "We can hear everything that is going on. If they come in the biggest thing is to stay as still as possible. Don't want them hearing us."

"What about the guys?"

Maggie smiled she could see the fear in her eyes. "Oh honey, you never have to worry about Howard and Forrest. They can take care of themselves and everyone else they love for that matter." She smiled at her. "Bertha I am serious. There is nothing at all to worry about with them two."

Bertha was still scared but, what was she going to do about it. "Did you hear that? It sounded like a car."

"We can wait here until the boys get home. Forrest probably has figured something isn't right by now and they will be here soon. Besides it's better to be safe than sorry." Maggie pulled two chairs up to the table. "Come on; sit down, now we just have to wait it out."

Time seemed to move so slow for Bertha. She wanted Howard. Being away from him and frightened was almost unbearable. There was no noise coming from downstairs. They were starting to feel safe and then they heard a car pull in.

"That sounded like the truck." Maggie could hear the guys whispering back and forth. You couldn't make out a damn thing they were saying though. "Yep that's them. Don't worry they will be up here in a couple of minutes if those guys are gone."

"I haven't heard anything in a long time. Have you?"

Maggie shook her head no. "I don't think so."

Forrest and Howard walked to the front door. Forrest turned the knob. "Hmpm… locked" He took his key from around his neck and unlocked the door. The brothers both went in.

Howard scanned the station and Forrest went straight to the office. "Forrest I don't see nothin' strange. 'Cept the girls aren't here." He wanted nothing more than to see Bertha and know she was okay.

"I know where they're at." Forrest headed for the stairs. "Maggie…" he called. "Maggie c'mon out..." Forrest reached the top of the stairs. He knocked on the wall three times waited a couple seconds and then knocked three more times.

Maggie looked at Bertha. "That means it's safe. Let's go."

They both walked out of the room. Howard took two large steps and grabbed Bertha around the waist and lifted her off the ground in a bear hug. He never wanted to put her down. He whispered in her ear "I was worried about you" and he kissed her cheek.

She wondered if he felt the same things she did when he touched her, hugged her, and kissed her. It was like a shock to the system. "Nothin' to worry about Howard." She whispered it back softly in his ear. Her lips grazing his ear when she spoke.

Forrest looked at Maggie. "What happened?" He looked at Maggie then at Bertha who was finally back down on the ground. It was going to take some gettin' use to seeing Howard like this. "Anyone?"