Chapter 12

Jimmy woke several hours later. He stiffly rose to sit up. Damn Lucas. Why would he let him sleep the day away like this. They had to keep going. He eased up to stand and looked around.

"Luke?!" He yelled.

He walked out to the trail and saw boot prints. He groaned.

"Luke?!" He yelled again.

Where the hell did he go, and why had he not come back? Something was wrong. He started following his footsteps. He walked for about an hour until he saw where he had stopped and stood in one spot for a while. He saw wagon tracks. It looked like Luke was speaking with whomever was in the wagon. He walked around in circles looking. He saw where someone fell. He saw something in the dirt. He knelt down and pinched it up in his fingers. It was blood. Shit. He scanned the area. He wiped his hand off on his pants. He saw where the wagon had turned and went in the other direction. He started walking.

Tate and Buck painted the barn while Teaspoon instructed Eli to dump hay bales out of the wagon. Annie and Dakota's girls had gone out to scout for some flowers. Lori and Penny were shining a batch of lanterns.

"We got to do something with those goats. They are deafening." Dakota said.

"I have the answer." Teaspoon said.

"No, I think you need to stay out of it!" Rachel yelled from the porch with Garrett.

"Stay outta what?" Lou asked walking out with some more old lanterns.

"One word, can you guess?"

"No! Goats!" Lou yelled.

"I was just gonna say that we could feed them a shit ton of hay. Silence." Teaspoon said shrugging.

"I think that's a great idea." Eli said. "I won't have to dress up. I could stay in the pen and keep feeding em."

"No, you sir, are in this wedding and you ain't getting out of it." Lou said as she sat the box of lanterns down.

"Think Dad and Luke are getting close?" Lori said looking out on the horizon.

"Lori, honey, I am sure that they are riding as fast as they can toward home as we speak. Sides that, he knows what will happen if he ain't."

"Think they found some answers?"

"I hope so."

Jimmy trailed the wagon tracks until he came to a densely wooded area. He could hear a voice. A woman's voice in the distance. He slowly crept closer hoping that he was in the right place. He leaned up behind a large tree and carefully looked around. Luke was tied up against the wagon like some rabid raccoon. He had never seen so much rope on one person. He had his head hanging down so Jimmy could not see his eyes. He could faintly see what appeared to be blood on one side of his face. Damn his eye. He looked around in the direction of the voice that was rambling incoherent words. It was an older woman. She mumbled to herself as she walked around in circles. She appeared to be arguing with herself, but he couldn't make out the words. He looked around with his good eye, but he didn't see anyone else with her. He leaned back. He needed to get around closer to his son. He crept around from tree to tree, but the woman was so caught up in her argument with herself that she didn't notice him. He held his breath as he crawled under the wagon as the movement pulled at his wounds. He reached out and tugged on a piece of Luke's shirt.

Luke felt something touch his back. He lifted his aching head just enough to look around. He felt it again and shifted.

"Luke, stay still. It's me. You ok?"

"Yeah mostly."

"I am gonna wait til dark then get you. I'll be watching."

"Ok. I'll be ready."

"What was that?! You say something?!" The woman shrieked.

Jimmy eased back some while Luke slightly shook his head. The woman walked closer and put her hand under his chin. She lifted his head up to look in his face.

"Look at what you did! Oh my God, how could you?! This is the father of your grandson!"

"Shut up! He killed her and you know it!"

"It isn't supposed to be like this. It isn't."

"Shut up! You know that he caused this, and I will finish it, you spineless bitch!"

"He didn't know. He came to see what he could do."

"Oh, he already did enough! You know that! He killed Jenny and then he just presented himself to us! Be thankful that you have me and I can take advantage of this opportunity. We both know that you wouldn't do a damn thing!"

Jimmy watched in confusion as the woman walked off to the other side still arguing with herself. He slid back to the far side of the wagon. He eased out and into the trees. He noticed their horses tied across from them and their belongings in the back of the wagon. She had planned this. He waited until the fire started dying. The woman angrily picked up sticks and kicked at the dirt.

"Lord, I have to do everything!" She screamed as she walked into the forest.

Jimmy took the chance. He rushed forward and started the daunting task of untying his son. He cut rope and pulled for an eternity before Luke was finally free. He helped him to his feet. He got under his son's arm and started toward the horses when he heard her scream. He turned to see her drop a load of sticks to the ground. He didn't hesitate. He ran for the trees.