Chapter Fifteen

Excerpt from Ch 13

Once again, Bear chastised himself for his carelessness. "What you need now is a miracle."

A miracle is exactly what Bear was in the process of getting as Nick, who was standing on the Douglas porch with the aid of crutches, Leah, Mrs. Douglas and Carl watched Fen, Jarrod and Heath-who had reluctantly joined Jarrod and Fen after Mrs. Douglas and Leah had downright insisted the night before that it was unnecessary for anyone but Nick to stay with them.

"Do you see what I see?" Fen sat on top of a hillside looking down. He and the Barkley brothers had scoured the area around Modesto for a solid two days. They had about decided that they would simply have to go back to the Douglas home and tell the family they would simply have to wait things out. Only then Fen had stopped and looked down the hillside.

Jarrod and Heath looked in the direction their new friend was looking. At first they saw nothing but small rocks, boulders and bushes that dotted the side of the steep hill. It wasn't until they Fen pointed towards the cluster of boulders that set just far enough down to make it so it would be a bit tricky to get to that the two brothers saw what Fen did… a boot was barely visible, and it appeared that it was still on its owner.

"This can't be good." Jarrod said as he, Heath and Fen made their way carefully down the hillside to the boulders. From his hiding place, Mr. Douglas heard the horses. Had his pursuer found him? Was it someone else? He hoped it was not the former-as too late he'd realized he wasn't as lucky as he thought. Fact was -he was stuck. If it was the man who had been chasing him, there was no way for him to escape. However, relief washed over Bear when he heard Fen ask Jarrod 'What is it?"

"Last time I checked, it's a human being. How about getting me out of here?" the part time undercover detective called out, giving Jarrod no time to answer Fen.

"Bear!" Fen exclaimed-even as Jarrod and Heath were working on getting Carl's father free from the predicament he was in. The minute the trapped man was free, Fen wasted no time in asking, "What in the tarnation were you doing in there?"

"Trying to survive," Bear rubbed his left leg. It had started to have spasms just as his three rescuers appeared. He went to explain he'd found himself being chased by a man intent on killing him. Not knowing why Fen and the Barkleys were in the area, Bear said nothing about his undercover work. "What are you doing this far from home? Bear asked, and then felt as if the ground beneath his feet had disappeared when Fen told him…and why Carl had sent for Fen.

Bear shook his head. "If you had told me before I left Modesto that Adam Justin was involved in this mess, I'd have told you to go take one very long nap."

"But not now?" The question Jarrod asked was a question Fen's and Heath's eyes were repeating.

"No, only problem is- when it comes to our dear banker, all I have is circumstantial evidence. There is nothing solid enough to take into any court of law." Bear's frustration was a clear as the crystal blue water that could be heard flowing in some unseen creek. The whole time the men had been talking they'd worked their way down to the road.

"Well, let's get you home safely and then; maybe, we can figure something…" Jarrod started to speak only to find himself, along with Bear, Fen and Heath, diving for cover behind a cluster of nearby trees when a shot rang out.

"Looks like your friend-or someone else like him – is making another appearance." Heath glanced at Bear.

Mr. Douglas did his best to move his head just enough to see if he could locate who had taken a shot at him. Well, most likely, taking a shot at him. He caught site of the shooter just as he found a lone boulder to hide behind. "It's him. I mean, it's the man who was after me earlier. I had hoped he'd have passed this location long before now." He then told the group he was going to run to another nearby tree. "See if you can get him while your friends cover me, Fen. That is, see if you can disable him without killing him – not that I'll blame you if that's not possible." He then made a dash for the tree.

It worked, the hired killer tried to shoot Bear only to fall to the ground-wounded. Though, if truth be known, it was Heath who brought him down-not Fen.

The moment the man fell, Fen, Heath and Jarrod ran to the place the man had fallen. "You weren't supposed to have help." Perspiration rolled off the man's forehead. "He said you'd be alone. I should have known better. Never should have tried…" His eyes closed as his voice trailed off.

Heath knelt down and felt the man's pulse. "He's alive, but he won't be if that bullet doesn't come out. We need to get him to a doctor."

"We'll have to take him to my place and then have one of you go into town. The last thing we need is for Mr. Justin to know I'm alive. No, he," Bear gestured towards the unconscious man. "He didn't say the banker hired him only I'll stake my reputation on it that he did-or that he had a hand in it anyway."

"Well, let's figure out how to move him without throwing him over one of our horses. That would kill him in the condition he's in right now. Also, when whichever one of us goes fetches the doctor, they can also go talk to the sheriff. We'll have to come up with a plan, and he'll help us; I'm sure of it." Jarrod spoke up; no one argued-as they happened to agree.