Chapter Six!!
Chapter Six: Luke
The next morning Dan was up with the sun, searching for the person that the two girls said they had seen. The first few hours were fruitless, and he began to suspect that the girls had made up the story for what ever reason, but he suddenly stopped walking, bending down to see tracks on the ground. Cowboy boot tracks. Which meant his fears were correct, the boot tracks were too big to be his, which meant that one of his old gang was here. Probably Luke, the leader of the Cowhands had always tracked down the errant gang members and coursed them to join back up. He bit his lip, looking around worriedly, before moving towards the cabin at a fast pace.
He froze for a moment before taking in a breath, and moved inside. He heard Honey's voice
"-bring the watch to school with him tomorrow?"
Dan moved into the room, and tossed his hat on the hook in a calm manner. Inside he was terrified, if something had happened, he may as well pack his backs right now. His uncle wasn't going to wait to listen to him, a convicted gang member, over his boss' daughter. He watched as Maypenny put freshly made donuts on top of a pile of more donuts.
"Oh, here you are! The girls have come for Honey's watch."
Trixie looked pointedly at him "We saw your boot tracks all over where Honey had dropped it, and now it's missing."
Dan glared, of course. She lost her watch, and Luke had picked it up, and the girls now assumed that he had taken it. "I haven't seen your watch. And I haven't been anywhere near the trail crossing"
Trixie huffed "But we saw the tracks. You were there."
"First I'm a lire because you think you saw me someplace yesterday where I wasn't. Now you're calling me a theif! You two are just looking for trouble, and if you keep on, you're going to get it!"
Maypenny moved towards him "Daniel! That's enough of that kind of talk. Are you forgetting-" He broke off, watching as Dan stiffened. The old man shook his head "Calm down boy. It's a misunderstanding. Honey and Trixie, tell Dan about the watch."
Dan glared as he listened to the girls explain why they had thought he had taken the watch. His shoulders grew tense as he heard about the boot prints. He needed to find Luke. Fast. He moved towards the door, snagging his had on his way past. Dan opened the door, turning back to the girls
"I didn't take it." He moved out the door, making sure he slammed it. He wasn't upset with Mr. Maypenny, but he needed to get the feelings, that were tangled up, out.
Dan moved over the ground, searching for any sign of Luke, as he was bending over to study the ground, he was suddenly knocked over onto his side. He tried rolling away, but what ever had knocked him over was now sitting on his chest, squeezing the air from his lungs. Dan looked up, and saw Luke, the eighteen years old, or so leader of the Cowhands, grinning face. He stilled, and soon Luke got off him, dragging him up by his collar.
"What did you tell the cops? After you left three of us got taken in." Luke shook Dan till his teeth were rattling.
Dan reached out and grabbed Luke's hands, desperately trying to loosen their grip. Finely Luke let him drop, and watched as Dan lay still for a moment, getting his bearings back. Dan stood up, glaring at Luke, "I wouldn't say a thing. You know that. Now you need to get out of here. I can't have you coming and ruining my life."
Luke snorted "Your life! What life?" He turned and moved away, but stopped, raising a finger, and pointing it at Dan, "I'll be back."
Dan sank to the ground, and drew his knees up, resting his head on them as he tried to calm his nerves.
To God Be The Glory