Page 64 of Beehives and Broken Heroes

Allie looked at her. “Nothin’ good.”

A silent agreement had them picking up their pace. They ran up another hill, and Allie glanced behind her once more before they crested the top. No sign of the guys yet, but Allie had a gut instinct that they would catch up eventually. They were military, and Allie had to assume that they were good at tracking. Allie was barely good enough to play with Brandon for a few minutes before he caught her—every time. But he’d also trained her, so that had to count for something.

* * *

“Oh no. Uh-uh,” Andy said. “I am not getting on that thing.”

Brandon dropped a hand to his friend’s shoulder as they stared at the saddled and ready-to-go Arabian. “That there is Scout,” Brandon said. “The calmest horse this side of the Mason-Dixon line. Even you could ride him.”

“Why can’t I ride Clover?” Andy asked.

“She’s too old. She wouldn’t last the ride.”

Andy glared at him. “What if Scout throws me—”

Cash was already up on Flower. “Let’s go!”

“You’ll be sore.” Brandon moved slowly toward Titan, who eyed him warily. He rubbed the horse’s neck and spoke in the low timbre to keep from startling him. “Titan, I need your help, buddy. You don’t know Tobias Grant, but he’s a bad guy, and he’s going after Allie.” Brandon glanced up.David, if you’re there, tell your horse to hold still.He focused back on Titan. “Now I know you’re fast, not just because Tom told me but because I’ve seen it in you. I’ve seen the fire in your eyes.”

The horse flipped his head from side to side.

“You gonna help me?”

Titan pawed at the ground and lifted his head up and down.

Brandon slowly came around his side and put his foot in the stirrup. Titan held perfectly still as Brandon got up in the saddle. “That’s a good boy,” Brandon said. “That’s my good boy.”

If it were at all possible, Brandon could have sworn that the horse stood a little taller.

Brandon made quick note of the plan. He sent a mass text to the Slades, the Westbrooks, and the sheriff and his deputies with a picture of Tobias Grant, and the sheriff and deputies were waiting for them to arrive.

Cash pulled up alongside Brandon as Brandon glanced back at Andy on Scout. Andy rested his forearm on the pommel and pushed his aviators up his nose.

Brandon tipped his Stetson down. “Let’s move!” He kicked his heel into Titan’s side, and the men were off.

The horses made quick work of the driveway and turned like pros onto River Road Drive. A couple minutes later, they met on the highway and turned onto the gravel shoulder. Cars were now backed up past his road, and coming in a slow trickle on the other. Titan ran smooth and fast. As fast as Tom said—faster. He ran like he’d been holding it in for months and was finally free. Brandon supposed he was, and pride filled him for the horse.

People stared from their cars as they galloped past. A few people outside their cars pointed.

“Look at that!” someone yelled.

“Horses!” came the delighted squeal of a child.

A couple of miles down, the road leading to the Westbrooks came into view in the dimming light of the setting sun. A dust cloud swirled up behind several riders coming to meet them at top speeds. Brandon, Cash, and Andy made it past the road seconds before the Westbrooks flew out onto the gravel shoulder behind them. Brandon caught sight of Maverick, Hunter, Lucky, Swayzie, Wyatt, and Judd. Tom had said he’d send the calvary, and he’d meant it. They had an old-fashioned posse. Dang, Swayzie looked ticked off and was riding hard, a rope attached to her saddle horn. Lucky looked like he’d rather she was anywhere but here.

Another couple miles and the light had turned to an ashy gray, but the headlights of the cars led the way. Brandon caught sight of an SUV stopped halfway on and halfway off the road with three doors open. Other cars slowly went around it. Not an accident. He looked for a mile marker and caught sight of number forty-three. That was where the girls had bailed. He signaled to the group of riders, pointing toward the car, and they dug in, moving faster.

Cool air whipped past them, and soon, they were nearing town. There was no traffic on the opposite side of the road, so they crossed over. Not far off, Brandon spotted the tops of the drive-in screens. Beyond them, several balloons had been tethered and lit up. The tops of a red balloon, a yellow-and-blue-striped balloon, and the green-and-white Carroll Farm balloon rose over the tree line, lit up bright against the quickly darkening night sky.

He slowed to a stop as they approached the turnoff to the drive-in, and he faced Cash. “Where are the Slades meeting?”

“They’re coming in on Maple,” Cash said.

“Cash, you meet up with the Slades and find the sheriff.” He turned on his horse to the group waiting expectantly behind him. “You lot go with Cash, the rest with me.”

The group split, half heading on up past Milo’s Auto Mechanic and the rest toward the drive-in behind the fairgrounds.

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