Page 14 of Tied to Trouble

“Horses will be faster in the pastures than a truck,” Hugh said, sprinting for the door.

“What if they have guns?” Az asked, pausing in mid-run. “Shouldn’t we grab our rifles?”

“You grab the rifles, we’ll have the horses ready,” Hugh ordered with authority only an older brother can wield and get by with.

“Do you want me to call Sheriff Dorney?” Beth asked with a frown as she came through the doorway.

“No, not until we know what’s out there,” Hugh threw over his shoulder as he headed out the door.

What seemed like a mad scramble quickly became an organized and efficient manhunt, the three brothers picking their way around the creek and jumping the fences. They were about halfway into the west pasture when the lights went out.

“They are on the run,” Aaron hissed, “they must have seen us coming.”

“I don’t see anything, though,” Az replied uneasily, slowing his horse to a walk as his eyes strained to see through the dim moonlight. Shapes and sizes were distorted at night, and distance was often miscalculated. “I could have sworn the light was coming from this area...not much further up ahead.”

“Much farther and we’ll be on Possum Lake Road,” Hugh whispered. “I don’t like it.”

Az pulled back beside Hugh. “Have we lost any cattle, Hugh? The sheriff told me today that he’s had reports from various ranchers about missing cattle, including Randy Berenger.” He reined his mount in tighter.

“Shh—what’s that?” Hugh held his hand up to stop all conversation, and the men strained to listen.

“Sounds like a truck engine,” Aaron replied, looking towards the road. “If it is, whoever was here is just leaving.”

“Come on, let’s investigate from here to the road,” Hugh ordered, urging his horse forward. “Spread out and holler if you hear or see anything. Not too far apart now, we don’t want anyone to run into danger without close backup.”

Az, Aaron, and Hugh automatically spread out in three different directions, each picking their way carefully towards the dusty road that wound around and curled up to Possum Lake Dam.

They were just coming out of the trees along the edge of their property when a shot rang out in the still night air. Hugh tumbled off his horse, landing flat on his back.

“My God, Hugh has been shot!” Aaron yelled the chilling words to Az, and they both sent their horses thundering towards their fallen brother, fearing the worst.

When they reached him, they leaped off their mounts and knelt beside him, frantically searching for blood to see where he’d been hit. Their hands were all over him, and he began to slap them away, bellowing disgustedly, “Get your hands off me, I’m fine, just bruised from the fall.”

“You didn’t get shot?” Az’s eyes narrowed as he searched his brother’s chest carefully.

“No—I didn’t get shot.”

“Then how come you fell off your horse?” Aaron asked, exasperated. “You had us thinking you’d been killed, you fool.”

“For your information, I was reacting to the gunshot,” Hugh huffed, drawing himself up to a sitting position. “Something I see you both failed to do.”

“By falling backwards off your horse like an idiot?” Aaron was incredulous.

Az hid a small grin of relief. Just like Hoss and Little Joe, those two were always bickering, although their hearts were made of gold. He and Aaron were both relieved to see that Hugh wasn’t shot after all.

“Hold it right there, varmints! I got my Bessie aimed at your heads,” ordered a thin, reedy voice.

“Skeeter Davis, is that you? What the devil are you doing out here taking wild shots at people?” Hugh thundered, standing up as a skinny old man came into view.

Skeeter lowered his rifle in disappointment. “Oh—it’s just you Newcomb boys. And here I thought I’d caught me the varmints that have been dumping in the lake.” Suddenly, he raised his gun again. “Unless it’s you that’s been dumping.”

“Put that gun down, you goldarned fool, before you actually shoot somebody,” Aaron ordered. He eyed the old man with his scraggly-looking beard. “What are you talking about? What dumping?”

“Someone’s been dumping in the lake?” Az asked, his attention riveted on Skeeter.

“That’s what I said,” Skeeter replied testily.

“What are they dumping?” Hugh asked, shoving his black hat back on his head.

---