Page 40 of Quinn

“Then someone needs to check the road from here to town.”

On a heavy sigh, Uncle Sean nodded. “Probably.”

“I’m ready,” Dale answered quickly.

“Not alone,” Aunt Eileen snapped.

“I call shotgun.” Connor walked to where his hat and jacket were hung.

Eloise’s gaze darted from the head of the Farraday clan to Quinn and back. “What about me?”

“This is not a good night for a city girl to be outdoors.” Quinn’s uncle had never looked so serious.

Eloise’s voice dropped to almost a whisper. “Danny’s a city boy.”

All Quinn could do was to once again offer his hand to her. It wasn’t much, but it was the only way he knew to convey that she could count on him, no matter what.

“I’m going too.” Eloise tugged her hand away and turned toward the door.

Quickly, Quinn caught her arm. “No.” He hadn’t meant for that to come out so harshly. “You’re better off staying here in case he calls. I’ll go.”

“We still need to cover from here to Butler Springs.” Uncle Sean threw him a set of keys. “My Suburban has more balanced weight than your truck. A soft wind would blow yours right off the road.”

“I’ll weight it like Dale.”

Uncle Sean just shook his head. “This is no time to be Farraday stubborn. Use my vehicle.”

“Yes, sir.” Quinn nodded. His uncle was right. His truck wasn’t the best option.

Catherine stood up. “There are lots of sand bags next door.”

“That’s right,” Hannah chimed in. “We use them to create barriers for some of the training, but you’ll need help if you want to beat this nasty storm.”

“She’s right.” Uncle Sean reached for his jacket. “That wall of dust is moving fast. Could be on us anytime now. When it does arrive, you won’t be able to see three feet in front of you.”

“Has anyone looked out the window?” Finn lifted his chin toward the back of the house. “We’re already running out of time. I’ll go with Quinn.”

“You’ll need water, blankets, bandanas, and extra flashlights. Sean’s truck already has a first aid kit, hopefully you won’t need it, never mind more than one.” Aunt Eileen handed Finn two more walkie-talkies. “When the dust hits, as sure as my name is Eileen Callahan Farraday, those cell towers aren’t going to be worth spit. They’re on the same frequency as what Adam keeps in his truck and Declan too.”

Quinn nodded. “Don’t worry. We’ve got this.”

His aunt did her best to flash a confident smile, but at the moment, even she couldn’t quite pull it off.

“I’m coming.” Eloise glared at Quinn.

“Eloise.” Before he could say another word, she crossed her arms and tapped one toe.

Hannah actually had the nerve to giggle under her breath before muttering, “I wouldn’t waste my breath, dear Cousin.”

Grabbing his hat, Finn shook his head. “Looks like we’re all going.” He turned to Eloise. “You can ride shotgun if you want.”

She nodded, waiting for Aunt Eloise to tie a bandana around her neck.

Hand firmly gripping her elbow, Quinn led Eloise to his uncle’s SUV. The wind nearly knocked her off her feet. The lack of birds flying overhead drew home the seriousness of the impending storm. Smart animals had sought shelter long ago.

“We’ll find him,” Quinn promised, helping her into the cab.

“How far could he get?” Eloise checked her watch.

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