Page 2 of Sloth
“Well, let's not put ’em to waste, get that lid open.” Dad puts his arm around his daughter-in-law and leads her inside whilethe others secure the herd. The vet will be here in the morning to do their health check, and Matty will be hoping for good news. He’s only been running his own ranch for a year, and although his herd is small, he invested a lot into it.
Mom and Dad gifted Erin and Matty this land as a wedding gift, and I know all the grand plans he’s got to make this place the perfect home for her. His priority has been building up the herd, so building a cabin has had to take a back seat. Still, Erin has done a great job of turning the old cabin, which was used as a line camp years ago, into a home for them. It’s always neat and tidy, and I can tell she’s happy here. She’d be happy anywhere Matthew is. You can see from the way she looks at him how much she loves him. And it’s wrong that I should begrudge that kind of love for my own brother, but I can’t help being bitter. I saw her first; she should have been mine.
“You just gonna stand there or are ya gonna help?” Issac calls over to me.
“My job here is done, boys.” I shrug my shoulders and get off my horse, heading inside for some of Momma’s flapjack and to torture myself a little more.
CHAPTER TWO
ERIN
It’s been three hours since Luke and Bryce left. Three hours and there's still no sign of Matty coming home. I sent Jake out looking for him over an hour ago, and he still hasn’t returned. Could one stray have taken him so far? Our land isn’t that vast; you can ride its perimeter in less than two hours.
I stare at the last slice of flapjack left in Mary’s Tupperware container and sigh. It’s starting to get dark. Just a few nights ago, I swear I heard a wolf howling not far from the house. Matty told me I must have been hearing things; says there's been no sign of wolves on his family's land for years. But I know what I heard.
I dash for the door when I hear commotion coming from the yard, and when I see the look on Issac’s face, I know instantly that something is wrong.
“Is that Titan?” I ask, even though the answer is obvious. It may be dark, but I can see very clearly that he’s holding the reins to Matty’s horse.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Issac nods his head back at me.
“So, where's Matthew?” I search around the yard for any sign of him.
“Looks like Titan brought himself home,” he tells me, looking uneasy. “I think you need to call his father. I’ll head out and join Jake in looking for him, but we could use some help. If he’s been thrown off and injured, it’s a long, cold night out there.” He looks out at the pastures.
“Titan wouldn’t have thrown him.” I step forward and stroke his long white nose.
“I don’t think so either, but he could have gotten spooked. All we know right now is that Matthew is out there alone, and I don’t think he took his gun.” I quickly race back inside to check the cabinet, and there it is staring right back at me. So, with shaky hands, I pick up my cell and call the Edward’s to tell them their son hasn’t come home.
“Bryce will find him, I promise you that.” Mary rocks herself in one of the chairs that are on the porch, pulling the patchwork blanket she made us as a housewarming gift a little tighter around her shoulders.
The sun is starting to come up, and all I’ve heard for the past ten hours is Matthew’s name being called and echoing through the valley.
Jake updated us a few hours ago and told us the search party has been extended beyond our land; apparently, half of Fork River has turned out to help. Even the Mayor, Garrett Carson, and his brothers have been out all night on horseback looking for my husband.
“What if they don’t find him…or worse, what if–”
“Don’t.” Mary points her finger at me sternly. “ Don’t say that. Bryce will find him, and hewillbring him home.” I feel a shiver move over my skin and manage to forge a smile. Mary isone of the kindest people I’ve ever met, and I can see she’s trying to be brave. She loves her sons endlessly, and when I see her stand up so quickly that the blanket falls from her shoulders, I look across the yard to try and make out what she can see. Luke is riding fast toward us, and his horse, Dusty, barely comes to a halt before he leaps off its back and rushes past us.
“Luke, what's wrong? Did they find him?” Mary tries to stop him.
“Yeah, Mom, they found him.” He closes his eyes and swallows thickly, stirring the nerves in my stomach even more.
“And…is he okay? Does he need help? Erin, call an ambulance.” She looks to me with wide eyes full of worry.
“Mom.” He takes a deep breath. “Matthew’s dead.” Taking hold of her shoulders, he steadies her on her feet, while I absorb the words he just said and slump back into my chair.
“Dead?” I hear the word come feebly from my own mouth while Mary screams.
“Dead,” I whisper that word again. I have to because it doesn’t seem to be sinking in. Matthew can’t be dead; he’s far too strong and determined.
“No, there's a mistake. My boy is not dead.” Mary slaps her palm fiercely against Luke’s chest. “Stop looking like that,” she scolds me. “He’s not dead. You go back out and keep on looking.” She grips the front of Luke’s shirt and shakes him. All while he stands looking broken.
“Mom, he’s gone,” he whispers. “Dad’s with him now, the sheriff is on his way.”
“The sheriff?” Mary shakes her head in confusion, and Luke turns his head to look at me. “Matthew was killed; he was shot,” he explains, and I’m surprised by the emptiness I feel. It doesn’t matter how Matthew died; he’s still never coming home.
“I have to go to him.” Mary starts marching toward Luke’s horse, but he manages to hold her back.
