Page 5 of Her Gentle Protector
Chatten was the oldest and born shortly after Ma and Pa arrived in Flat River. He married the Chapman girl next door. She seemed a friendly sort, but Baxter wasn’t too fond of the Chapmans. He did like his new sister-in-law, however.
Baxter was born two years later. Then came Evangeline, Rexford, Frank, and finally, Annamae. Whitney joined the family when he was older after his own ma died. Since they shared the same pa, he was also a Hartman and was folded in as a brother with the family.
All the Hartman siblings lived on or near the family farm, apart from Whitney, Vangie, and Frank. Whitney went wherever Whitney went. Vangie left as soon as she was old enough, and Frank died from a rattler bite. Pa was gone too, and now Ma was spending a lot of time with that cook next door.
Baxter could add this new grievance to the accounts of wrongs his family suffered from the Chapmans.
He exhaled loudly. “I’m sorry, Annie. I’m just...” he stopped and rolled back on his heels. “Something’s not right,” he muttered to himself, scanning the ground for any signs of disturbance. And there it was—a series of small footprints leading away from the coop, barely visible amidst the dust. His heart thundered against his ribcage, and anger ignited deep within him. Someonewasstealing from his family, and he wouldn’t stand for it. “Come here.”
“I don’t want to,” she whined.
“Were you on this side?” he asked.
“I’m all over the farm.”
“There are footprints here.” Baxter pointed to the ground. “Don’t walk on them, Rex.”
“Sorry, Bax,” his brother said, taking a step backwards. “Those look smaller than Annie’s enormous feet.”
“I don’t have enormous feet,” she said, stomping towards them.
Rex laughed. “Maybe not, but it got you moving.”
“Stop there and put your foot next to that print on the ground.”
Annamae nervously obeyed Baxter’s request. She slowly lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing bare feet. Stretching her toes as far as they would go, she placed her foot in the dirt next to a clearly defined footprint, her toes extending past it.
“It’s almost like a child left that print,” she said, lifting her foot.
“We don’t have any children on the farm here,” Rex said.
Baxter emitted a grunt. “I want you to keep a close eye on them chickens. Hear me, Annie? And if you see anything suspicious, you let me know right away.”
“Alright,” she agreed, her voice softening. “But I still say it’s not my fault.”
“You think someone’s been stealing Ma’s chickens?” Rex removed his hat and scratched his head.
“Who would do that?” Annamae asked, her voice trembling.
“I don’t know,” he replied, his gaze never leaving the tracks. “But I’m gonna find out.”
“Be careful, Baxter,” she whispered, her hand resting on his shoulder for a moment before retreating into the house.
“What are you planning on doing?” Rex asked.
“I’m going to fix the fence, and then you’re going to help me round up the chickens again.” Looking at his brother, Baxter wrinkled his brow. “What did you need?”
“Oh. I came to tell you that Whit is staying in town.”
Baxter scratched his chin. “He is, is he?” Slipping the tinsnips into his pocket, he headed towards the barn to find supplies to fix the fence. “It would be nice if he was here to help around the farm.”
“I think he might be sweet on a girl.”
Baxter let out a barking laugh. “A girl? We’re out here working every day and he’s in town trying to court a girl?”
“Must be nice to have a girl.” Rex kept pace, walking to the barn. “Pa never let us do any courting or anything.”
“They ain’t nothing but trouble.”
