Page 114 of Turn the Tide
Apparently, she’d been right. All the scary creatures were tucked up somewhere out of the weather. She just wished they weren’t with her. Sweat broke out on Sarah’s skin as they stared at each other. She debated her options and realized there weren’t many. Not moving a muscle seemed like a good first step, though.
She held her breath and waited.
So did Mama Bobcat.
***
Patty Thomas thought she might have a heart attack before she made it to Mama’s place, but she couldn’t give up. Donny’s life was at stake. And maybe Mama’s, too.
She ran through the flooded yard and over to the back door. Once inside the kitchen, she forced herself to take a deep breath. If Freddie was there, she needed a weapon. She went over to a drawer and eased the filet knife out. The blade was lethal, so she kept the sheath in her other hand. She didn’t want to cut herself by mistake, especially since her hands were shaking like she’d had too much caffeine.
She tiptoed to the kitchen door and stopped to listen. There was no sound. She eased the door open. “Mama, are you there?” she whispered.
“It’s okay, baby girl. Come on in. I’m alone.”
Patty started to push the door open, then stopped. What if it was a trick? It was the kind of thing Freddie would do. She waited some more, then took a deep breath and stepped into the other room.
When she saw Mama sitting in her favorite rocker, alone, Patty’s knees threatened to buckle. She raced into the room and crouched in front of her mother’s chair. “Where’s Donny?” she demanded.
Mama T’s dark eyes were frantic, but her tone was calm. “Sit down, lamb, and take a breath or you’ll be no good to anyone.”
“Does Freddie have him?”
Mama patted her hand. “He does—for the moment. But that nice Officer Sanchez was here, along with a new nurse at the clinic, who brought my insulin. They took off after them on the dirt bike. They’ll find him, baby girl. Officer Sanchez won’t give up until he does.”
Patty sank to her knees and buried her head in her mother’s lap as the tears came. She let them fall for a minute, and then sat back and wiped her face. “I can’t let him hurt my boy, Mama. I can’t. He’s everything that matters to me.”
“I know, sugar. No matter what, you’ve always done right by that boy.”
Their eyes met, and Patty shook her head. “Not always, and you know it. I don’t know what I was thinking, staying with Freddie for so many years.”
In that moment, Patty realized, more than ever, how her decisions—or rather, her refusal to make the hard ones—had hurt everyone she cared about. That changed now. She’d protect her son. Or die trying. “I’m going after them.”
She stood, and Mama eased herself up out of the rocker, too. “You think they’ll head for your trailer?”
Patty nodded. “He knows I’ll go looking for him there. It’s me he wants.”
When she kissed Mama’s cheek and turned to go, Mama grabbed her arm in a surprisingly strong grip. “Don’t be too quick to make that trade, sugar. Donny isn’t the only one who matters to me. You’re my baby, and I need you. Give Sanchez time to help you.”
“This is my mess, my problem.”
Mama cupped Patty’s cheeks in her work-worn hands. “Don’t let your pride cost you what matters most. Take what help you can get. I need you both.”
“I have to go.”
“Please, Patty.”
Patty swallowed hard to ignore the pleading tone as she walked toward the door. She had her hand on the knob when Mama said, “Wait. Here, take this.”
She turned, and Mama handed her the shotgun. Then she reached into the drawer on a nearby end table, took out a box of shells, and handed it to her.
“Be smart, baby girl. And bring him home. I love you.”
“I love you too, Mama.” Patty gave her a quick hug, hung on for one second more, and then raced back out into the storm.
“Hang on, Donny. Mama’s coming.”
