isn’t a viable option.
So what do you want to do? Personally, I don’t want to leave Jesse in Jester’s
hands any longer than is absolutely necessary. You know it won’t be long before
Jester gets tired of dealing with him and puts a bullet in his head. He’s
fourteen. He hasn’t even begun to live his life yet.”
Skip shot
Jack a frown. “This is nuts. It was risky taking Jester on with just two of
us.”
Jack
nodded. “I know, but Casey’s right. We’re out of options.”
Skip
clearly didn’t want to agree, but he finally sighed and nodded. Jack glanced at
Casey. “Okay, so who goes and who stays?”
“I’ll
warn you that it isn’t going to be easy. I intend to dump every ounce of extra
weight I can. That means no packhorse and no tents. Things are going to get
really rough from here on.”
Jack
glanced at Skip, who just shook his head. “I don’t care, you decide.”
Casey
hesitated for a moment, then cleared her throat, drawing both men’s gazes back
to her. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but if you’re interested, I have an
opinion.”
“Go
ahead.”
She
glanced at Skip. “Don’t take this personally, but I think you ought to stay
here with the boys. You’re a good man, but the fact is, Jack is a much better
rider.”
Skip
wasn’t offended. He knew riding wasn’t one of his better skills. He just nodded
in acceptance and Jack tried not to be pleased that Casey had chosen him to go
with her. It wasn’t a personal choice. She was just selecting the most sensible
option. It felt good to receive even that small measure of her praise, though.
She shot him a quick glance before turning back to Skip.
“We
contacted all the ranger stations the morning of the day we left. They were all
put on alert. That means they’re supposed to be making regular reports. When
this station doesn’t check in, they’ll know something is wrong. They’re
probably already on their way in. Most likely, they’ll come up the old road.
It’s the long way around, though, and it’s going to take a while for them to
get here. I’d expect them to show up sometime tomorrow. If we’re lucky, they
might even make it in tonight. If, for some reason, they haven’t shown up by
noon tomorrow then you will have to go out on your own.”
Skip
frowned. “How am I supposed to do that?”
“The
same way you got in here. You and the boys get on the horses and you ride out.
Follow the road. Terry knows it well enough to keep you from getting lost.”
Jack
spoke up. “Paul will never survive it.”
Casey
turned to meet his gaze. “He might not survive long enough for it to be an
issue. Either way, getting him out of these woods is his only chance.” She
turned back to Skip. “Help will come up that road. They’ll have a radio and a
chopper on standby.”
Skip
finally nodded. “Okay.”
Casey
glanced back at Jack. “Give me a hand with the horses, will you?”
Skip
went back into the building to give Terry a hand and Jack followed Casey to the
horses. They went through all the gear on the packhorse, taking only the
absolute necessities. Then they loaded it all onto their two animals. By then,
Skip was calling that the food was ready. They ate, then Casey explained things
to Terry. He clearly didn’t want her go, but he also obviously understood that
Casey and Jack were his little brother’s best chance. It seemed like no time at
all before Casey and Jack were walking out the door.
Skip
gave Jack a hard look. “You be careful out there, Jack. Don’t put yourself into
any dangerous positions.”
Jack
got the feeling that Skip wasn’t just talking about Jester. When his partner
darted his gaze toward Casey, Jack knew Skip was talking about her as well. He
nodded, then turned to take his horse’s reins from her. They both mounted up,
then they were on the move again. Jack glanced at his watch. It was getting
late already. He didn’t think they were going to make it far before they were
forced to stop for
So what do you want to do? Personally, I don’t want to leave Jesse in Jester’s
hands any longer than is absolutely necessary. You know it won’t be long before
Jester gets tired of dealing with him and puts a bullet in his head. He’s
fourteen. He hasn’t even begun to live his life yet.”
Skip shot
Jack a frown. “This is nuts. It was risky taking Jester on with just two of
us.”
Jack
nodded. “I know, but Casey’s right. We’re out of options.”
Skip
clearly didn’t want to agree, but he finally sighed and nodded. Jack glanced at
Casey. “Okay, so who goes and who stays?”
“I’ll
warn you that it isn’t going to be easy. I intend to dump every ounce of extra
weight I can. That means no packhorse and no tents. Things are going to get
really rough from here on.”
Jack
glanced at Skip, who just shook his head. “I don’t care, you decide.”
Casey
hesitated for a moment, then cleared her throat, drawing both men’s gazes back
to her. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but if you’re interested, I have an
opinion.”
“Go
ahead.”
She
glanced at Skip. “Don’t take this personally, but I think you ought to stay
here with the boys. You’re a good man, but the fact is, Jack is a much better
rider.”
Skip
wasn’t offended. He knew riding wasn’t one of his better skills. He just nodded
in acceptance and Jack tried not to be pleased that Casey had chosen him to go
with her. It wasn’t a personal choice. She was just selecting the most sensible
option. It felt good to receive even that small measure of her praise, though.
She shot him a quick glance before turning back to Skip.
“We
contacted all the ranger stations the morning of the day we left. They were all
put on alert. That means they’re supposed to be making regular reports. When
this station doesn’t check in, they’ll know something is wrong. They’re
probably already on their way in. Most likely, they’ll come up the old road.
It’s the long way around, though, and it’s going to take a while for them to
get here. I’d expect them to show up sometime tomorrow. If we’re lucky, they
might even make it in tonight. If, for some reason, they haven’t shown up by
noon tomorrow then you will have to go out on your own.”
Skip
frowned. “How am I supposed to do that?”
“The
same way you got in here. You and the boys get on the horses and you ride out.
Follow the road. Terry knows it well enough to keep you from getting lost.”
Jack
spoke up. “Paul will never survive it.”
Casey
turned to meet his gaze. “He might not survive long enough for it to be an
issue. Either way, getting him out of these woods is his only chance.” She
turned back to Skip. “Help will come up that road. They’ll have a radio and a
chopper on standby.”
Skip
finally nodded. “Okay.”
Casey
glanced back at Jack. “Give me a hand with the horses, will you?”
Skip
went back into the building to give Terry a hand and Jack followed Casey to the
horses. They went through all the gear on the packhorse, taking only the
absolute necessities. Then they loaded it all onto their two animals. By then,
Skip was calling that the food was ready. They ate, then Casey explained things
to Terry. He clearly didn’t want her go, but he also obviously understood that
Casey and Jack were his little brother’s best chance. It seemed like no time at
all before Casey and Jack were walking out the door.
Skip
gave Jack a hard look. “You be careful out there, Jack. Don’t put yourself into
any dangerous positions.”
Jack
got the feeling that Skip wasn’t just talking about Jester. When his partner
darted his gaze toward Casey, Jack knew Skip was talking about her as well. He
nodded, then turned to take his horse’s reins from her. They both mounted up,
then they were on the move again. Jack glanced at his watch. It was getting
late already. He didn’t think they were going to make it far before they were
forced to stop for
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