Chapter Five
"Whaddaya mean Pa is gone?" Laramie asked in disbelief, his ice blue eyes flashing.
"He has to be here somewhere, Ma," Cohen pointed out, shaking his head full of dark brown hair.
Emily fiddled with her apron strings, staring at her twin sons who were nearly the spitting image of Jason. She sighed. She knew she shouldn't have let Matthew go out alone, but what could she have done to stop him? Though he was weak from his illness, she knew once his mind was made up there was no deterring him.
"Ma." Laramie touched her arm gently, looking into her eyes. "Where is Pa?"
She shook her head. "I don't know, son. All I know is, right after dinner, he decided to go out. I tried to get him to wait until one of you boys got back, but he wouldn't hear of it. Now it's almost dark, the ranch hands have gone home, and I'm terribly worried that somethin' bad done happened to him. Y'all know how sick he is."
Laramie shared a look with Cohen. They both knew how sick their father was. And for him to go off all alone. . . .
"Do ya know where he was headed?" Cohen asked as he scanned the area. He didn't figure looking at the front yard would do any good, but it sure couldn't hurt to try.
"He went out the back door, and that's about all I can tell you 'cause I lost sight of him behind the shed."
"Well that's where we'll look first!" Laramie stated as he jumped off the porch. "He couldn't have gone far." I hope, he added inwardly.
***
"Are you sure you don't want me to save you some?" Dixie asked, clasping her hands in front of her as the last light of day played delicately on her features. She looked so lovely standing there.
And that made Jason's departure all the more harder.
"Yeah, darlin', I'm sure. Y'all go on ahead. I'll eat whatever Ma's got fixed up." Jason stuffed his hands in his pockets. He was stiff and sore and his fingers itched to hold Dixie. And her standing there looking so sweet and tired like she was made his longing stronger. Above all, he didn't want to go home, but he knew he had to. He just knew it.
Dixie gazed at him softly, a sleepy smile on her face. "Do I need to tell Tae and Leroy to make sure to leave room for you, or will you stay home? It's a pretty tight fit as it is."
That drew a light chuckle from Jason. He knew Tavin's room would be extremely cramped with just Leroy being in there too, and would certainly be if he were to sleep in there with them. "I aim to be back here before long, but I don't reckon I'd fit so don't bother. I'll just sleep in the barn, or with the ranch hands."
"As you wish, Cowboy."
Jason took the few strides up the porch steps to be face to face with Dixie, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "I best be goin' now. Have a good night, Angel. I hope all of y'all have fun."
"I'll try to have as much as I can without you. Be safe. I love you," she stated quietly, looking at Jason from under her thick lashes.
"I love you more," Jason assured as he made his way down the steps to his horse. He mounted up with a grin before taking off at a gallop.
"That is where you are wrong, sir," Dixie corrected with a laugh as she waved goodbye, but her words were lost on him. As she watched the dirt fly up from under Raven's hooves, an uneasy feeling settled over her like a blanket. She, too, felt he needed to go home. Looking up at the remnants of the day, she closed her eyes as a gentle breeze blew. Lord, I ask You to keep him safe. Only You know what awaits him.
***
It only took a moment for Jason to see something was wrong. His mother's pale expression as she met him at the front door said it all.
Jason placed his hands on his mother's shoulders. "Did Pa. . . ."
She shook her head. "No, he's still alive. We hope."
Confusion swam in Jason's eyes. "Whatcha mean 'we hope?'"
As Ma related what happened, a muscle in Jason's jaw twitched. He couldn't believe his father would do that. But he also couldn't blame him. If he had to stay inside nearly all the time, he'd escape too.
"The boys are out there searchin' for him now," Ma answered Jason's questioning glance as he brought out three lanterns and a few pistols from the house.
"Do you know where they went?" Jason asked, peering out into the darkness.
"They was goin' to the shed first, but I'm not sure. I've been searchin' inside to see if he left a note or somethin' tellin' me where he went. I do know they didn't bring a light of any kind."
Jason could see the worry on his mother's face, and it pained him. Setting down the lanterns and sticking the extra pistols in his belt, he grabbed her in an embrace. He rubbed her shoulders before turning away. "It's gonna be okay, Ma. With God's help, we'll find him."
Emily watched her eldest son as he made his way off the porch and into the night with one lit lantern. She wished she could do something. Anything.
A small voice spoke into her conscience. You can ask Me.
Tears sprung into Emily's eyes. She closed the door behind her and rushed to her and Matthew's bedroom, dropping down to her knees. "Oh dear God, You can do all things. You know where Matthew is, and I ask You to keep him safe and lead my boys to him. Keep them safe, Lord Jesus. Keep them safe."
***
"Pa? Is that you?" Laramie asked, peering into the darkness at the large light getting ever closer.
"Nope, it's me, unfortunately," Jason's voice floated to the twins from their position behind the shed. "What have I told y'all about goin' off in the dark without bringin' a lantern and a firearm?"
As the twins accepted a lantern and a pistol, Cohen eyed Jason, the flickering flame of the lantern cast wavering shadows across his face. His brother looked pretty tuckered out, and he wished they'd found their Pa without him. "Weren't you gonna stay at the Harden's place?"
"Yeah I was, but felt like y'all needed me. I came back and left Annalyn and Leroy over there," Jason answered. "Thank God I listened to that gut feelin'."
"Thank God," Laramie echoed. "We haven't found nary a thing, especially since it got dark pretty quick."
"You don't think Pa's dead, do you?" Cohen voiced the unspoken question hanging in the thick, bug-filled air.
Jason shook his head, his sweat-streaked face glimmering in the lantern light. "I hope not." He looked both of his brothers in the eye. "So this is the plan. We spread out. Laramie, you go to the right and scan that area. Especially the rocks. Cohen, you go to the left and be sure to check by the pastures. I'll go straight and look a little bit of everywhere."
Cohen looked out as far as the lantern allowed. "And if one of us finds him?"
"Fire three shots," Laramie said, holding his pistol closer to the light.
Jason smiled. "Right. So you have been listenin' to me after all."
"We gonna start searchin' now?" Cohen and Laramie asked in unison.
"Yes, after we pray."
After the three bowed their heads, Jason began.
"Dear Lord, we thank You for all You've done for us, and ask that You would guide our feet tonight as we look for Pa. Keep us safe and keep Your hand on him."
Laramie picked up from there, his voice wobbling slightly. "And don't let him be dead. We need Pa. Please don't let him be hurt too badly."
"Keep all of us in Your hand, and help Ma not to be worried. We ask You to give us strength as we search. Amen," Cohen concluded, ending the prayer solemnly.
"Amen," Jason and Laramie repeated.
Jason gave his brothers a small grin. "Alrighty, let's get after it. Remember, whatever we find, whatever happens, God's got it."
***
Jason searched the ground, hoping to find some sign of his father. He wished the ranch hands were here. Wished they'd make them stay in the bunk house and that Pa wouldn't let them go home at night. He sighed, focusing on the grass in front of him. Wishing would get him nowhere, but praying sure would.
In the midst of praying, Jason found hoofprints. Hope sparked, he followed them. He knew they couldn't have been left by the ranch hands because it wasn't the route they always took. He looked up at the night sky with a heart full of thankfulness. "Thank you, Jesus!"
The farther he went, the more his spirit rose. He was almost certain Pa had just gotten tired and fell asleep after riding somewhere. His hopes were dashed out like an unwanted flame as the light from his lantern revealed a shimmery crimson splatter on a jagged rock.
Jason knelt down, praying with all his heart the splatter wasn't blood. But he knew better. He reached out, touching it with his fingertips. It wasn't fresh, but it was definitely blood.
"Lord, thank you for helpin' me this far," Jason prayed aloud after spotting a thin trail of splattered blood. "I ask you to help me the rest of the way. And touch Pa."
Following the trail, he prayed out loud. The stars twinkled above, but a cloud obscured the moon. He knew that even though he couldn't see the moon, it was still there. Just as he couldn't see his Maker, but he knew He was there just the same.
The shrill, nearly fearful nicker of a horse split through the muggy air and caused Jason to flinch. He didn't expect to find the horse so soon. As he drew near, the small tendril of hope that had grown again was trampled.
Darkness gave way to the light, revealing Pa caught in the stirrup of a sideways saddle on an Appaloosa mare with a puddle of blood around his head. The mare's eyes were wide, the white showing clearly.
Three shots broke through the deathly still silence and echoed around Jason as he lowered his pistol, breathing a whisper of a prayer. His father was alive.
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