Love Lasts Forever by Dominiqua Douglas Page B

braves. All I know is I’m gettin’ out of these woods as fast as I can. I came up here with my full head of hair, and I aim to keep it.”
    “Which way was the calls?” The bounty hunter looked from side to side. His head jerked wildly as if he heard whistles zigzagging overhead.
    Thor bit back a cynical grin. The bastard didn’t mind hunting scared, unarmed people, but when he could be marked as prey, he was ready to turn tail. Damn coward. “They sounded north of here, but that could have been a trick. You never can tell with Indians.”
    “I didn’t hear nothin’ on my way up here. Y’suppose they’d circle ’round?”
    “It’s not likely. I imagine if you hit the trail hard and go back toward Canton, you’d outrun ’em. They don’t pounce on the main road. They usually get their game off the beaten path, so to speak. Better hurry though. It’ll be nightfall before you know it.”
    “Ain’t that the truth!” The man spat another mouthful of brown juice then tipped his hat to Thor. He turned and took off as if the hounds of hell were yapping at his heels. The echo of snapping twigs crackled in the woods.
    Thor watched the man’s retreat. Only when the sounds of the other man’s departure grew quiet did Thor move. Wary of calling out to the children, he pushed quickly up the trail. His heart beat erratically in his chest as his worry increased with each step. When he didn’t spot them immediately, he feared that his trick backfired. If the bounty hunter had a partner, Thor would never forgive himself. I have to find those children!
    Tossing the branch to the ground, he covered the mile with the fluid gracefulness he once used on the football field. His muscles soared at the unexpected use. Energy surged through his body.
    His feet sidestepped rocks and leapt over fallen logs. He ignored all of it, concentrating only on the path. The children were within earshot when Willow gave him directions to the Brown place. He hoped when he silently told them to keep going, they headed for Brown’s spread and not for some obscure hiding place in the woods. Otherwise, it might take hours to find them.
    The endless sea of maples, dogwoods, and oaks halted. At the clearing, he paused to catch his breath. A well-traveled road stretched and curved from the east, leading to a two-story farmhouse. The wagon he unloaded yesterday sat in front of a medium-sized barn.
    Quickly, he scanned the house for the sign Willow said would mark Brown’s home. Sure enough, it was there! White bricks bordered the top section of the chimney as a signal to runaways that they could find temporary sanctuary there. He breathed a sigh of relief, but doubts lingered.
    The homestead vibrated with an eerie silence. Nothing moved or stirred. Thor edged away from the woods, crossed the road and headed for the house. As he walked, he glanced around. Where were the horses, the chickens, and whatever else the Reverend kept on his place? Hell, where was Brown or his wife, Olivia? Why was it so quiet?
    He started to go to the front door, changed his mind, and swerved to the right. He peered inside a window and nearly jumped a foot when a hand clamped over his shoulder.
    “No, need to look any further. God’s lost sheep have been found, my boy. Like a good shepherd, you followed the right path. Now come with me. We have much to do.”
    “Like what?” Thor allowed the reverend to pull him away from the window and lead him to the barn. “The wagon’s empty. What do you want from me now?”
    “You’re brash. I like that.” Chuckling, Brown gave Thor a hard pat on his back. “True, the wagon’s empty, but I could use some help in here. There’s a meeting tonight, and this place could use a good cleaning.”
    “You’ve got to be kidding!” Thor exclaimed as they stepped inside.
    The barn was much larger inside than its outside appearance. For the most part, the space was clean. However, a few piles of horse dung littered the walkway.