“Donald, Daisy,” Arthur called out and the Rottweilers trotted over.
“You like Disney,” Kirk stated as Arthur put Nicole in the baby sling.
“Why?” Arthur asked.
“Your cats are Mickey and Minnie and your dogs are Donald and Daisy,” Kirk pointed out.
Shaking his head, “I named the dogs Donald and Daisy hoping they would beat Mickey and Minnie’s butts,” Arthur huffed.
The boys laughed, following Arthur outside and not letting Kit and Kat out. “Why don’t Kit and Kat ever get to go?” Pat asked.
“Donald and Daisy have been trained to attack. Kit and Kat haven’t,” Arthur answered bluntly, leading the boys over to the Blazer. The twenty-foot trailer was already hooked up so Arthur opened the door and folded the seat up.
Pat and Jim climbed up, having to use the step mounted under the door. Arthur saw the passenger door open and Kirk climbed up into the passenger seat. As Arthur climbed in, he saw the boys buckling up.
Cranking the engine up, Arthur turned in the seat to look at all three boys. “Okay, you have to stay alert. I’m driving, so each of you needs to keep looking out the windows and behind us. If you see people, call it out but try not to shout. Just let me know. I’ll be looking, but you three have to help,” he told them very slowly.
“Will you shoot the mean people?” Pat asked.
“Yeah,” Arthur replied nonchalantly. “But I’m not shooting everyone we see. Only if they pose a threat.”
“Okay,” Kirk said, looking out the window and appearing very at ease.
Pulling his 1911 out of the holster, Arthur shoved it under his leg while glancing down at Nicole sleeping soundly. “Let’s go shopping,” he said, putting the Blazer in gear.
Chapter Eighteen
Feeling overwhelmed isn’t always bad
Driving down the valley with his fedora pulled down, Arthur took the south road where a creek forked into Piney. “Can we go fishing?” Kirk asked, looking at the stream running beside the road.
“We can go in the pond closest to the house and then I’ll take you to fish in the stream,” Arthur told him and glanced over to see a grin fill his face. “Don’t forget to keep an eye out.”
“I’m not,” Kirk said, glancing around at the woods and then back to the water.
Fifteen miles later Arthur slowed, seeing a wrecked car in the ditch. Glancing at the driver leaned over the steering wheel, Arthur could tell the crash hadn’t killed him. “That’s why I’m driving slow,” Arthur explained, speeding up to forty. “If I round a curve and see something in the road, I will have time to stop and not wreck.”
Almost pale and panting hard, Kirk turned to Arthur. “I don’t want to drive,” he gasped.
Letting out a chuckle, Arthur reached over and patted Kirk’s chest. “Don’t worry, you can wait on cars for a little while,” Arthur said and could feel the relief wash over Kirk.
Keeping his eyes on the road, Arthur pulled his hand back, gripping the steering wheel as his left dropped down to pat Nicole in the baby sling. Half an hour later, “I see someone,” Pat shouted behind him.
Nicole jumped with a startle, opening her eyes with a grumpy expression. “Shh,” Arthur calmed her as he looked around and saw a figure sitting on a porch. “Are they alive?” Arthur asked, driving past the house.
“He waved,” Pat answered.
“Very good,” Arthur said, looking ahead. “Now we will learn positions. To our front is twelve, our right is three, to our back is six and to the left is nine,” he said, then explained how to call out using the clock face.
“So that guy was at our nine o’clock,” Pat said proudly.
“Yes, he was,” Arthur grinned and saw the retail store ahead. He slowed and coasted off the road, pulling beside the store then easing around the corner and stopping at a large rolling door in the back.
“It’s closed,” Kirk said, looking at the trees behind the store. There was a loading dock with another rolling door in front of them.
“I have a key,” Arthur said, pulling the sling off and putting Nicole in the baby carrier between him and Kirk.
“They have alarms,” Kirk whispered.
“Powers been off for too long,” Arthur said, looking around. “Batteries for alarms are only good for a few days at most.”
“Oh,” Kirk said, not looking away from the trees.
“I’m going to open the door and check the store. Have your radio in your hand. I’m taking Daisy and if you see someone, call me. If they come toward the truck, open the door and let Donald out,” Arthur said, opening his door.
Kirk turned to Arthur and gave a slow nod. “I won’t be more than ten feet away and trust me, Donald will kill anyone that messes with you. He and Daisy love you guys,” Arthur grinned.
All three gave a sigh of relief as Arthur closed the door and walked to the back of the Blazer. Opening the door, “Daisy, out,” Arthur said, grabbing something from the back and then closed the door.
“I’m scared, Kirk,” Jim whispered, watching Arthur walk up to a pedestrian door and holding a box that had a metal bar sticking out from it with a wedge at the end.
“He won’t be far Jim, stop being a baby,” Kirk said looking around.
“He’s breaking in,” Jim gasped in shock, watching Arthur shove the small end of the arm between the door and the frame. “You remember how much trouble we got in when we stole Ms. Sponder’s apples and those just fell on the ground.”
“Arthur is taking care of us. Now, do what he asked,” Kirk commanded.
Jim just nodded as Arthur flipped a switch
