“I’ll be sure she does. Thank you so much,” Ethan said. “You’ve saved my friend’s life.”
“You saved ours, so we’re good,” Joe said. “You going back to the stadium now?”
“I am.”
“What’s your plan after that?” Joe asked.
“To get my new friends back home safely, then not sure after that.”
Joe thought a second. “Which direction will you be heading?”
“West, towards Katy,” Ethan explained
“No kidding! I’ll be taking my group to Fulshear, just right down the road.”
“Katy isn’t a small town anymore, but you’re right. The neighborhood they live in is accessible by using the same main road.”
“Then travel with us. There’s safety in numbers.”
~ ~ ~
The three weary travelers kept to the shadows as they walked along Brays Bayou. They talked in hushed tones, keeping their eyes open for anyone who might do them harm. Joe and Ethan did most of the talking. Hannah walked between them, listening to the circumstances leading them to be at the stadium.
Hannah hadn’t pegged Joe to be a plumber, nor did she peg Ethan as a Blue Angel’s pilot. Ethan mentioned his surprise when he learned Joe knew Lexi Carter before she became famous.
“How’d you know her?” Ethan asked.
“When I was in high school, I knew her big brother,” Joe explained. “We had a few mutual friends, so we’d all hang around together. Lexi was a kid, several years younger than me, so I never paid her any attention. We sorta met again several years ago when she sang at a dive, then the Super Bowl brought us officially back together.”
“Strange how our paths cross, isn’t it?” Ethan asked, not expecting an answer. “How’d you and Hannah meet?”
“At the zoo,” Hannah said. “Not too long ago.”
“She’s right,” Joe added. “And it was an extremely exciting introduction.”
“How so?”
“I’ll let Hannah explain.” Joe tossed her an expression like he was her dad and she was a kid who had gotten busted doing something wrong.
“In a nutshell, I was at the zoo when this all happened, and since the zoo employees abandoned the animals, well, I, uh, couldn’t let the animals starve in their cages, so I let them out.”
Ethan glanced at Joe for his reaction.
“She did,” Joe confirmed. “And we almost bit the dust because of it.” Joe let his statement sink in. “Lions. Specifically, a massive and hungry male lion.”
Hannah sighed. “The lion is dead and you’re not, so what’s the issue?”
“They’re out now? All of them?” Ethan’s voice held a hint of surprise and concern. He quickly did a three-sixty, looking around for any of the animals, then returned his stare to Hannah.
“Don’t look at me,” Hannah said. “I thought I was doing something good.”
“We certainly can’t undo it, so let’s be extra vigilant about our surroundings. I don’t want to come face to face with a cape buffalo,” Joe said.
“Don’t be silly.” Hannah rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “The zoo doesn’t have any of those.”
Joe raised an eyebrow. “You sure?”
“Yes. Probably. Maybe. I’m not sure.”
“You’re trying to say a cape buffalo could be roaming around?”
“It’s always possible.” Hannah shrugged.
“Let’s look at the positive aspect of this revelation,” Joe offered. “I’ll know to be on the lookout for a cape buffalo so I won’t get stampeded or gored by one of those beasts.”
“Whatever,” Hannah huffed. “Your massive serving of sarcasm wasn’t needed.”
“If you hadn’t—”
“Time out,” Ethan said. “You two sound like an old married couple. It’s done, let’s deal with it, and get back to the people who need us.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry, Hannah.”
“Me too,” Hannah grumbled. “I’m stressed is all.”
“Join the club,” Joe said. “Let’s forget about it and head back to the stadium. Sound good?”
“Yeah.”
“I second that,” Ethan said.
~ ~ ~
An hour later, Joe, Ethan, and Hannah approached the bridge over Brays Bayou. As Joe expected, the Salinas men were standing guard at the bridge.
“Frank Salinas, right?” Joe yelled.
“Who wants to know?” the elder Salinas yelled.
“Joe Buck. I came this way earlier in the day.”
“Oh yeah, I remember you. Didn’t think you’d make it back.” Frank lowered his weapon and motioned for his sons, Owen and Kenny, to do the same. “I see you picked up some extra folks.” Frank tipped his glasses down to peer at the man and woman with Joe. “I remember you too. Ethan right?”
“That’s me.”
“Glad you made it back too.”
“Did you get me any cotton candy?” Kenny asked.
“Sorry, kid. The gorillas ate it,” Joe deadpanned, stifling a chuckle.
“Really?”
“Nah, I’m only kidding. I did find a few chocolate bars.”
“Alright!”
Joe distributed the chocolate bars. “Frank, has there been any trouble since earlier today?” Joe peeled back the wrapping on the bar he kept for himself and took a large bite. He washed it down with a gulp of water.
“No trouble, but the strangest thing happened. I swear I saw a wolf running along the banks of the bayou.”
“Dad!” Owen protested, rolling his eyes in the way only a teenager who was embarrassed about a parent could. “I already told you it was a big German Shepherd. You need to get new glasses.”
“No German Shepherd is that big,” Frank barked.
“It probably was a wolf,” Joe said.
“No shit!” Kenny exclaimed.
“Watch your language, son.”
“Sorry, Dad.”
“How could a wolf make it into the middle of the city?” Frank asked. “Besides, there aren’t any wolves in East Texas.”
Nobody said a word. Frank noticed the odd silence and the uncomfortable body language of
