Jarhead lay sprawled in the sunlight on the porch steps, snoring in the last of the afternoon warmth. Dwayne bypassed the kitchen and headed up the stairs to use his bathroom and wash up. He hadn’t seen Marla or Amber in or around the house. He entered the empty bedroom, shrugged at not finding either of them there, and then removed clean jeans and a shirt from the closet.
He finished quickly and went downstairs, entered the kitchen, and gave his mom a hug when she poured him a big glass of lemonade. “Where’re my two girls?”
“They took Skipper for a hike in the south meadow. Amber wanted to show Marla the last of the summer’s Indian Paintbrush blooming out there.”
“How long have they been gone?”
“About two hours.”
“My God, we’ll be picking ticks out of that mouse’s hide all evening.” He finished his lemonade, set the glass down, and stood. “I’ll walk down the road and meet them.”
“Help!” Marla’s frantic screams alerted everyone within hearing range. “Help me! Somebody, help!”
Dwayne and his mother charged out the door as men ran from the barn and corral.
Marla collapsed on her knees at the bottom of the steps, sobbing, hugging Skipper to her chest. “They…they…took…” she gasped.
Dwayne bellowed, “Where’s Amber? Is she hurt? Where is she?” A horrible feeling of dread filled his chest, paralyzing him. His daughter, his little girl.
Kathleen rushed to the bottom of the steps and helped Marla to her feet. “Sit here, honey. Tell us what happened.” Marla slumped down on the top step, still hugging her baby. He hadn’t moved.
Dwayne grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Where’s Amber! Was she hurt?”
She looked at him with stricken, devastated eyes. He’d seen this look on soldiers in battle when someone got killed. His gut twisted and he gulped air, afraid to hear her answer.
“Francine…on horseback…they took her.”
He screamed in her face. “You let them take her?”
Charlene rushed to Marla’s side and shoved Dwayne out of the way then sat next to her. “Are you okay, sis? What happened? Are you hurt?” She touched the knees of Marla’s torn and bloody jeans.
Dwayne grabbed fistfuls of his hair and paced in a circle. He stooped to look at Marla’s face and said, “You let them take her?”
She shook her head. “No, I, I couldn’t stop them. I tried. Skip chased after them. One of the horses kicked him. He…he…won’t wake up.” Her body wracked with sobs. “I’m sorry, Dwayne, I couldn’t—”
Charlene brushed her hand on Marla’s hair. “It’s all right, sis. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not your fault.”
“Like hell it’s not her fault! She let them take my daughter, and now she’s crying over a goddamned dog? Where in hell are your priorities, Charlene?”
Before he saw it coming, Donovan’s open hand slammed into his chest and shoved him against the rail post. “Listen up, bro, because I’m only going to say this one time. You ever speak to my wife or her sister in that tone of voice again, so help me God, I’ll…”
He threw Donovan’s hand away and leaned into him. “You’ll do what?”
Dylan shoved between them. “Enough, you assholes! Get to the barn and saddle up. We’re going to get Amber back. What the hell’s wrong with you two?” He glared, daring either of his younger brothers to defy him.
Kathleen stood next to Dylan. “He’s right. You shut your mouth, Dwayne Dempsey. Now, let’s go!”
He turned to his mother. “You’re not going.”
“You and who else is going to stop me?” She scoffed and turned her back on him. “Bart you and Len saddle up too. Cookie, call the sheriff and tell him we’re heading out to the abandoned trapper’s cabin on Wolf Krik.”
She shoved Dwayne who continued to glare at his brothers. “Get moving. Francine will not hurt her daughter.” She shouted loud enough for everyone to hear her, “No guns!”
“To hell with that!” Donovan shouted.
“No, she’s right.” Dwayne grabbed Donovan’s sleeve and pulled him toward the barn. “I don’t want any gunplay endangering my daughter.”
Miss Emmaline put her hand on Marla’s shoulder. “Let me take a look at your doggie.”
Marla shook her head. More wracking sobs choked from her throat. “No, he’s…he’s…” She buried her face in his lifeless, still-warm body and cried like it was the end of the world.
Charlene held her and rocked her. “Oh, sis, I’m so sorry. The poor little guy.” She squeezed her shoulder. “Dwayne didn’t mean those awful things he said. He was terrified for his little girl, that’s all.”
Marla sobbed against Skipper’s side. “You were so brave. I love you so much.” She leaned against Charlene, raised her head, and smeared her eyes with the heel of her hand. “He meant what he said. He…he didn’t even ask if I was hurt.” The ice pick stabbing her heart, shattering it piece by piece, wouldn’t stop. She’d never felt such pain and devastation.
Miss Emmaline gently lifted Skipper’s body from her lap. “Let me take him, dear. I’ll take good care of him.” A huge, bottomless black pit opened in her chest when Emmaline took Skipper away.
Charlene pulled Marla to her feet. “Let’s go upstairs and lie down. You need to rest.”
Marla clenched her jaw. “I need to go home. I’m leaving. I can’t bear to face him again.” “I need to go home. I’ll write down everything that happened for the sheriff’s report, then I’m leaving. I can’t bear to face him again.”
“But, sis, how—?”
Miss Emmaline said, “She’s right. I know Dwayne. There’s no reasoning with him when he’s like this. He’s apt to say something even more unforgivable before the night is out.”
She held Skipper to her chest and nodded to Charlene. “You drive us to the airport in Sheridan. I’ll pack my things and get Princess Elizabeth. I’ll go home with her.”
Marla’s eyes streamed tears. “Oh, Miss Emmaline, you don’t need—”
“Hush, child. It’s settled. Go upstairs and pack your things. Charlene will drive us in
