If Catfish Had Nine Lives(111)

            “Let me look first. I can ride much more quickly than the rest of you can walk. I can do this, I can find them,” Joe said with such emotion that Gram, Jerome, and I looked up at him. Was he going to cry?

            I nodded and then turned my attention back to the others. Orly and Jake, of course, hadn’t heard Joe, so I responded to Orly’s comment about going with Gram. “Okay, but Jake, you go with them, too. Hang on a second, though. Gram, how about you take the short path around to the south end and then back up again?”

            “Will do,” she said, knowing that trail was easy and wouldn’t take them long.

            Once she and Orly set off, I held on to Jake’s arm to keep him back a moment. I quickly turned my attention to Joe. “Go, I guess. Find them and yell for us. Hopefully Jerome or I or Gram will hear you.”

            Joe’s mouth formed a straight intense line before he said, “I will find them. I was supposed to find Astin, Betts. I was supposed to find him. I won’t fail again.”

            He nudged the horse with his heels before I could ask any questions.

            “He said it had been his job to find Astin,” I said to Jake. “Maybe Joe was a law enforcement officer from that time and it was his job to find the downed rider. He said he wouldn’t fail again.”

            “I haven’t researched that aspect. I can, but right at the moment I’d like to find Esther,” Jake said.

            “I understand. Go on. Catch up to Gram and Orly.” I nodded.

            But a scream cut through the trees and stopped us in our tracks.

            The scream came from the direction I’d sent Gram and Orly. It had only been less than a minute; they couldn’t have gone far, but I didn’t see them.

            “Gram!” I said before I set off into the trees. Jerome and Jake probably followed behind, but I didn’t take the time to look.





Chapter 27




            Even though I knew the woods, the worn paths weren’t all that well-marked and I had to jump and dodge through and around nature’s obstacle course.

            “Gram!” I yelled as I ran.

            It was as if they appeared out of nowhere, but in fact, Gram and Orly simply stepped out from a turn in the path. Orly grabbed me just as I was about to run over Gram.

            “Betts, I’m okay. It wasn’t me,” Gram said. “But we need to find who it was. Come on. This way.”

            She turned and stepped away before I could even catch my breath. She wasn’t running, but she was moving at a good clip.

            “You all right?” Orly still had his hand around my arm.

            “I’m fine. I thought . . .”

            “I know, and I understand, but I need to go catch up to Miz. You sure you’re okay?”

            I nodded.

            Jake stepped around me. “She’s fine, Orly. Let’s go.”

            Jerome and I followed behind them.

            “Do you have any idea what’s going on?” I said to him.

            “No, I don’t, and I don’t mind saying that I’m more than a bit uncomfortable about it. I tried to go find who was screaming, but I can’t seem to leave your side, Isabelle.”

            “Which means I’m in danger,” I said.

            “That’s my only guess.”

            The sound of rhythmic horse hooves from up ahead caught Gram’s and my attention.