The Ghost Train of Eagle’s Pass: A Supernatural Western Thriller by J.R. Rain & Matthew S. Cox

Author:J.R. Rain & Matthew S. Cox [Rain, J.R. & Cox, Matthew S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rain Press
Published: 2024-09-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Being Too Helpful

Zeb jogged across town to Laura’s house.

Everything looked as still and quiet as it had in his dream, except no unexplainable light bathed the town in an eerie spectral glow, though enough moonlight shone down on Silver Mesa that he could navigate without a lantern, but overall the town appeared quite dark.

Upon arriving at Laura’s, his attention went straight away to the front door.

It was open.

Worry bubbled over in his gut. He forgot all about propriety and manners and rushed up the three steps and across the little porch straight into the front parlor. Nothing appeared out of place in the room, so he went down the hall to the boy’s room.

The empty bed mocked him for being too late; indeed, it appeared the boy had been in it not too long ago. Turned-aside bedding suggested Heath got up on his own rather than having been taken in the night by someone—or something—else.

Zeb eyed the room’s lone window and the floor. The window had no damage and remained closed. A child’s nightshirt lay on the floor beside a conspicuous absence of shoes. If Heath had been kidnapped or run out of here in a panic, he would not have gotten dressed before leaving.

Damn, boy. What are you up to?

Grumbling to himself, Zeb crossed the hall to Laura’s bedroom. She lay in bed, sleeping. As peaceful as she appeared, it wouldn’t be right not to wake her up.

He rested a hand on her shoulder and gave her a somewhat less than gentle shake.

Laura emitted a soft moan, shifting her position and rolling her head toward him.

“Laura,” said Zeb. “Ya need to wake up. Heath’s run off.”

“Mm…” She turned over.

Zeb shook her again.

Her eyes snapped open. For a second, she seemed frightened, then confused at a man being in the room.

“Laura. It’s me, Zeb.”

“What?” She wiped at her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“Can’t rightly explain it, but I got a hunch Heath might be in trouble.” Zeb took a step back from the bed. “Came by to check on you two and… the front door was wide open.”

“Front door?” Laura pushed herself up to sit.

He pointed sideways, jabbing his thumb in the direction of the hall. “Heath ain’t in his room. Looks like he snuck out.”

“What on Earth for?” Laura’s mood shifted to worry as she scrambled out of bed, evidently unbothered at Zeb seeing her in a nightgown. “Heath?” she said, shouting.

Zeb leaned out of her way as she rushed to the boy’s room, then followed behind her.

Laura caught herself to a stop by one hand on the doorjamb, staring into the empty room. She peered inside for a few seconds, then looked back at Zeb. “What the devil has gotten into him?”

“Don’t know for certain. Got a bit of an idea, though.”

“That strange woman?” Laura narrowed her eyes.

“Naw. Mila don’t want a thing to do with Heath.” Zeb thought back to the other night when he’d seen the boy watching them from the hall. “She ain’t that kind of witch.

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