The Honeydew Queen by K.P. Stafford

Author:K.P. Stafford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: S&S Publications

13

Scotty drove slowly up the road close to where the girl had last been seen. Several vehicles lined the narrow road. He found a good spot and eased over to the side. Arlene hopped out of his truck and was at the back of the trailer before he could even get unbuckled.

Arlene was already unlatching the trailer door when Scotty came around the end of it. “What are you doing?”

She shot him a look. “We’re here for search and rescue. We can’t do that with these guys still in the trailer,” she said as she pointed to the two animals in the back.

Scotty stepped up. “I’d like to unload my own animals, thank you very much.”

Arlene took a step backwards. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have encroached on your property.”

“You seem to be good at encroaching on other people’s property these days.” He snickered at her.

“This isn’t the time to discuss that. Get me a mule out and let’s get going.”

Scotty led the first one out and handed the reins to Arlene. She looked in the mule’s face and put her arms around his neck. “Oh Jocko, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

Scotty whirled around. “How do you know my mule’s name?”

“I helped train him.” Arlene thought for a moment. “He must be about twenty now, right?”

“Yeah.” Scotty turned and led the other mule out of the trailer.

Arlene walked over to the second mule and ruffled his forelock before hugging him. “And look at you Shaggy. You’re looking good for an old man.”

She glanced over at Scotty who had that begrudging look on his face again. “You want me on any particular one?”

“Your choice.”

Arlene looked around the area. Some of the embankments were steep around the small level area that a lot of people chose as a camping spot. The little girl had disappeared from the camping area. Arlene looked at the area towards the waterfall. Something didn’t feel right. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and opened them again. She looked at the ravine a few hundred yards away. “I think she went down that ravine over there,” she told Scotty as she pointed. “Jocko’s good, but I think Shaggy will do better getting down in there. He’s got a lot more experience and he was always more surefooted in rough terrain. He grew up on this mountain.”

She traded reins with Scotty and climbed up in the saddle. Her stomach knotted as she guided the mule towards the embankment. With a severe cold front coming on fast, she knew they had to find the little girl. The landscape was steep, and the mountain air grew cold at night even when the temperature was normal for the fall season. The little girl would have almost no chance of survival out here when the temp dipped down into the twenties. But she believed in miracles, and she’d seen God do some amazing things in life and in the world. She held onto the hope of that. Please God, let us find her before it’s too late.

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