The Lost Dutchman's Secret (Ever After Mysteries Book 5) by Jones Rebekah

Author:Jones, Rebekah [Jones, Rebekah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Celebrate Lit Publishing
Published: 2021-11-01T16:00:00+00:00

Forty-One

T he sun had set behind the mountains, though the moon hadn’t risen yet. Dorothy bent near a lantern as she tried to read Ben Hur . Despite the warming days, the evenings still turned chilly, and Dorothy wrapped her mother’s shawl more closely, as the ever-open window caused a shiver. She turned the page, nearly ripping it from the binding, when a scream pierced the night air.

Dorothy knew the scream of a cottontail, but the unearthly sound echoing across the desert and through the window could have startled anyone. The rabbit continued and Dorothy shivered again, though not from the cold.

Poor thing…

She grit her teeth, trying to focus on Judah Ben Hur and his problems, not her own. Her father continued his carving in silence.

The words swam before her eyes, as the cottontail paused for only a moment, before breaking into distress once more. Dorothy tried to ignore him, but short of stopping her ears, she could not get away from the sound.

“That rabbit has itself stuck between some cacti, I reckon. A kai-ote would have silenced it by now.”

Her father may have expected a response, as he continued speaking after a moment.

“He’s awful noisy.”

Dorothy looked at him, but the man just kept carving.

The rabbit grew faint, then suddenly broke forth in renewed vigor of terror. Dorothy gave up on the book, watching the crow take shape in her father’s hands instead.

At last, he grunted, eyes still on his carving. “Dorothy, go see what’s ailing that rabbit. The entire desert is going to get distracted listening to that ruckus.”

Dorothy’s gaze jumped from the crow to her father’s face, but the man didn’t seem to take any notice. “I-I’d rather not, Father.”

“We can’t listen to that ruckus all night.”

Dorothy opened her mouth to appeal, but closed it again. She knew it wouldn’t do anything.

She stepped outside with her lantern, the rabbit’s cries growing louder. She couldn’t find him at first, but eventually discovered his whereabouts a short distance from the house.

The rabbit had managed to get stuck between a large rock and the trunk of a mesquite tree. Dorothy set down her lantern as the rabbit threw himself wildly about amidst his screaming.

“It’s all right, little fella. Come on, let me help you.”

The rabbit froze at the sound of her voice, his cries growing softer. Dorothy struggled to unwedge him, talking soothingly all the while. The rabbit only pulled against her once, screaming loudly when he did, while she dug out his leg, but the second that she freed him, the creature took off across the desert.

Dorothy picked up her lantern and stood. She sighed, and a twig snapped. Dorothy froze. She didn’t know whether to look around or simply hurry back inside.

Another snap.

Her heart pounding, Dorothy began walking toward the house.

It’s probably nothing. It could be nothing.

She tried to be certain of her surroundings in the darkness. The night disoriented her, and she stopped, unwilling to go too far in the wrong direction.

A laugh, low and terrifying, echoed somewhere nearby.

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