The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo

Author:Lee Mandelo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group

IX.

Leslie staggered, pale and wheezing, from the forest—and almost ran straight into Sarah Hansall. She stood stone-faced with a rifle in her hands behind the cabin, gaze trained on the path. Though the barrel was pointed toward the sky the sight of the weapon nearly burst his jackrabbiting heart. He barely recalled his flight back, possessed by terror and near-religious awe, creeper roots snagging around his ankles. The echoing shouts of the posse had sped him on faster than the fresh-snipped fingers.

Sarah allowed the awkwardness to drag on before she asked, “Where’d you sneak off to, then, instead of attending sermon?”

“Couldn’t sleep, thought I’d go for a morning constitutional,” he managed. Sarah raised her brows in disbelief. “I heard … something, tracking me through the underbrush.”

“Being a little too brave, aren’t you,” she said.

“You just saw me running, ma’am, so I don’t know how brave I was,” Leslie replied.

“That isn’t what I was referring to,” Sarah said.

She stroked a strong hand across the stock. Cheery birdsong merged with distant shouts, carried on the rustling murmur of the Spar. Leslie watched her finger slip through the narrow iron ring of the trigger guard. Neither her children nor her husband were here to bear witness; she had confronted Leslie alone.

“Jackson already left for town,” she said quietly. “Since he wasn’t sure how long you’d be rambling, he said to tell you the gun was yours until he gets back.”

She circled and rubbed the trigger. Leslie couldn’t tear his gaze away; hair rose from his neck on downward, and he said through a dry mouth, “Thank you kindly.”

“The other message I aim to pass on is from the Jacobses, whose missus entered a prayer request at sermon today, and that is: How dare you let that idiot boy drag Beth across town and get her agitated?” The bile in her voice yanked his attention from her hands to her fury-pinched expression. “If she loses those babies, it’ll be because you disrespected the one rule your trifling self swore to follow.”

Leslie frowned. He said, “All due respect, ma’am, we’re both after a healthy and safe delivery for Beth. The exam had me worried about her prospects, and with twins—”

“Just get the hell into that cabin, Miss Bruin,” Sarah said.

“Come on now,” he began, shifting on his feet.

“Hush your mouth,” she said. “You’ve caused enough trouble, the pastor and all of us agree. You’re to stay on this property and keep from bothering anyone else until either Jackson comes back to escort you, or someone finds Miss Stephanie and brings her home.”

Sunlight glinted off the barrel resting across Sarah’s shoulder. He scrounged up the pride to meet her eyes, nod his head in acknowledgment, and walk right past her onto the cabin porch without another word.

Behind him, she said, “My work will keep me around the yard this afternoon, but come sunset, I’ll leave this rifle on the porch. Should keep you safe, supposing there is a real panther after all.” A pause. “I’ve got another for myself in the house, of course, should it become … necessary.

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