the house. Gritting her teeth, she let the frustration of their last conversation wash over her like spring’s flash floods. There was still plenty of daylight, and she could be halfway to Dyersville, where she’d last seen Simon, by nightfall.
Yet, as she pulled up in front of the farmhouse and threw her leg over the saddle, her biggest battle of the day lay ahead. They had agreed never to hunt alone, but they hadn’t planned on Ruby getting hurt when Annabelle was needed at home. They would just have to listen to reason or not.
She slid to the ground and marched into the house, determined that no matter what was said she would be on the road within an hour. She would be in Simon’s hometown tomorrow. Maybe he wouldn’t be there, but maybe he would. No matter, the hunt was on again. And this time she’d win. This time he wouldn’t escape. This time he would go to jail.
When Meg walked into the house, Ruby looked up from her chair with a frown on her face. “What happened?”
Meg didn’t say a word. She went into her bedroom and pulled out her war bags. She tossed in two extra pairs of clothes, grabbed her blanket roll, and carried the bags into the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” Ruby asked, her blue eyes wide with alarm. “Simon wasn’t there, was he?”
Meg grabbed some leftover biscuits, put them in a tin along with some dried fruit, and shoved the meager rations in her bags. Where she was going, she wouldn’t need a lot of food.
“Damn it, Meg, talk to me. You can’t go after him alone. Wait a minute, and I’ll get my things and go with you,” Ruby said, rising from the chair.
“No,” Meg told her. “You’re not going with your ankle in that kind of shape. I can’t be worrying about you. This job I’m doing alone.”
“We made a promise we would always hunt together,” Ruby said, her voice rising.
“Well, sometimes promises have to be broken,” Meg yelled back. Her stomach clenched, and her limbs stiffened as determination pulsed through her blood. It wasn’t like she wanted to go by herself, but she had no choice. “This time it’s just me.”
Annabelle chose that moment to walk into the house. “What’s all the noise about? I could hear you guys clear out in the garden.”
“Meg’s going after Simon…alone.”
“No, you’re not,” Annabelle said, taking a step into the living area, where the three sisters took positions like three prizefighters circling the ring. “We made a deal there would always be two of us.”
“So fire me. I’m breaking the deal,” Meg said, pulling on her long coat, which she knew she would need tonight. “For every day we linger, the trail gets colder.”
“Meg, wait. I’ll go with you. Let me just gather my things,” Annabelle said.
“No. You’re needed here with Ruby. It’s spring calving season. I can do this without your help.”
Annabelle stopped and stared at Meg, her green eyes flashing with anger. “We stick together. We’re like the three musketeers. Don’t do this. I won’t have you go missing or learn I have to bury my sister. You can’t do this without one of us by your side.”
Meg took a deep breath; her heart was pounding in her chest like a runaway locomotive. She had to follow Simon. She had to finish this, so her sisters wouldn’t have to ever bounty hunt again, even if that meant she’d die trying.
“I’m leaving. I’ll be back, or I’ll send you a telegram in a few days and let you know I’m all right,” Meg said, walking toward the door. Part of her knew she was doing wrong, but she refused to stop. She had to go after him like the moon chased the setting sun, like a bull pursued a cow, like a good sheriff chased a criminal.
Or at least, like a good sheriff should chase a criminal.
Simon had become a token that Zach and she were fighting over, and she was determined to win this time. The bounty would be hers. Simon would go to jail. The bank loan would be paid in full, and neither Annabelle
Yet, as she pulled up in front of the farmhouse and threw her leg over the saddle, her biggest battle of the day lay ahead. They had agreed never to hunt alone, but they hadn’t planned on Ruby getting hurt when Annabelle was needed at home. They would just have to listen to reason or not.
She slid to the ground and marched into the house, determined that no matter what was said she would be on the road within an hour. She would be in Simon’s hometown tomorrow. Maybe he wouldn’t be there, but maybe he would. No matter, the hunt was on again. And this time she’d win. This time he wouldn’t escape. This time he would go to jail.
When Meg walked into the house, Ruby looked up from her chair with a frown on her face. “What happened?”
Meg didn’t say a word. She went into her bedroom and pulled out her war bags. She tossed in two extra pairs of clothes, grabbed her blanket roll, and carried the bags into the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” Ruby asked, her blue eyes wide with alarm. “Simon wasn’t there, was he?”
Meg grabbed some leftover biscuits, put them in a tin along with some dried fruit, and shoved the meager rations in her bags. Where she was going, she wouldn’t need a lot of food.
“Damn it, Meg, talk to me. You can’t go after him alone. Wait a minute, and I’ll get my things and go with you,” Ruby said, rising from the chair.
“No,” Meg told her. “You’re not going with your ankle in that kind of shape. I can’t be worrying about you. This job I’m doing alone.”
“We made a promise we would always hunt together,” Ruby said, her voice rising.
“Well, sometimes promises have to be broken,” Meg yelled back. Her stomach clenched, and her limbs stiffened as determination pulsed through her blood. It wasn’t like she wanted to go by herself, but she had no choice. “This time it’s just me.”
Annabelle chose that moment to walk into the house. “What’s all the noise about? I could hear you guys clear out in the garden.”
“Meg’s going after Simon…alone.”
“No, you’re not,” Annabelle said, taking a step into the living area, where the three sisters took positions like three prizefighters circling the ring. “We made a deal there would always be two of us.”
“So fire me. I’m breaking the deal,” Meg said, pulling on her long coat, which she knew she would need tonight. “For every day we linger, the trail gets colder.”
“Meg, wait. I’ll go with you. Let me just gather my things,” Annabelle said.
“No. You’re needed here with Ruby. It’s spring calving season. I can do this without your help.”
Annabelle stopped and stared at Meg, her green eyes flashing with anger. “We stick together. We’re like the three musketeers. Don’t do this. I won’t have you go missing or learn I have to bury my sister. You can’t do this without one of us by your side.”
Meg took a deep breath; her heart was pounding in her chest like a runaway locomotive. She had to follow Simon. She had to finish this, so her sisters wouldn’t have to ever bounty hunt again, even if that meant she’d die trying.
“I’m leaving. I’ll be back, or I’ll send you a telegram in a few days and let you know I’m all right,” Meg said, walking toward the door. Part of her knew she was doing wrong, but she refused to stop. She had to go after him like the moon chased the setting sun, like a bull pursued a cow, like a good sheriff chased a criminal.
Or at least, like a good sheriff should chase a criminal.
Simon had become a token that Zach and she were fighting over, and she was determined to win this time. The bounty would be hers. Simon would go to jail. The bank loan would be paid in full, and neither Annabelle
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