"He's not. I just checked." Meagan spread jam on her bread. "His bed didn't appear to have been slept in last night."
Sarah leaned back in her chair, her face resigned. "He's probably gone to Toby's again."
"Probably so," Meagan agreed as she bit into the bread. They'd had a difficult time separating those boys. One was always sneaking off to the others to play. "I think I'll walk over there and see if I can find him."
"I'll go with you. Just let me wash these dishes first."
"I'll help." Meagan grabbed a rag and began drying, unable to get her mind off Jeremy. It had been a week since they'd come to live here, and Jeremy had withdrawn more into himself with each passing day. At first, he'd been excited to be there, but lately he seemed happy only when he was playing with Toby. "Do you think everything's okay with Jeremy, Sarah?"
Sarah paused in her scrubbing. "I don't know. He used to come to me when something was bothering him. I think maybe he's upset with me, but I don't know why. I can't get him to open up."
Cole walked in the room. "Meagan, I need to speak with you."
"What is it?"
"Alone."
Meagan didn't miss the grim expression on his face, and she quickly placed the last dish away then turned toward Sarah. "Wait for me. I'll just be a minute."
Meagan followed Cole from the room. She studied his stiff form as he stood, his back to her, staring out the window. "What is it Cole?"
He turned toward her. "Toby's missing. So is his calf."
"Jeremy's missing, too," Meagan stated in dismay, wondering what the two of them were up to.
"I know. I think they've run away."
"Oh, Cole, they're just little boys. Where would they go?"
"I don't know, but I think they've been gone most of the night."
"You think they left before sunrise?" Panic rose like bile in Meagan's throat. "Cole, we have to find them."
"I know." he placed his hands on her shoulders, "Stephen and I will find them Meagan. I promise."
"I'm going with you." It was a simple statement that brooked no argument.
"Meagan, you should stay here with Sarah."
"She'll want to come, too," Meagan stated with firm conviction.
"We can't have everybody gallivanting across the country looking for those boys," Cole declared in exasperation.
Meagan jutted her chin out, her decision made. "I'm going, and if Sarah wants, she's coming as well. The more people searching, the quicker we'll find them."
"Meagan, I have enough to worry about without concerning myself with the two of you."
"Then don't concern yourself," Meagan offered in a level voice. "I assure you that I'm very capable of taking care of myself. I've been doing it for years."
"I know you have, Meagan, but," his features relaxed slightly as she looked expectantly up at him. "I can't argue with your logic, Meagan. You can come."
"Sarah, too?"
A hint of a smile lighted Cole's blue eyes. "Sarah, too," he agreed. A frown replaced his smile. "Someone has to let her know what's happened."
Meagan turned without another word. "I'll do it."
"Meagan,"
She turned back around. "Yes?"
"I'm going to saddle up the horses. We need to hurry."
With a nod Meagan turned and entered the kitchen. "Sarah, I have some news about Jeremy." She didn't mince words. There was no time for that. "He and Toby have run away."
Sarah plopped weakly into a chair. "I should have known he'd do something like that. He's been so quiet lately, and.."
"We'll find out why later, Sarah." Meagan didn't want to be rude, but time was valuable. "Toby went with him, and it appears they may have left some time ago. There's no time to waste."
"I'm going with you."
"I know." Meagan exited the kitchen, Sarah close behind. "Cole's saddling the horses. I'm going to change into a riding skirt and light blouse. I suggest you do the same."
Sarah separated from her, heading to her room.
"I'll meet you back here in five minutes," Meagan called to Sarah's retreating back.
"Why don't we meet at the stables," Sarah suggested. "It will be faster that way."
Meagan nodded and rushed to her room to change. She beat Sarah by two minutes, and was helping Cole with the horses when Sarah arrived.
"I thought men were supposed to do the rescuing," Cole mumbled beneath his breath.
Meagan approached him. "I heard that."
He frowned down at her. "Time was when a woman stayed at home, waiting with open arms for the man to save the day."
"Is everybody ready?" Stephen interrupted their conversation.
Silencing her biting retort, Meagan nodded.
"We're ready. Let's move out." Cole handed Angel's reins to her, and did the same for Sarah.
"Meagan and I will head northeast, you two head southeast. It's only been light for a few hours. I can't imagine they made it far in the dark, especially with that calf. Ride out about three miles, then circle in. We'll meet at Three Creeks and check our progress."
Stephen nodded his agreement and broke away from Cole and Meagan. Sarah followed him. Meagan urged Angel to a trot beside Cole, her eyes already searching the land as she asked, "where's Three Creeks?"
"It's straight east of here about three and a half miles. Stephen and I named it when we were children. One stream branches off into three creeks for several hundred feet, then joins back together. We used to swim there."
Without further conversation they rode, surveying the land for any sign of the boys. They'd reached their three mile limit, and were heading back south when a faint sound caught Meagan's attention. She reined Angel tightly in, signaling for Cole to do the same. A quick finger against her lips assured Cole's silence while she listened.
There it was again. She glanced at Cole, who nodded. He'd heard it too. It was a ways off, but it was definitely a child's voice. They waited several more seconds, but all was quiet. "I think it was that way," Meagan pointed north, hoping she was correct.
"It was," Cole verified with certainty as they headed off that direction.
Meagan squinted against the sun as she turned her head from side to side. They had to be close, but heard no other sound. They stopped again, and waited, and waited. Meagan strained to hear something, anything that would indicate where the boys might be.
"Ouch! You come back here, you darn calf."
It was so clear Meagan practically jumped from her skin. Toby was fifteen feet above them, on a small ledge that protruded from a rock cliff, and he was dangerously close to the edge.
About to call out to him, Meagan shut her mouth quickly as Cole frantically shook his head. "You'll startle him," he whispered. "We need to find a way up there, and quick."
Meagan nodded, and without further instruction headed one direction as Cole headed the other. She searched desperately for a trail, but the mountain was solid vertical rock. She turned back toward Cole and realized with despair that he was having no better luck. Just then she spotted a small crevice, just wide enough to slip your foot in. It was relatively steep, but she thought she could manage.
Meagan slipped from Angel's back and began her climb. It was a tortuous, inch by inch process. Her hands became torn and bloody as she grasped desperately for any hand hold. Her full skirt was hampering every move. Just a few feet from the top, she latched onto a rock that wasn't secure, and it tumbled to the ground. Meagan smothered a gasp as she nearly lost her balance, and glanced below her. Cole was there, just starting the climb. Having him near gave her the courage to continue, and she nudged her way up, until she was on the top of the ledge.
Toby was there, tugging hard on a rope tied around Petunia's neck. The calf was tugging the other direction, toward the edge of the cliff. "Come back here," Toby yelled, obviously frustrated with the stubborn animal.
Afraid to call to him, Meagan tiptoed toward him as quietly as possible. Each pebble that crunched under her boot was cause
for alarm. Strain was etched deeply on her face as she came within six feet of her target.
It was then Toby saw her. "Meagan, what are you doing here?"
Meagan stopped, not wanting to frighten him into any quick moves. "I was worried about you, Toby. So is your pa."
"I'm fine," Toby stated confidently, "it's just that Petunia won't come here."
"Toby, let the rope go," Meagan urged, frantically watching as the calves hoof came within inches of the ledge. When Toby didn't respond, she cautiously approached him. "Toby, if you let the calf go, she won't fight any more."
"She'll run away, again," Toby stated with conviction, tugging with all his might against the rope.
"Toby, no!" Meagan saw what was about to transpire before it actually happened, and without thought she lunged toward Toby.
The calf jerked his neck hard, his hoof landing in mid-air as he struggled to maintain his balance. Toby was jerked to the ground, still grasping the rope. Meagan landed hard on her stomach and clasped Toby's body against hers as she gripped the rope in clenched hands. She pulled hard. Petunia caught her balance just as the rope slid from Meagan's hands. Winded from her fall, Meagan lay still on the ground.
Cole reached the top of the cliff just in time to see Meagan grab for Toby. Toby's chubby hands weren't strong enough to hold the rope, and only Meagan's grip on the rope had saved Toby's calf from a sure death. Cole approached Toby, who clung to him, his tiny body convulsed with sobs of fear.
Meagan lay where she was, so badly shaken she couldn't move. Reaction settled in, and she began to shake. Her hands stung where the rope had been torn from them.
Cole cursed his timing. If he'd gotten there sooner, he could have helped Meagan. His darn foot was so big he'd had difficulty finding any footholds. When he'd first spotted Meagan half way up, he'd nearly called out to her, but she was already too high to retreat. He'd done the only thing he could, and followed her as quickly as possible. Only, it hadn't been quick enough.
Meagan forced a calm she didn't feel, and cautiously sat up, assessing her injuries as she went. Her knees and elbows were scraped, and she was certain she had a large bruise near her ribs where Toby's boot had hit her when she'd landed. Nothing seemed to be broken, and she stood shakily, relieved when the motions caused no additional pain. It was then she heard Toby's cries, and turned towards Cole, whose eyes were filled with worry.
She smiled shakily, hoping to reassure him that she was fine. She approached them and knelt to the boys level. Beside Cole. "Toby," she whispered.
Toby flung himself into her arms, clinging to her, "You saved Petunia, Meagan. She almost fell off that cliff."
Meagan held Toby tightly against her, not mentioning that she'd been much more worried for Toby than Petunia.
"Toby, where is Jeremy?" Cole asked.
Toby untangles himself from and pointed behind him. "He's over there."
"How far over there?" Cole searched the area behind them, but it was steep and seemed an unlikely route to travel.
"Not far. He's sleeping in a cave I found."
"Can you show me?" Cole prodded.
Toby nodded. "I know right where it is."
Cole stood, offering his hand to Toby. Toby trustingly slid his much smaller one inside Cole's, and led Cole up a small, narrow trail that was practically hidden by brush and overgrown weeds. Meagan stayed where she was, keeping her eye on Petunia, who was grazing nearby. She was too shaken up to move. Several minutes passed in absolute silence, and in that time Meagan managed to compose herself.
Cole appeared before her, holding Jeremy in his arms, Toby still clinging to his hand. When Jeremy saw her, he held his arms out to her. Meagan reached for him, ignoring the heavy burden he put on her already stiff muscles. "We were worried about you, Jeremy."
He said nothing as he clung to her. Meagan knew Jeremy would talk when he was ready, and not a second sooner. She'd wait.
"Let's go." Cole turned away from the ledge and fetched Petunia. They walked nearly a half mile until they found a safe path to the ground below. It was a full twenty minutes before they made it back to their horses, and Meagan held Jeremy the whole way. Her shoulders ached, but she refused to release him. She wondered if she might need his comfort as much as he needed hers.
When she attempted to help him onto Angel, he clung to her with no intention of letting go. "Jeremy, you can ride in front of me. I promise I won't leave you."
He didn't speak, but he loosened of his grip around her neck. Meagan lifted him onto the saddle, then mounted herself. She straddled the saddle with no regard to propriety. It was much easier to hold Jeremy that way.
Cole led the way to Three Creeks, Toby riding in front of him. Meagan managed to catch a word or two of their conversation. Toby was explaining how his calf had run away, and how he'd found it on the ledge. Meagan couldn't hear but a scattered word here and there, but from what she could gather, it had been Jeremy's idea to run away, and Toby's idea to bring the calf.
Thirty minutes passed, and in that time Toby appeared to have completely recovered from his ordeal. By the time they reached their destination he was chatting non-stop. Jeremy still hadn't spoken a word.
Meagan spotted both Stephen and Sarah waiting for them. She felt Jeremy stiffen against her as he saw his sister, and she soothed him gently, "it's okay, Jeremy. Sarah was very worried about you."
"I don't want to see her."
His whispered words were so quiet that Meagan wasn't sure she'd heard correctly. She knew that Jeremy adored Sarah, as Sarah did him. "Jeremy," Meagan urged, "Sarah needs to see you. It will make her feel much better when she knows you're okay."
Jeremy shook his head vehemently. "I don't want to see her."
Knowing she couldn't let him have his way, Meagan waited for Sarah to approach, then attempted to lower him into her arms. He clung tightly to her, and she couldn't pry his little fingers loose.
"Jeremy, will you please come down." Sarah held her hands out to her brother.
"I don't want to."
"I know you don't, Jeremy, but Meagan's hurt, and she's tired. She needs you to come down so she can get down and rest."
Jeremy's little eyes darted to her, and it was then he noticed the blood seeping from a small wound on her elbow. His eyes widened in fear as he asked, "are you hurt bad?"
"No, Jeremy," Meagan reassured, "but I would like to wash off in the creek and rest for a while."
Jeremy nodded and went willingly into his sister's arms. He had a big heart. Meagan lifted herself from the saddle, and was surprised when her feet didn't touch the ground. She found herself in Cole's arms, and he carried her to the creek without a single protest from her. She was sore, tired and bleeding. She could think of nothing better than having Cole take care of her.
Sarah placed Jeremy on the ground, bending to his level. Stephen was right behind her. Meagan kept her eye on the group even as Cole helped wash her wounds.
Sarah welcomed the warmth of Stephen's presence near her. "Jeremy, tell me why you ran away." Sarah's eyes searched her brother's face.
"I had to."
"Why?"
His little pout and crossed arms spoke for him. He had no intention of telling her another thing. She knew him well enough to know that persuasion wouldn't help. Guilt, however, might just do the trick. "I guess it was my fault. I haven't been paying enough attention to you lately. I've let you play with Toby when I should have played with you myself."
"I like Toby," Jeremy declared in defense of his best friend.
"I know you do." Sarah stood then and sighed, "but still, I must have been neglecting you, or you wouldn't have left."
"You haven't been neglectng' me." Jeremy struggled with the big word. "It wasn't your fault at all."
Sarah got down on her knees before him as she continued, "well how can I believe that when you won't tell me why you did leave. Usually when one person won't tell another person something, it's because it's that other person's fault."
/> "I didn't leave because of you." Jeremy was becoming upset, which was exactly what Sarah wanted.
"Why then, Jeremy? Why did you run away?"
"I'm a big boy. I can live by myself. I don't need anyone's help." His lips trembled as he stared bravely at his sister.
"Jeremy," Sarah sighed, loving him so much in that instant that she wanted nothing more than to crush him to her. "You can do anything you want. You can be anything you want. But please don't leave me. I need you."
"It's all my fault, Sarah." Crocodile tears coursed down his cheeks as he wrung his hands together, "it's my fault that daddy is in trouble."
Sarah felt fury collide with compassion. Their father, again. Hadn't Jeremy suffered enough already. "Jeremy, you know it's not your fault. We've talked about this before."
"We've talked," Jeremy sobbed brokenly, "but I never believed you. I killed ma."
"Oh Jeremy, never think that." Sarah couldn't stop herself from grabbing her brother and smothering him against her. Tears rolled freely down her cheeks as she protested vehemently, "you did not kill our ma. You are a sweet, loving little boy who has done nothing but good things."
Jeremy pushed hard against his sister, forcing her to let him go. He wasn't crying anymore. He was angry. He stomped his foot as he yelled, "I did too. I killed ma and that's why pa drinks. It's why he hates us and it's why he hits me. He doesn't hit anybody else because they didn't kill ma. I did."
"Jeremy, no." Sarah's voice cracked as she fought against her anguish. There had been so much pain already, too much pain. She felt helpless, but she knew Jeremy needed her now, and she couldn't afford to break down.
Sarah felt Stephen's arm drape across her shoulder, offering her his strength. His strength gave her strength and she straightened just a bit as she started over.
"Jeremy, pa loves you. He loved ma, too. Sometimes people hurt the ones they love. They don't mean to, but it happens anyway. When ma died, it hurt pa something fierce. It wasn't her fault, but it still hurt him. That's why he drinks."
"But if he loves me, why does he hit me?"
"Because, Jeremy, he needs help. Stephen and Cole are going to help him get better. When he gets better he won't hit you anymore. I promise you that."
Deanna Tompkins Page 17