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“Tracks?” McCord asked. His mother nodded. “What kind?”
Her wide brow creased. “What kind?”
“Boots? Shoes? Man? Woman? One set? Or two?”
“I do not know.”
“Where’s Granddad?”
“He took his rifle. He has been gone all day.”
“Have you seen any wolves?” Gina asked.
“Not before Juan died. Since then, there is one that watches the house. That’s why Father left with his gun. He said it is the creature that killed Juan and that creature must die.”
The others began to file inside, and Fanny rubbed her hands on her apron, face clearing. “I must return to the kitchen. Everyone will be hungry.” She peered at the group crowding into the hall. “Where are the other two?”
Amberleigh gasped. Melda choked. Then they were both crying.
Ah, hell.
Gina glanced at Matt, and he moved forward, putting his arm around Melda, even as Gina cast him a dirty look for choosing the easy one and headed for Amberleigh. Gina jerked her head at Fanny, and McCord drew his mother aside to explain that what had happened at the ranch had been repeated away from it times two.
Fanny began muttering in Ute, and Jase herded her and the others down the hall toward the kitchen.
“We need to take,” Gina indicated Amberleigh, who’d folded herself into Gina’s embrace like a baby, with a downward tilt of her chin, “into town.”
Matt nodded. The sooner the better.
“Let’s get everyone cleaned up and settled first.”
Matt tilted his head, patting Melda as she continued to cry on his shoulder. “You think that’s a good idea?”
“It’s a better idea than dragging a traumatized woman into town covered in mud and just—” She mouthed the words leaving her there. “Besides, we need to talk to the police. I’d prefer not to do it dropping dried mud all over the station.”
Matt wasn’t so sure. He figured their appearance would lend weight to their story. But … What was their story?
“What are you gonna say?”
Gina climbed the stairs, Amberleigh moving along compliantly at her side. “Give me an hour,” she said. “I’ll come up with something.”
* * *
A half hour later Gina stood beneath the heated stream of the shower, letting all the mud and grit slide down the drain. Too bad all the confusion didn’t wash off the same way.
She’d been afraid she might have to climb into the shower with Amberleigh, but cleanliness appeared to trump craziness, because as soon as the girl saw indoor plumbing she stopped whimpering and tore off her clothes.
Gina sat on the bed until Amberleigh came out of the shower wrapped in a robe—pale, with purple circles under her eyes, at least she’d stopped sucking her thumb—and kicked her out.
“I just wanna sleep,” Amberleigh said. “Go away.”
Before Gina was out the door, Amberleigh was snoring. Maybe sleep was the best thing. Maybe they’d take her to the doctor tomorrow. That might give Gina a chance to figure this out.
She pulled back the shower curtain with a half laugh. There was no figuring this out.
Although she would like to have a long talk with Isaac.
The sun had set while Gina dealt with Amberleigh. She heard the others going into their rooms, turning on their showers. She threw on sweatpants, fuzzy socks, and a T-shirt, then went to find food, coffee, and her family. All three were in the kitchen.
