Page 30 of Tack’s Bounty

Ruthy chuckled, slapping her thigh. “Oh sweetie, sometimes looking older is a gift when people underestimate me. Now, are you thinking you want to scare them, chat with them, or something in between?”

Sophia bit her lip, thinking through her options. Rufus was a jerk and had hurt her multiple times when they were married, from pinching her lips when she spoke aloud to when he and his mom hurt her back. That didn’t even count the emotional hurt he’d inflicted with his words.

“Is it horrible if I want to scare them?” Sophia asked.

“Oh, who are we scaring, and can I go too?” Lake asked, walking into the room.

Ruthy stared at them for a second, “Let me grab some items from my car. You ladies head for Sophia’s room, and I’ll meet you there.”

Sophia headed upstairs with Lake following behind.

“What exactly are you planning?” Lake asked.

Sophia opened her closet, looking for some clothes that were dark. She didn’t want anyone to notice her walking across the street.

“I want to talk to Jolene and Rufus when they’re not expecting it and ask them what they are doing,” Sophia replied.

Ruthy slipped into the room, carrying a large duffel bag. “Lake, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but I think you might be better causing a distraction so we can sneak over and surprise Rufus and Jolene,” Ruthy shared.

Lake rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. If I’m the distraction this time, can I go along the next time?”

Ruthy grinned. “Oh, I think we can arrange that. Let me run in here and get changed,” Ruthy explained, pulling some items out of her bag. “Black or dark clothes, Sophia, and I’ll have something to cover your face.”

Sophia stared at the door where Ruthy had gone. Her future mother-in-law was a little scary. Sophia was glad that Ruthy was on her side.

“You and me both,” Lake murmured, flopping onto the bed. “I wonder what type of distraction I get to be. Oh, maybe I could take all my clothes off and streak around the farm. The first man that catches me gets to have me. Hmmm, that would be awesome,” Lake sighed.

“I thought you and Stinger were together,” Sophia prodded, slipping into her black jeans with a black long-sleeve top. Her hair was still braided from the motorcycle ride.

“He made it clear it was a one-time thing. Though after I graded him down for saying he was too tired when I was horny from hearing you and your man that third time, he might need to give me another night if he wants a higher score,” Lake mused.

Sophia slid on her boots as Ruthy walked out of the bathroom, decked out in black.

“All right, Lake. You’re going to go out the clinic side door so you’re in the driveway. Start screaming and pointing toward the woods that you saw a man running with a gas can in his hands. Make sure you don’t describe him all in black. We don’t need them going after us. We’ll turn the front porch light off before you scream, then slip out the front door, across the lawn, and we’ll go behind Jolene’s house. I think her back door would be the perfect place to go in,” Ruthy confirmed.

Sophia tilted her head, wondering when Ruthy had seen the back of Jolene’s house.

“Oh, I checked it out when I realized what a problem she was,” Ruthy replied.

Well, Sophia guessed once again she’d said that out loud.

They headed down the stairs. Lake headed through the kitchen and then through the door to the clinic. Sophia followed Ruthy to the front door where she flipped off the front porch light and the light in the front room.

“Oh, come on. I just sat down,” Shield whined. “Ruthy…”

Ruthy held up her hand toward his face.

“Okay, Ruthless, I can guess where we’re headed. I’m assuming that you’re letting me go with you and that once again, I’m not supposed to share this with my President, VP, or Sgt at Arms? You know I’m a full Brother now and could get in trouble for this,” Shield muttered, holding the door open for them.

Ruthy pulled the mask over her face and handed one to Sophia to put on. After it was in place, Ruthy led them outside and off the porch just as Lake’s screams echoed from the side of the house. For being older, Ruthy, or Ruthless as Shield had called her, seemed to glide from tree to tree. In no time, they’d crossed the street and arrived at Jolene’s back door with no one the wiser.

“When we get inside, let me take the lead,” Ruthy instructed.

Sophia stepped softly behind Ruthy with Shield bringing up the rear. After they checked no one was on the main floor, Ruthy led them upstairs. She paused at the top of the stairs at the sound of voices. Sophia shadowed Ruthy, stepping where she stepped because Ruthy made no sound. They stopped outside a bedroom.

“What’s all the screaming about?” Rufus asked.

“I can’t see everything, but one of your screw-up’s housemates is screaming about a man with a gas can,” Jolene snapped.