AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Finally, she saw it. A letter from six months ago. Obviously providing the answer to the difficult question of how. How they would be able to regain their footing in Cinderhill. How they could come back and get people to submit and follow. Of course her father had a plan for that. Step one, eliminate Bailey. She was the cog in the wheel. The one who would again try to stop them.
That wasn’t a surprise. Or it shouldn’t have been. Yet still she was shocked to see it in writing. Her father saw her as nothing more than a barrier to his master plan and therefor expendable.
Pushing that feeling aside, she focused on the next part of the plan. Something she was reading but could not make sense of. It was a list of supplies. Things that would be needed, things her mother would have to provide for James and his men. She read it again and again, trying to make sense of why they would need these things.
She scanned the last few letters, still confused. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion but she knew she couldn’t sleep until she figured this out. And not until King was back. He’d been gone for hours, and she wondered how well he’d be able to manage this mission he’d taken on. Moving through unfamiliar woods at night. Trying to clandestinely spy on a group of men who were unnaturally adept at knowing their surroundings and sensing any change.
It wasn’t until Moe burst through the door and breathlessly announced it, that she could breathe right again.
“He’s back,” he said, frantically waving for her to come out.
It was a rush of relief she wasn’t expecting. Nothing had really changed. He’d still lied. The danger still loomed. There was no solution on the horizon, but just knowing he’d come back was enough to calm her. At least for a minute. She would take what she could get.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
King
Arriving back at Cinderhill, exhausted and dirty from his trek in the woods, King stumbled toward Bailey, drawn to her and the light spilling out from her mother’s open door.
“Are you all right?” she asked, looking conflicted about caring how he was.
“I’m not sure if they spotted me, but I think they might have. I got the hell out of there in a hurry. Took a few spills on the way back.”
“I’ll get the first aid kit for those scrapes.”
“No,” he said, waving her off. “I’m fine. I have to tell you what I found out.”
Arnoldo walked up with his arms folded across his chest as he appraised King. He must have looked worse than he thought. Bailey reached up and pulled some leaves out of his hair.
“Arnoldo?” King asked, trying to figure out why he’d come. “You’re here.”
“I’m accepting Bailey’s invitation. Sounds like I’ve come at an eventful time.” Arnoldo smirked. "You look like you’ve been busy. What did you find out?"
King took a deep breath before answering. "There are about eighteen men in the camp, and I saw at least half a dozen rifles.”
“And how did the men seem? On edge?”
“Yes,” King answered worriedly. “They're agitated. Nervous. Everyone was jumpy. The energy there was intense and the camp was a mess. They’ve already picked over a lot of the supplies they stole from Cinderhill. It feels like they’re spiraling. They were doing some kind of ritual around the fire where James was burning them with coals as punishment."
Bailey shuddered at the mention of the ritual. “My father called that back to ashes. At first it was used to test someone’s faith. But it eventually morphed into a form of punishment.”
Arnoldo's face darkened. "They're escalating. That’s not a good sign,” he muttered nervously.
King nodded in agreement. "It feels imminent. Whatever they plan to do, they’ll be doing it soon.”
King paused, considering his options. "Are you armed?” he asked Arnoldo.
“Always,” Arnoldo answered. “I brought what weapons I had. I know there are bears out here sometimes. Wanted to be prepared.” It was obvious Arnoldo knew exactly what he was doing when he decided to show up. He was being coy, but it was clear he came to help in any way he could.
“Do you know anything about a trailer?” King asked, dusting some of the mud off his knees.
“Trailer?” Bailey asked, narrowing her eyes as she tried to understand. “I didn’t know they had a mobile home there.”
“They do,” Moe said, sidling up to them. “They bought it off Lyle Johnson in town a couple of months ago. I was picking up supplies from his gas station and saw James towing it away. It’s a beat up hunk of junk. Barely livable and Lyle was glad to get it off his property.”
“And what are they doing with it?” Bailey asked as though King might have some answers.
“I didn’t see it,” King explained. “But James was pissed that some guy named Buck was out at the trailer by himself. That’s why he was burning the other guys with coals. Like they were all being sloppy.”
