Blacklake-Book4-1 Three Cousins

Chapter 48
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I was pretty proud of Ezra. Watchin’ it through that one-way mirror was pretty cool. Didn’t know a hen could sit so still for so long without cluckin’ a bull’s ears off. Ezra’s a bit special, in so many ways.

Was a bit disappointin’ that most of the names that arose from our unconventional interrogation were already bein’ searched for by the constables. There’s a lot of real estate in the Range an ogre can hide. For a while. But none of us wanted to wait until the fall snow flurries arrived, and they slithered home before they froze to death.

“What now?” Ezra asked me as we met Papa in the station’s waiting area.

Papa told Ezra, “Heard ya got em to open their mouths. I’ll have em held here for a week, so they can mull their life choices.”

I’d been back there recently. Doin’ one’s business in a pot in front of others for a few days is enough to lower one’s zeal about breathin’, bein’ stupid.

Papa continued, maybe from Ezra’s question to me. “Constables have targeted about thirty locales that miscreants might likely hide out. But—”

Didn’t much like his silence. A constable likely let slip they doubted they’d ever find Thomas’ body, much less—unless wolves dug it up and deposited the bones on a popular hikin’ trail.

Many times I have hated that I have such an active imagination. I feared in this case, prolly a pretty accurate one.

Over a deep growl Ezra said, “They coulda driven him as far as the Wildes by now. But I suspect they didn’t go far. Idjits that would do such a thing ain’t big thinkers. They woulda taken a fairly nearby huntin’ track to disappear in the woods quickly.”

“Exactly what the Chief admitted was his assumption,” Papa said. “Why they have helos flyin’ at treetop level along all the trails within an hour of the Hamlet.”

“Then we search within an hour’s drive,” I said.

“I got every available clan bull doin’ exactly that,” Papa said.

My chest tightened a whole bunch. He had the whole clan involved already. Of course he did. That meant thousands of irritable Birs ogres traipsin’ through the Range lookin’ for a miscreant to tear apart. The elk and boar will think it’s huntin’ season again. Be a lot of compound bows slung over shoulders.

I caught Ezra’s head slump hard. Yeah. Hearin’ half the adult clan members were already engaged and we hadn’t heard nothing—was a mean thump to the chest.

~ Ezra ~

Ike didn’t argue a bit. Nor did Uncle Bliar. I maybe shoulda spent more time selectin’ stuff for my knapsack, because we weren’t gonna return for days, or until we got some kind of word on our satellite radios. It had been years since I’d roughed it in the cold peaks overnight. Frankly, wasn’t lookin’ forward to it.

A bit of a sigh leaked out when Aunt Dorig, bless her heart, dragged two heavy vittle waist-packs I hadn’t noticed, out of the back of Uncle’s SUV. Don’t know how I didn’t scent em, though the tender aroma of well-seared beef danced through the nylon.

“Ya come with me,” Uncle said. “My mate will keep Ike out of trouble.” Still surprised they let Ike participate in this, what I know is idjiotic. But something I had to do. They didn’t. Ike definitely shouldn’t be.

I opened my mouth to disagree about the teams. Just seemed right for me to go with Ike—was my assumption. Uncle grimaced a tad, to enforce the fact it wasn’t up for discussion. Okay, then. He leaned back inside his SUV and drew out a compound bow he handed to Ike, then collected another for himself. They were goin’ in armed?

Even constables don’t pack—well, on their body. They tote shotguns, I know, in their vehicles. A weapon that can annoy the average giant, take em off their stride—realign their mood, I think is the expression I’ve heard used.

A compound bow bolt sent by an adult ogre can take down an elephant, not that we have any of those in the Range. Don’t splat flat against an ogre’s chest muscle like lead does.

“If we find ourselves facin’ multiple bulls,” Uncle said, maybe from my surprised face, “we aren’t takin’ any chances.” Or askin’ a lot of questions, I think I read on his stern face.

Gear slung over our shoulders, Bliar gave Dorig a kiss that lingered—their tusks clacked a good five times. With just a nod they separated and headed for our own trails, which we had parked between. She lead Ike west. I followed Uncle east.

~