“Since you have to watch your own kid now, does this mean I have to find someone else to help me build more Auralnators?”
“No,” Henry answered, “I’ll find someone to help out with him. In fact, I’ll speak to Joe during our meeting this afternoon.” Henry looked as his watch. “Speaking of which . . . I’d better hurry up and look at perimeter twelve ahead of time. I know Joe will ask about it.” Henry hurried and lifted his tool bag. “See you guys.” He darted out the door.
“Henry. You forgot . . .” Danny held his hand out then dropped it when he saw Henry was gone. Danny looked at Nick in his arms, “…your kid.”
Scott snickered. “He did the exact same thing to me this morning.”
“What am I supposed to do with him? I can’t just . . .” A bright smile hit Danny.
“What? What’s that look for?”
Danny nodded his head. “I’ve got a great idea.” He moved to the door with Nick. “It’s time to put Henry’s true paternal instincts to test. See ya.” Danny left with Nick.
Scott shook his head and returned to his work. “Test Henry’s paternal instinct?” Scott chuckled, “He’ll fail.”
^^^^
Opheim, Montana
Ellen huffed. Her arms were folded to her as she stood outside with Frank. He faced one way over a small hill. She faced the opposite way yet they stood close enough their arms almost touched. She peered at the truck twenty feet away and huffed once more.
“Enough,” Frank told her.
“Frank.” Ellen tapped her fingers anxiously. “Do you think you could take any longer?”
“I wouldn’t take this long if you weren’t breathing down my neck.”
“I can’t even reach your neck.” She tilted her head back and peeked at him. “You didn’t even go.”
“How can I go when you keep watching me?”
“Why did we even pull over?”
“I told you I had to go.”
“But you haven’t.”
“That’s because you keep telling me to hurry up.”
Ellen let out a disgruntled breath. “You would think after twenty years you wouldn’t have a problem peeing in front of me.”
“I don’t have a problem peeing in front of you. I have a problem starting when you keep fuckin watching.”
“Then I’ll stand by the truck.”
“Don’t stand by the truck. I want you by me in case there’s trouble.”
Ellen tossed her hands in the air. “Frank, you either have me stand here, telling you to go, or I stand by the truck to let you go in peace. Either way… GO!”
“All right! I’m going.”
“Thank God.” Ellen exhaled and shifted her weight. “You make me stand by you.” She shifted her weight to the other side. “How in the world are you supposed to protect me while you go to the bathroom?”
“Ellen, shut up.”
“What are you gonna do, Frank, hose them down?”
“El, be quiet.”
“Why are you talking to me like that?” Ellen bitched. “Would you please finish. This isn’t a marathon. I’d like to . . .”
“Ellen!” Frank zipped up.
“No, I’d like to get going.”
“I’m done! Now will you shut your fuckin mouth?”
“Fuck you, Frank. I can’t believe you are taking . . .” Ellen shut up when she saw Frank reach into his shoulder harness for his revolver and pull it out. He spun to her, stepped back, and lifted it.
“What are you gonna do. Shoot me?”
“Duck.” Frank laid his hand on her head, shoved her down, extended his revolver, and fired a shot. There was a grunt, followed by a thump.
Ellen screamed, spun to look, and saw what looked like a savage lying not three feet from her. His forehead was now missing from Frank’s shot. “Shit.”
“Where’s there’s one, there’s more.” Frank helped her to her feet and spoke calmly. He checked his clip. “Stay behind me. Hold onto my waist and whatever you do, don’t let go.” He began to move with her.
“Should we run to the truck?”
“No, move with me. With savages, I take no chance. Just stay ready. Don’t be surprised if . . .” A loud hooting, the traditional cry of war from the savages began. “. . . that happens. Fuck.”
One came from the left, two from the right, and another jumped up on the truck. Frank fired straight ahead. It hit the savage on the truck and sailed him backwards. He turned to his right and aimed. A spear came flying at him with a high pitch whistle. Like a batter waiting for his pitch, Frank swung the hand that held the gun and knocked the spear to the side. He rose up again, shot twice, and hit them both. Then he shifted to his right.
The last savage leaped forth as if he were an attack dog. Frank looked more perturbed than anything else, seeing the thin, smaller man lunge for him. Frank merely clenched his fist, grunted in anger, and delivered a hard blow to the savage, just as he neared within inches. The savage’s eyes rolled, his body spun quickly the other way, and then dropped to the ground. Frank reached down with Ellen, still holding her tightly. He lifted the still breathing savage by his hair, braced him, and with a quick jolt of his head, Frank broke the savage’s neck.
Ellen’s face was buried so deeply into Frank’s back, her nose actually hurt. Slowly she lifted her head. “Is it safe?”
“Did you think it wouldn’t be?”
“Oh listen to how cocky you are. See! See, Frank, this is why we shouldn’t be out here.”
Frank took Ellen by the arm and led her back to the truck. “No, this is exactly why we should be out here.”
“What? So we can be killed.”
“No, so we can stay busy.”
Ellen laughed in ridicule as they arrived at the truck. “You are not Indiana Jones, Frank. Life isn’t just one big adventure. You can’t swing in on a rope and save . . . O.K. maybe you can. But you can’t jump in . . . well, you do that too.” Ellen got in the truck and Frank stayed at the door. staring at her with one raised eyebrow. “What if a group of . . .eh, you could.”
“Your point?”
“My point is . . .” Ellen paused to think. “My point is we aren’t stopping any more. No more. Let’s just get going.”
Frank smiled and closed the truck door. He walked over to his side, got in, shut his door, grabbed Ellen, and kissed her hard and long. He pulled back with a slight moan, kissed her quickly again, then started the truck. He grinned at her. “Having fun yet?”
“There is just something wrong with you.”
Frank gave a chuckle, shifted gears, pulled away.
Ellen brought her hands to her lips as the truck started to move. She slowly and silently let out the frightened breath she held. She hid her fright from Frank, but the fact remained, whether Ellen was with the safest person she could be with or not, she had just been scared. Though it didn’t seem to faze Frank, they were beyond the walls of their home and Ellen wondered what else could be waiting for them out there.
Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8 Page 67
