#157
In Clora's kitchen; both Clora and Tess looked up sharply. The mental images coming through in vivid detail were like a slap across the cheek.
"He's hurt," Tess said simply, and frowned when Clora nodded. "I can't tell how bad," Tess bit at her lip and cast a very worried frown in her mother's direction.
"Not life threatening, but there are problems," Clora said calmly. "Go whistle up Dad and we'll let him take charge. Don't make it worse Tess," she cautioned to her daughter's stubborn look; "this won't be easy to explain to Wyatt, so think before you act."
While Tess stood with a very mulish expression, Clora went to the back door and whistled sharply.
Mark was halfway home when Clora's summons split the air. Jogging at full speed, Mark burst into the back door with his service weapon drawn.
"Not us," Clora held up her hand. "It's Wyatt, he's been shot and Abby is trying to defend the Inn full of people. They are still under siege."
In an instant, the military training driven into Mark surfaced and he started giving orders right and left. "Whistle up Milo and Toby, they can go with me. I'll get my horse saddled and Clora, we need water and jerky. Tess, I'm requesting you become the on site security here, I wonder what's keeping the group that went to move the sisters?"
"They had problems, won't be here tonight." Clora announced, and watched a level of irritation work it's way across Mark's face. He said nothing, but gave a short nod and stomped out the door toward the barn.
"Who's left here, George, Bruce, Seamus and Donny?" Tess questioned, and got an affirmative nod from Clora. "I'm gonna run down and get everyone together, and have the boys come back up Dad." Tess was out the back door at a run.
Twenty minutes later, Mark, Toby and Milo left for the Inn and the rest of the group loosely assembled at the clinic in a group protection. Donny and his crew came straggling in with a huge venison roast in a canner cookpot. Judy contributed potatoes, Honey and Millie had onions, Phoebe and Honey had a couple loaves of bread, and Clora came with quarts of green beans and a tapioca pudding.
This was the first time Donny and his family had been to another member's home and there were some stare downs among the children. Nobody was sure exactly whom belonged where and it took a while for the tension to ease as the kids got acquainted.
Sally was scared to be summoned so briskly, and she had a good hand on her brothers and sisters, not wanting them to get involved with the hustle and bustle of the meeting. It took the triplets to break the ice and get the playing started. Truth be told, Tess purposely kept her boys away from the other kids she felt here hooligans, and everyone was surprised the identical boys were so grown up.
The short time they were all together for church, Tess kept her boys under strict control, so the rest of the clan had no idea the boys could talk and react as they were doing. Tess had already warned Clora that they needed to be watchful with Ricky and Tony and Eddie. "They are little monsters," she confided to her mother, "don't trust them an inch."
Clora had nodded and hid a smile. The new mama's were put to bed in the ward with babies, George and Seamus took the first watch, and the rest of the group handled the cooking.
George excused himself to run over to the store and roll down the security shutters, Millie turned into the child care provider; and the smart alecks that intended to cause a little uproar, found themselves too busy to get into mischief.
Donny and Bruce went to nap for their stint as the second watch, and the very young children were under the watchful eyes of Judy and Sally.
Chuck kept the fire hot to cook the rabbit in a quick hurry. "You saddle the pack horse and get your stuff ready to travel," he told his jovial companion. "I don't intend to stay here tonight next to a dead horse. That's going to attract way too many predators."
"Humm, yeah, I guess if you say so," came the casual reply and Chuck went to saddle his own mount.
Gary and Andy listened and waited for another growl, one time feeling the wooden rafters of the roof sway and pitch when something landed on part of the intact roof. Reva squeaked a little and stood behind Don with her pistol drawn, ready to help defend against the unknown terrorizing animal.