Page 21 of Deadly Revenge

“That’s my Blue,” Gordon said. “But something’s wrong.”

“Maybe they’ve treed a bear,” her uncle said.

Junior grunted. “If it’s a bear, more likely they’ve backed one in a corner.”

They were all standing now, and her dad had his GPS tracker out. His dog, Thunder, wore a tracking collar to make it easier to find him once he treed a coon.

“According to this ...”—he tapped the handheld unit—“Thunder’s close to an old logging road. We ought to be able to drive right to the dogs.”

More frantic barking echoed over the ridge. “Sounds like we need to get to them pretty quick,” Junior said.

Jenna sighed. Just when the men had started talking, this had to happen. She should’ve tried harder to steer the conversation to Joe Slater’s accident earlier.

Everyone trekked out of the woods to their pickups. Since her dad had the tracking unit, he took point and the others followed.

Jenna opted to ride with her dad, and he’d given her the tracker to follow. “This says there’s a narrow road up ahead—turn there.”

“Probably an old log road.”

When they reached what looked like a driveway, he turned into it. She frowned as limbs brushed against the window. If the trees got any closer to the edge of the lane, they would have to get out and walk. “What do you think the dogs have cornered?”

“Not a clue. I just hope it’s not a bear. Last time Thunder tangled with one, he lost half an ear.”

“Are there bears around here?” She didn’t remember any being in the area when she was a kid.

“They tend to stay closer to the Smokies, but every once in a while, one will make his way over here.” He was quiet a minute, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “I’m glad you came tonight. I’ve missed our time together.”

“I’m glad I came too,” she said. “And thank you for taking up for me with Sam.”

“Don’t pay him any attention.”

“I didn’t know he was drinking again.”

“Yeah,” he said. “There’s nothing I can do about it. He’s the one who has to make the change.”

“What made him start again?”

“Your guess is as good as mine ... although he got really upset about a month ago when he ran into Harrison Carter.”

“Why?”

“He blames Carter for losing our family farm when the dam was built.”

“Didn’t they go to school together?” She didn’t know why she remembered that ... unless it was because Sam liked to talk about important people he knew. He would’ve put their former mayor in that category.

“Yeah, they were good friends at one time—Harrison came around quite a bit when you were little. That was before he became mayor.”

Maybe that’s why she’d known about the school bit. The front tire hit a rut, and Jenna grunted as she grabbed the armrest. Her dad stopped the truck and nodded his head toward the window. The barks were much louder.

“How close are we?” he asked.

She glanced down at the tracker in her hand. “Looks like we’re about even with them.” Jenna pointed to the left. “They’re that way.”

He killed the motor, and they climbed out. The others soon joined them, and her dad cocked his head. “Doesn’t sound like they’re that far or like they’ve found a bear ...”

“Doesn’t smell like they’ve spooked a skunk either,” Junior said. “I say go to them rather than call and have them not come.”

“And I say let’s call ’em in and go home,” Todd said. “I gotta get up early in the morning.”

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