Page 9 of Legacy of Danger
"Why?"
"Because whoever burned down the barn—and it looks like the Brand family had something to do with that action—and stalked our family is still around."
"Stalked?" Another change in air pressure pushed Vaughn off-balance again. He resisted the urge to check his back.
"Yeah. Whatever that black... thing... was that was climbing over Shelby and Eric last night has shown up here as well."
"Wait. It's a separate problem from the Brands?"
"Think so. But who knows?" Kerr glanced around the empty hallway and whispered, "We're in a shit-storm over here, dude."
"Not good." Vaughn clamped down so hard his jaw ached.
Kerr ran a hand over his bright red hair, making it stick up. His kid brother's narrowed eyes rocked Vaughn back on his heels. "No, Mr. Obvious, it's not good. Between you and me, all I'm waiting for is the dust to settle and for Shelby and Eric to recover. Then I'm going after that creature myself."
"Alone? You sure about that?"
"If necessary. I have skills, too, you know."
Kerr's ability to never get lost, combined with his gift to literally disappear, could come in way handy in this situation. But kid brother solo versus that thing? Kerr might be resourceful and wily, but Vaughn had seen firsthand what that creature could do. No way would he let little bro go it alone. "Want help?"
"I want it destroyed." Kerr sniffed. "So, yes, I'd love some help."
"I'm on board with that concept." Vaughn spared a glance at the walls filled with childhood photos, starting with baby pictures and finishing with high school graduation portraits times four. "Garrison know you've cooked up this idea?"
A shrug. "No time to chat. I'm sure he'd be fine with it." The who-me? innocence didn't convince Vaughn.
"Got an actual plan?"
"Details are still in the developmental stage."
"Don't do anything if it puts more of us in danger."
"Danger?" Kerr leaned his shoulder against the bottom of the stairs bannister and studied him. "What? Are you feeling anything else threatening since being here?"
Besides the shadow sensation when he arrived at the ranch? And the impact of a certain doctor's beautiful green eyes that knocked him back a few steps? "If I did, I wouldn't admit to having fear. Makes me sound like a scaredy cat."
"No comment. However, you might want to take those instincts seriously. There's something bad out there. Everything is just... wrong here, man. I can't explain it. Nothing we're doing is working. Everything's broken."
"Like we're cursed?" Big news there. Vaughn had felt cursed his whole life.
Pausing at the entry to the kitchen, Kerr gripped the jamb and whispered, "Not exactly. More like we're being sabotaged or targeted."
"That's crazy."
"So you think." He entered the room and nodded to Ruth, who set a plate of steaming food on the table for Vaughn. Kerr kept on walking. "I'm going back to the hospital. Hold down the fort."
"What am I looking for? Stuff that is out of place?"
"No. That's small potatoes." Kerr turned at the back door. "Look for stuff that scares the holy hell out of you."
