Moonrise by Terri Farley Read Free Book Online Page B

arm circled Brynna’s shoulders, and she took a deep breath. When she continued, she sounded calmer.
    â€œIf your dogs attacked a person, you could be looking at jail time, Linc. If they should go feral—”
    â€œThey won’t,” Linc promised. “They’re valuable dogs.”
    So what? Sam thought. What did price have to do with anything? If the dogs had escaped once, they could do it again.
    â€œTheir names are kind of common, but they’re bred and trained in Louisiana,” he bragged. “And they cost me a pretty penny, let me tell you. Gator, he’s the bluetick, kind of a speckledy one?” Linc looked at Sam and she nodded. “Then there’s Bub. He’s the pointer, and Shirley is the boss of ’em both, she’s the black-and-tan Walker hound.”
    â€œIf they turned feral,” Brynna continued coldly, “they would be exceedingly dangerous. They’ve been trained to hunt, you say, so that’s what they’ll do. Feral dogs don’t have the natural fear of man that wolves and coyotes do.”
    Brynna was right. The dogs had scattered only when Jeep had fallen on a member of the pack.
    â€œI’ll alert the Elys, Trudy Allen, and Sheriff Ballard—” Brynna began.
    â€œAw, now, there’s no sense doing that,” Linc said.
    â€œIt would be negligent not to,” Brynna insisted. “Trudy Allen has that blind foal—”
    â€œI just don’t think they’ll bother the horses. I think this”—Linc motioned toward Dad—“was a one-shot deal. I mean, horses are just like big dogs, aren’t they? I don’t see any reason they can’t get along.”
    Although Brynna’s face flushed even darker at Slocum’s statement, she didn’t bother educating him. She just finished her sentence.
    â€œâ€”and her grandchildren come to visit, too.”
    Brynna crossed her arms in a rigid bar at her waist, waiting.
    â€œI promise my dogs won’t get out again.” Linc’s voice overflowed with mock patience. He raised his right hand as if swearing in court.
    â€œHuntin’ dogs want to hunt,” Dad said.
    â€œI’ve got a dog handler,” Linc protested. “His name’s Karl.”
    Sam looked over in time to see Brynna’s eyebrows arch in surprise.
    â€œHe wasn’t around today,” Linc said, shrugging. “But Karl keeps them in line.”
    Sam had to call Jen. That’s all there was to it. Jen lived on Gold Dust Ranch where her dad, Jed Kenworthy, was Slocum’s foreman. They’d know the dogs and their handler, Karl. If he even existed.
    Judging by Dad’s and Brynna’s expressions, theyhadn’t heard of a newcomer, either.
    â€œI’m going to take this inside, okay?” Sam said, holding up the plant.
    â€œYeah,” Dad told her, then nodded at Linc and said, “Thanks.”
    Sam hurried toward the house. She’d caught Linc Slocum lying more than once. This time it should be easy.
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    Sam’s nose tingled at the aroma of the sauce Gram was stirring.
    â€œOh, yum,” Sam said as she placed the potted plant in the middle of the kitchen table.
    â€œBurritos for dinner,” Gram said. “I should be making better use of that cooking class I took in New Mexico. What do you think?” she asked as Sam stared into the dark-red chili sauce.
    â€œI think I may start drooling if I don’t call Jen right now.”
    As she dialed, Sam summed up Linc’s conversation with Brynna and Dad for Gram.
    Gram shook her head. “That man’s more irresponsible than a teenager.”
    Sam felt her mouth curve in a lopsided smile, but just then Jen answered the phone.
    â€œHave you dried out yet?” Jen teased.
    â€œOh yeah. You’ll never guess what happened on my way home.”
    After she told Jen about Dad’s accident, Sam asked Jen to tell her all she knew about the