This is the twenty-fourth part in a series, so if you have not already done so, you might want to read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII, Part IX, Part X, Part XI, Part XII, Part XIII, Part XIV, Part XV, Part XVI, Part XVII, Part XVIII, Part XIX, Part XX, Part XXI, Part XXII, and Part XXIII before continuing.
We had just come out of the woods and were about to pass in front of the barn when my attention was grabbed by some unfamiliar lights near the barn. I stopped dead and grabbed Michael’s arm, both to get his attention and to bring him to a stop. Doing so required me to shift Cordy to one arm, causing her to wake with a snuffle and sneeze.
“Where did you park your truck,” I asked.
“By the side of the road on the other side of the bridge. I wanted to surprise you.”
“Then whose truck is that?” I pointed at the lights disappearing around the side of the barn.
There was a moment before he said, “I don’t suppose that could be Phil.”
“He brought the cows in hours ago and has been in front of his computer ever since. What would he be doing in the barn in the dark?”
Michael turned off the flashlight app on his phone. “Can you find your way to the house in the dark?”
“Yes, but what are you gonna do?”
“I’m gonna go see who’s in Phil’s barn.”
“Then I’m coming with you.”
“You are not.”
“Try and stop me.”
Michael hung his head and his shoulders sagged. In any other situation I would have felt sorry for him, but at the moment I was too busy inwardly celebrating my victory while outwardly trying to keep quiet. He looked up at me, and although I couldn’t read his expression in the dark, I could guess at the resignation that was most likely there.
“Can you keep Cordy quiet?
I looked down at Cordy and she looked back up at me as though she knew she was being discussed. I didn’t want to admit it, but she could be very territorial and protective. If anything in the barn startled her …
“All right,” I said with a sigh. “I’ll bring her inside. But I’m getting my phone and you’d better let me know as soon as you can what’s going on.”
“Deal. Also, can you be sure to make a lot of noise when you’re going in the house?”
“That wouldn’t be very stealthy, would it?”
“No, but it might distract them. Don’t linger on the porch long enough for them to get ideas. Just slam the door or something when you walk in. And be quiet going up to the house so no one sees you before then.”
“Got it. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Always.”
To be continued…