October 9, 2023 – 7:14 PM
Dinner had been loud.
Jake spent most of it explaining his very detailed plan for tomorrow's deliveries.
According to him, forklifts were "basically giant robot dinosaurs."
General Fang had somehow managed to keep a straight face through the entire explanation.
Richard hadn't.
Helen certainly hadn't.
Even Lin had laughed hard enough that she'd nearly dropped her fork.
Now the dishes were finished.
Richard and General Fang carried mugs of coffee onto the back porch.
Helen remained inside with Megan, putting leftovers away.
Jake had disappeared upstairs to find a toy truck he insisted would help him "practice logistics."
Lin stepped outside alone.
The evening had settled comfortably over the valley.
The last traces of sunlight lingered on the western horizon.
Crickets had begun their nightly chorus.
Somewhere in the distance, a cow called across the fields.
She rested both hands on the porch railing.
Tomorrow.
One more sleep.
Then everything accelerated.
Movement caught her eye.
Near the western property line.
She focused.
One of the Carter children.
The oldest boy.
He couldn't have been more than ten.
He was standing beside the shared fence.
Looking toward the Zhang property.
A soccer ball rested against one boot.
Lin watched quietly.
The boy looked over one shoulder toward the trailers.
No one appeared to be outside.
He climbed onto the lowest rail.
Lin straightened.
The fence wasn't especially high.
Just high enough that climbing it was a bad idea.
The previous accident flashed briefly through her mind.
The stacked fence posts.
The scraped arm.
Mike refusing urgent care.
She started walking.
Not running.
Just moving steadily toward the western pasture.
The boy swung one leg over the top rail.
Balanced awkwardly.
Then the second.
His sneakers searched for footing on Lin's side.
He dropped lightly into the grass.
His soccer ball remained on the other side.
Lin stopped about twenty feet away.
She kept her voice calm.
Friendly.
Not loud.
"Evening."
The boy froze.
His eyes widened.
He hadn't expected anyone.
"Uh..."
He looked toward the trailers again.
Then back at Lin.
"Hi."
She smiled.
"What's your name?"
He hesitated.
"Ethan."
"I'm Lin."
He nodded quickly.
"I know."
Of course he did.
Everybody in Maple Creek seemed to.
Lin walked a little closer but left plenty of space between them.
"Did your ball get away from you?"
He looked embarrassed.
"No."
She waited.
After a moment he admitted,
"...I wanted to see the animals."
Lin followed his gaze.
A small group of sheep grazed peacefully farther up the pasture.
The goats wandered near the barn.
Biscuit stood balanced on top of an enormous cable spool for reasons known only to himself.
The boy smiled despite himself.
"That goat's funny."
Lin couldn't argue with that.
"He usually is."
Ethan shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket.
"Dad said not to bother anybody."
"That's a good rule."
He nodded.
"I wasn't gonna bother anybody."
His eyes drifted back toward the sheep.
"I just wanted to look."
Lin believed him.
Children were curious.
Especially when there were animals involved.
She pointed gently toward the fence.
"Do you remember hurting your arm the other day?"
He looked down.
"Yeah."
"Climbing fences usually ends one of two ways."
He looked up.
"What're the two ways?"
Lin smiled.
"You either make it over..."
She pointed toward the fading scar on his forearm.
"...or you end up with another story like that one."
He rubbed the scrape unconsciously.
For several seconds they simply stood there.
The sheep continued grazing.
A chicken wandered across the yard.
Biscuit suddenly jumped off the spool and trotted confidently toward absolutely nothing in particular.
Ethan laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"He's weird."
"Very."
Lin looked toward the trailers.
A porch light had just come on.
She could see movement near one of the doors.
Someone was stepping outside.
She looked back at Ethan.
"How about we get you back on your own side before your parents wonder where you disappeared to?"
He nodded immediately.
"Okay."
Instead of pointing him toward the fence, Lin started walking toward the nearest gate, the one built into the shared fence line a short distance away.
She reached for the latch.
"No climbing this time."
Ethan grinned sheepishly.
"Probably easier this way."
"Much easier."
She swung the gate open and waited for him to walk through.
Ethan hesitated.
Instead of stepping across immediately, he looked back toward the pasture one last time.
The sheep barely acknowledged him.
One of the goats wandered past with complete confidence, while Biscuit had somehow climbed onto an old tree stump and was proudly surveying his tiny kingdom.
Ethan smiled.
"Can I come see them sometime?"
Lin rested a hand on the open gate.
"If your mom or dad bring you over and everyone's free, sure."
His face brightened.
"Really?"
"Really."
She nodded toward the gate.
"But no climbing fences."
He looked down, embarrassed.
"Okay."
"Deal?"
He held out his hand with complete seriousness.
Lin smiled and shook it.
"Deal."
Ethan finally stepped through the gate.
Lin pulled it closed behind him and slid the latch into place.
A moment later, Karen Carter appeared from around the side of one of the trailers.
She stopped as soon as she saw Ethan standing at the gate.
Relief crossed her face.
"Ethan!"
He immediately turned.
"Mom!"
Karen walked over briskly.
Not angry.
Concerned.
"I've been looking everywhere for you."
Ethan glanced at Lin before looking at the ground.
"Sorry."
Karen reached him and rested a hand on his shoulder.
Her eyes moved to the closed gate.
Then to Lin.
"Did he climb over again?"
Lin nodded once.
"He wanted to look at the animals."
Karen let out a quiet sigh.
She looked down at her son.
"What did Dad and I tell you?"
Ethan quietly answered,
"Stay on our side."
"And?"
"Don't climb fences."
Karen gave a small nod.
"Exactly."
She looked back at Lin.
"I'm sorry."
Lin waved the apology away.
"He's fine."
"He didn't cause any trouble."
Karen smiled weakly.
"Still..."
She gently squeezed Ethan's shoulder.
"Thank you for bringing him back through the gate instead of letting him climb again."
"It seemed easier."
Karen laughed softly.
"Usually the easiest solution is the one kids never think of."
Ethan looked up.
"Can I come see the animals sometime?"
Karen glanced at Lin.
Lin smiled.
"As long as one of you comes with him."
Karen nodded immediately.
"I'd like that."
She looked toward the pasture.
"We've been so busy unpacking, I don't think the kids have had much chance to explore."
Biscuit chose that exact moment to leap off the stump, trot ten feet, stop for absolutely no reason, and begin staring intently at a wheelbarrow.
Ethan burst into laughter.
Karen smiled.
"I'd be disappointed if he wasn't."
They shared a small laugh.
Karen looked down at Ethan.
"Come on."
"Your dad's almost finished getting the garage organized."
Ethan waved enthusiastically.
"Bye, Lin!"
"Good night, Ethan."
Mother and son started back toward the trailers.
Lin turned toward the gate.
She had only taken a few steps when the sound of a pickup door slamming made her glance over.
Mike Carter was unloading the last few items from the bed of his truck.
Long cardboard boxes.
A hard plastic carrying case.
Another narrow soft case with shoulder straps.
He laid them carefully on a folding workbench just inside the open garage.
The evening light caught a familiar logo printed on one of the boxes.
A sporting goods manufacturer.
Mike opened the plastic case.
Inside rested a bolt-action hunting rifle fitted with a scope.
He lifted it out, checked that the chamber was empty, then set it into a gun safe standing against the garage wall.
Next came a pump-action shotgun.
It received the same treatment.
Empty.
Checked.
Locked away.
Finally, he placed two sealed boxes of ammunition onto the shelf inside the safe before closing the heavy steel door.
The electronic lock beeped twice.
The bolts slid into place with a solid metallic clunk.
Mike spun around as he closed it and noticed Lin near the gate.
For a brief second, both of them paused.
Then Mike gave a small, almost apologetic smile.
"Finally got the safe delivered."
Lin nodded.
"Makes sense."
He rested one hand on the closed door.
"Didn't like leaving everything packed in the trailer with three curious kids running around."
Lin glanced toward Ethan, who was now chasing one of his younger siblings around the yard.
"Probably a good idea."
Mike chuckled.
"I grew up hunting."
He patted the safe.
"Dad would've killed me if he'd caught me leaving firearms unsecured."
"Mine too," Lin replied.
Mike smiled.
"Anyway..."
He gestured toward the hotel property.
"Good luck tomorrow."
"Thanks."
She gave Karen another small wave before walking back toward the farmhouse.
The conversation itself hadn't bothered her.
In a farming community, rifles and shotguns were common.
General Fang owned firearms.
Several of the ranchers almost certainly did.
Even Tom's hardware store sold gun safes.
None of that stood out.
What lingered in the back of her mind was something else.
It wasn't the guns.
It was how many small observations she'd made about the Carter family in less than a week.
The children's accident.
Mike refusing urgent care.
Karen catching herself mid-sentence.
Now the firearms.