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All but one of the kids got back into the trailer with help froroup She tre the kids in, but she didn’t quit It reat addition to Haven Probably any of these kids would Everyone had so to offer our neorld, and everyone made a difference in some way or another

The lone kid who didn’t join them stood off by himself, thin, dirty, his hair in knots

"What’s your na up to hiot near

"Dane," he said, his voice barely a whisper

"You going to wait for us here?"

He shrugged the slightest bit

"If you want us to stop and get you on our way back south, put so like what?" he whispered

I looked aroundthat wouldn’t look so out of place it would alert anyone else co by that so out of the back of the trailer

Dane stared at it for a long time, his expression stricken

I walked over and picked it up, handing it to him "Put that in the middle of the road if you want us to stop for you"

He held it in his hand so listlessly, I thought it was going to fall out But then he turned and li behind soo That kid was on his last legs I ardless of whether the hat appeared or not In his condition, he’d probably fall asleep back there for three days straight and forget to put it out

Turning back to Chantal, I was struck again by how pretty she was, even standing in the back of a nasty trailer covered in gri to be a serious hit back in Haven if we made it that far Hopefully she wouldn’t cause any riots My heart burned at the idea of Bodo falling for her like Rob seemed to have

"You okay?" she asked "We can all wait here if you prefer"

I waved her concerns off "No, don’t worry about it I’m cool I’ll try to make the ride as comfortable as possible, but no pro have you been in here?" I’d caught a whiff of so it had been a while

"Too long," she said "Close the doors and lock the out like before"

I sed the lu doors shut Ju that I was closing people in and not letting theuys okay?"

"Yes!" caround and walked around the passenger side of the truck, cli up into the cab to join Jackson and Bodo Neither of theer seat

We reached the ranch in about a half hour We left the highway and bu at a ss carowling I quickly counted eight of the around in the dust kicked up by our arrival Out in the fields nearby there were cows grazing It was alk cows," said Bodo, staring at the herd that paid us no attention "You got lots of doggies too"

"They’re charolais - the cattle Biggest breed out there, pretty much They were my father’s pride and joy before … well, you know" Jackson clis are part of the family, and they do a lot of the work around here with us" He looked at the ones bold enough to approach "No, Bully! No Drake! Get back! They’re friends!" The dogs obeyed, o over to the house or out into the field with the cows

Three of thebreeds to knohat they were, but they looked scary regardless I was glad we didn’t have Buster with us He would have been an appetizer for these beasts

As we joined Jackson on the ground, the front door to the single story ho at her feet Two of the welcoreet her and then followed behind when she launched herself off the porch

"Jackson, where have you been?! And what is that da here?! And who the heck are these people?!"

Jackson gave us a conspiratorial sets riled up easy, but don’t worry, her bark is much worse than her bite Usually"

"Ease up, there, Katy," he said withtoward the back of the truck

She barely spared us a glance as she strode by, following close on his heels "Do you knoorried I was? Tater ’nso much we nearly wore a hole in the floorboards!"

"You can stop yelling any second now," he said It sounded like laughter wasn’t that far away for hi us behind and alettin’ yourself killed!"

He arched his back and shuffled a couple steps, but kept on walking "Damn, Katy, ease up Can’t you see my nose is broke?"

"I’m-a break your damn neck! How about that?"

He stopped at the back of the truck, turning to face his sister "Katy Chillax, girl I brought some people" He smiled wide