OUT OF THE DARKNESS (THE PRESCOTT SERIES) Read Online Free PDF Page A

didn’t want you to worry. It will be all right. Emma is such a good baby. She’s hardly any trouble at all.”
    The wagon hit a rut and weaved from side to side. She clutched his arm to steady herself. Ruts, deep from recent rains, had dried hard when the dry ground had sucked up the water.
    “Anyway, Emma keeps Tyler hopping trying to keep her and Janey out of his very grown up way. That boy.” She smiled and shook her head. “You’d think he was going on sixty not six, the way he acts.”
    Jason slid a little grin Margaret’s way. She had constantly watched over him in her own very grown up fashion. His smile vanished, and his shoulders slumped forward.
    “You not only had to practically raise me, now you’re raising my child along with two of your own and another on the way,” Jason rasped in a defeated voice. He sat in silence mulling over the problems life had handed him.
    He flicked his wrist to encourage the horses to a faster pace. It was late afternoon, and they still had some distance to go before they arrived at the ranch. Margaret patted his arm.
    “Better.”
    He gave her a sheepish grin, nodded, and then smiled as he glanced at the baby she held.
    Margaret shifted the baby to her other shoulder then twisted to glance in the wagon bed where Tyler and Janey lay curled up on the blankets, fast asleep.
    “Do you want me to take Emma for awhile? She may not be as big as a minute, but it doesn’t take long to feel the strain of her weight.”
    “No, she’s fine. I’m enjoying the peace and quiet. With three small noisy children around all the time, it’s not often they all fall asleep at the same time.
    “Do you think Cookie might have some of his rabbit stew left when we get to the ranch? It will be late when we arrive , and I know the children will be too hungry to wait for me to cook something.”
    Jason laughed, “I told him I was bringing you and the children home with me, so I’m sure he fixed plenty. You know how he likes to rub it in that you were the one who gave him the recipe but everyone likes his better.”
    “Yes, and blast his ornery hide he won’t tell me what he does to make it taste different than mine,” Margaret huffed. “You would think he’d appreciate all the recipes I’ve given him to at least give me one in return. Even then, it wouldn’t be entirely his recipe.”
    “Don’t give him too hard of a time or he might change the other recipes to suit himself. Right now he’s satisfied to have you guessing a bout just one,” Jason chuckled.
    Elbows on his thighs, the lines held loosely between his legs, he mentally ticked off a list of chores waiting his arrival home. Margaret gave his arm a violent shake. Apparently, she had been trying to get his attention for some time. Jason cocked his head sideways to stare at her. Margaret wasn’t one to get excited. She possessed a calmness, which soothed even the most agitated person. Eyes focused straight ahead, she pointed at something lying beside the wagon trail.
    “What is that? Did you notice it when y ou came by yesterday?”
    Margaret’s fingers pinched into his forearm. This was an untamed land where anything could happen. She was naturally nervous with the children present.
    “I don’t know what it is. And n o, it wasn’t there when I went to town.”
    Jason uncurled her fingers from his arm and brought his gun forward on his hip. He studied the object closely. It might be a trap. There had been rumors of thieves operating along the northern trails, although, he hadn’t heard of them being this far south. He slowed the team.
    Covered in what looked like buckskin, the thing lay motionless. Even the noisy jingle of harness, and the approaching wagon, left the object undisturbed.
    Jason tugged the team to a stop. No human form was perceptible. If it was an injured animal, it could be dangerous and attack at the slightest provocation.
    “I want you to stay in the wagon with the children. Do you think you can