Culloo, Page 6

  “Look what we have here,” said a loud male voice behind them.

  CHAPTER TEN

  The three sat frozen with fear for that split second as they stared up at the tall man looming in front of them. Tala and Dason both bounded up in unison and dashed towards him.

  “Uncle Lou.” Tala said, wrapping her arms around him.

  “It’s been a while since you were that excited about seeing me,” he said with a laugh. “Is that a new look—burr clumps stuck in your hair? I see you have matching ones on your clothes.”

  He pulled off Dason’s bandana and ruffled his hair before turning towards his brother.

  “Figured you’d be hiding out near our favourite fishing spot,” he said. “There’s a big search going on for you guys.”

  “A real search?” said Dason. “How many are looking for us?”

  “About two hundred have started by foot from where we found your pick-up, and a few others are covering the shore by boat with me. One of them reported he heard a gunshot from this direction so the cops are on the way,” said Lou.

  “They’ll sure come in handy,” said Tom.

  He then filled Lou in about being held prisoner and how Tala and Dason came to his rescue. Tala noticed the gleam in his eyes as he told his story, and she had a feeling she’d hear him retell this many more times. Lou turned towards Tala and Dason when Tom was finished and he grabbed them both in a tight hug.

  “They’re here,” said Tom. “I just heard them turn off their motor.”

  “The cops told us not to come here without them,” said Lou. “But I couldn’t stand all that waiting around. Wasn’t too hard to find you though, I heard your voices as soon as I jumped off my boat. You’re losing it, bro. Looks like you still need your big brother after all.”

  Tom clung to Lou’s arm to pull himself up. “Took you enough time to get here, big bro,” he said. He looked over at Tala and Dason. “You’re right though, I am losing it. Time to make some major decisions.”

  “Hey, I came straight here soon as I heard about the search party. That neighbour of yours called me late last night to tell me the kids were missing. She had already called the cops to complain about a black truck with two guys parked right in front of your house.”

  “Wow.” Dason said. “Susan started a search party just for us.”

  “Before I forget,” Lou said. “She told me to tell you not to worry. Thunder is snoozing on her kitchen table till you get back.”

  Tala and Dason looked at each other and smiled; everything would be all right, their family was together again. Dason did two quick cartwheels before falling on his backside.

  “I guess having a busy body for a neighbour isn’t so bad after all,” Tala said, looking away. “I think I’ll go and apologize to her when we get back.”

  “I’m not apologizing,” said Dason. “I’m not the one who was rude to her.”

  Tom glanced towards Tala and waited for an explanation.

  “I always figured she was mean,” said Tala, looking down and fidgeting with her headband that was half sticking out of her pocket. “But after all this, I know now what mean is really all about. Susan isn’t mean—she’s just nosey. Maybe when I’m thirteen, I can do a bit of free babysitting for her, if she wants me to. Just at first though, then it’s going to be like a real job.”

  “She’s been a good neighbour to us,” Tom said. “Everybody always has a good reason for saying or doing what they do.”

  “What about those poachers?” Dason said.

  “What somebody thinks is a good thing, someone else might think it isn’t,” said Tom. “That’s what makes us all different.”

  “The cops found patches of loose bear fur in the back of that black truck parked in front of your house,” said Lou. “They arrested the two of them—well, they won’t need to chase the third one too far.”

  “Did they see the dead bear?” Tala said.

  “Three,” Lou said, shaking his head. “Three wasted dead bears.”

  “I guess the cops will want to talk to me,” Tom said. Just as he finished saying that, two tall police officers stepped up from the path leading up from the shore. It was a while before they finished asking questions and writing down their report. Lou accompanied them down to where the hunter was and came back not long after.

  “They’ll be here for a good part of day,” he said. “They have to tape off the area and wait for their experts to get here. Nannie was released from the hospital sooner than we expected. Someone needs to stay with her for a while till she gets back on her feet. She’ll get on my case if I don’t bring you back safe and sound.”

  He examined Tom’s bandage a moment, “Guess someone better get himself to a doctor real quick.”

  Tala and Dason both hurried to untie Tom’s hammock and tarp, and after a few swift folds, jammed them back into his knapsack. They all sauntered down towards the riverside where Lou had docked his small motorboat. Lou kept a firm grip on Tom’s waist as he lurched along on his good leg. Tala and Dason, never far behind, swung Tom’s knapsack between them, each holding on to one of the straps, just as they had held on to the long black feather earlier.

  At times, when Tala turned to admire the beauty and the strength of the trees they passed along the way, she felt the silky softness of Anjij’s hair on her cheek, and at odd moments, she caught a faint whiff of sweet-smelling smoke lingering in the air.

  ###

  About the Author...

  Murielle Cyr lives not far from the Richelieu River in Quebec, Canada, with her family, a frisky yellow Labrador, and a tortoiseshell cat. After many years of teaching grade school, she now devotes her time to writing, crafting homemade soap, organic gardening, Tai Chi, reading, and trying to keep up with social media. She has also written a children’s picture book, TURTLE WISH, and is soon to release a young adult science fiction novel, CATORI’S WORLDS.

  You can always find her at the following links:

  Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16163667-cullo

  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Muriellerites/461746363874482

  https://www.facebook.com/muri.syre?ref=tn_tnmn

  Blog: http://www.muriellerites.wordpress.com

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/syremuri

  * If you enjoyed CULLOO, please leave your comments at the link where you purchased it and/or at the Goodreads link above. Word of mouth from the readers is the only sure way a book can survive. Thank you for taking the time to read this work and giving your opinion about it. Have a magical day!!