I took Karin, the cats and our stuff over first, I didn’t think our homemade raft could carry all of us in one trip, Harvey is kind of a big man. I went back for Harvey as quickly as I could. He put his backpack on the raft ahead of me, then sat behind me. At about the half way point I heard 2 loud cracks! Harvey groaned and slipped into the river. He had been shot! I turned and there was a man standing on a rock by the river’s edge with his rifle aimed at me. Then I heard Karin fire several times and the man fell into the river. That was a close one. I continued to paddle hard and managed to get to shore without any more problems. I sorted through Harvey’s backpack quickly and kept two things, a handgun and a smaller backpack. Harvey said he didn’t have a gun, said Karin. Yes, I’m sure there was a few things Harvey didn’t mention.

Now we know why it took him so long to get out to the car. What’s in the small backpack?, asked Karin. It’s those drugs we found in that monument, along with the money that was in there. How much money do you think there is?, asked Karin again. I would say close to a million dollars. The cats look at each other. Now they know for sure we are heading for that ghost town so we will have to get there fast so we can prepare for their arrival. I don’t mind admitting that I’m very scared Steve, said Karin quietly. I’m scared too, but don’t worry about it, we need to think clearly right now. Are you cats scared too? Meow, meow!=We can do it cause we smarter! Meow!=I agree, they not smart or they not lose all that stuff we got from them, whatever it is! It’s very bad drugs that kill, Mr. Cat, I said.

Meow, meow?=Maybe we toss in river? Great idea, said Karin. It just might kill the fish, I said laughing, we’ll take it with us for now. We picked up our stuff and started down the road to the ghost town. I hope Harvey was right and there is no one living in that town, said Karin, it would be terrible to find some of their gang living there. Yes, I thought about that possibility too, I said, but hopefully it’s just a real ghost town. Meow, meow?!=Why human people always want ghost around? Every case we end up looking for ghosts. Not want ghosts!! Meow.=Don’t worry Muffin, remember I here to look after you. Nobody better mess with my Muffin! I rip to shreds like brochures! Karin looks at me and says, Well? I feel the same way about my Karin, I said. Hmm, you’re certainly slow, she said. Sorry, I said, but right now my brain is too busy trying to think of a way to keep us alive.

About half way the cats were tired and wanted a ride, so up on my backpack they climbed. A bit more weight but that’s okay, I want those cats fresh, somehow I think we’re really going to need them. How soon do you think they will get to the town?, asks Karin. Sometime tonight most likely, I said. That soon, she asked, I thought you said before it wouldn’t be until morning? True, but I have been thinking about that. Those “trustees”, whoever they are, will be arriving around noon, probably to pick up those drugs. That means Ma needs them before that time. It won’t be good for Ma and her gang if she can’t produce that merchandise, that could have deadly results for her.

Karin stayed quiet the rest of the way, and the cats actually fell asleep. I must admit, it doesn’t look good for us right now, I thought to myself. Finally we arrived at the ghost town, which was really quite a good size. But they could still trap us here quite easily and just keep going through each building until they find us. Here’s a hotel, said Karin, that might be a good place to get some sleep. That’s what they will think too, I said, so we’ll go somewhere else. We found a nice looking house and went inside. It had some furniture including beds. The cats checked out the beds to see if there was any mice or bugs living in them. Meow=All okay. Good, said Karin and she lay down on one of the beds and was asleep right away. Then I gave the cats an important job to do…

To Be Continued.

©2020 Steve McLeod.