The End of the Trail Read Online Free Page A

imagine,” Rhonda said, rubbing plaster over Biff’s bandages. “Nobody can imagine.”
    Frank cleared his throat. “Maybe we should have alook around the town while Rhonda fixes Biff up.”
    â€œWhat town?” Chet asked. “I didn’t see anything outside except a few old buildings.”
    â€œThere was that general store across the street,” Joe said. “Sugar’s Shack or something like that.”
    â€œAnd we need to find a room at Mrs. Hibley’s, next door,” Phil said.
    â€œThen let’s go,” Frank said. “You’ll be okay, Biff?”
    Biff smiled gamely as Rhonda slapped plaster onto his leg. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
    â€œActually, this really would be a good time for you to get out and take a look around Morgan’s Quarry,” Rhonda said.
    â€œOkay, everybody,” Frank said. “Let’s clear out.”
    Frank, Joe, Chet, and Phil left the guest room and headed across the living room to the front door. Outside, it was still daylight, though Main Street was deserted.
    The sign that proclaimed Sugaree’s Shack was directly across the street. It looked as though it had been painted many years ago, though the picture of a smiling woman’s face next to the name looked as if it had been done by a talented artist. Beside the crumbling wooden buildings, the sign seemed almost out of place.
    â€œLet’s take a look over there first,” Frank said. “Then we’ll get a room.”
    Frank pushed open the door to Sugaree’s Shack. Inside was an old-fashioned general store, with unpaintedwooden shelves and a large counter in the rear. The shelves were poorly stocked, but a few items of food and a couple of tools were available. Behind the counter, a young woman in her late teens looked up expectantly. She had blond hair that reached to her shoulders and bright eyes. She seemed particularly interested in Frank.
    â€œCan I help you?” she asked.
    â€œWell, maybe,” Frank asked. “We’re new to town.”
    â€œI figured that,” the girl said. “We don’t get a lot of strangers here.”
    â€œNot a lot of locals either, I’d bet,” Joe said. “This town doesn’t seem to have a very large population.”
    â€œIt used to be bigger,” the girl said. “My name’s Loraleigh. Like Laura Lee but spelled L-O-R-A-L-E-I-G-H. Loraleigh Mason. Do you guys have names?”
    â€œWell, that’s Frank,” Joe said, pointing at his brother. “And I’m Joe. And this is Chet and Phil.”
    â€œGlad to meet you,” Phil said.
    â€œLikewise,” Chet said. “Is that beef jerky on the shelf over there?”
    â€œYes, it is,” Loraleigh said. “We’ve got lots of jerky. It keeps forever.”
    â€œYeah, that’s why we brought it along for dinner,” Joe said. “Every night. All jerky, all the time.”
    Loraleigh’s face darkened. “I’ve heard about you guys,” she said.
    â€œHuh?” Joe said. “We just got here.”
    â€œWhat did you hear?” Frank asked.
    â€œI can’t tell you,” Loraleigh said. “You don’t want to know.”
    â€œYes, we do,” Joe insisted. “Tell us.”
    â€œOkay,” she said, meeting Joe’s steady gaze. “I’ve heard that you’re in a lot of trouble.”
    â€œTrouble?” asked Frank.
    â€œThat’s right,” Loraleigh said. “And if you don’t get out of this town right away, you could be in big trouble.”

4 No Exit

    Frank stared at Loraleigh in astonishment. “In trouble? Why?”
    â€œYeah, why?” Joe said. “Usually nobody hates us until we’ve poked our noses into a few places where we don’t belong.”
    â€œTell us more,” Frank said.
    Loraleigh shrugged. “I can’t tell you any more than what I’ve