Can’t we go outside for a while? An hour?” Sylvie’s cheek was pressed against the desktop and her eyes pleaded for relief from the schoolhouse interior as much as her words. Rhia felt the walls were closing in on her as well. “Maybe if we stay within a few yards of the door.” Sylvie burst up from the desk as if her dress was on fire. “Thank you! I don’t understand why we have to hide. The sheriff and his brothers will keep us safe.” Perhaps it hadn’t been wise to educate her sister on just why Noem wanted them, but she didn’t want to lie about the seriousness of the situation. “They’ll do their best, but we have to do our parts too. I know it’s hard to imagine that Noem would care where we are after all this time, but he’s not stable. He wants revenge for what I did to him.” “You should bring the gun outside. You can shoot him again if we see him. Sheriff Heckmaster would probably give you a medal.”
