Neither Brad nor Emma was armed, and it seemed the coyotes had lost interest in the meager rabbit carcass and had set their sights on larger prey. Ben aimed but dropped his rifle, realizing he didn’t have a clear shot with the kids in the center of the pack. Before he could reposition himself, one of the coyotes bluff-charged Emma, causing her to scream again. The coyote answered back with a high-pitched scream of its own and then went in for the kill. Ben couldn’t believe how aggressively the pack of forty- to fifty-pound animals was behaving, but what happened next was even harder to accept.

  Bajer stiffened, her muscles rippling under her short, brindled coat of gray and tan fur. Then she launched herself forward without further warning, intercepting the coyote in a cloud of red-lit dust thanks to Ben’s and Joel’s headlamps. The mild-mannered cuddle bug that had accompanied Emma on the back seat of the Blazer since escaping the moonshiners’ compound exploded into a wild ball of bared teeth, flying saliva, and stiffened hackles.

  Ben had never heard the dog so much as bark before now, and up until this point, he was convinced the loudest sounds she was capable of making occurred while she slept. Bajer had the crazed coyote by a few pounds but attacked with an intensity that would have given a black bear second thoughts about crossing her path. The sudden burst of commotion scattered the rest of the pack, and Ben seized the opportunity. Running to Emma and Brad’s side, he and Joel began picking off the coyotes one by one until they were satisfied the hungry pack’s intentions were no grander than escaping from the terrible mistake they’d made.

  When the dust settled, Ben turned to find Bajer standing proudly over the body of her adversary, covered in blood and holding her left rear leg off the ground. The puncture holes in the loyal dog’s neck looked deep and oozed blood at an alarming rate, yet she stood fast. Ben had no doubt that she was fully ready to take on the next challenger if need be.

  “Bajer!” Emma ran to her side and embraced the dog to the point Ben thought she might be doing more damage than good. He and Joel joined her at Bajer’s side, and Ben tried to assess the wounds.

  “Come on, let’s get her back to camp.” Ben scooped her up in his arms and started running for the vehicles. They’d need to stop the bleeding right away if they could. Emma followed in tears as the boys brought up the rear. Joel kept his weapon trained in the general direction the pack had scattered, covering their rear, although Ben wasn’t worried about the coyotes returning anytime soon. He was too focused on saving this brave little dog to care anyway.

  Bajer had come into their lives unexpectedly, and up until this point, her only contribution outside befriending Emma was consuming more than her share of food and water along the way. They hadn’t needed an extra mouth to feed then, but he would have given her their last scrap of food right now if it guaranteed her recovery. If not for Bajer’s heroics, this could have been Emma in his arms, but he tried not to think about that as he navigated the unruly landscape back to the truck.

  Sandy saw them coming and hopped out of the Blazer. Moving to the back, she dropped the tailgate and frantically unzipped the first aid kit. By the time Ben had laid Bajer down, Sandy was ready with towels, antiseptic, and anything else she thought might be useful. The first priority was cleaning the wounds. Ben hadn’t thought about the possibility of rabies until now, but if that was the case, none of this would make a difference.

  He put the idea out of his mind and assisted Sandy in cleaning the wounds. Emma held Bajer’s head and whispered encouraging words to her as he and Sandy washed out the bite marks on her neck. Ben inspected her hind leg as well but was relieved to discover the blood caked to her fur wasn’t hers. She must have pulled or strained something in the fight; it was a miracle she wasn’t in worse shape.

  “We could hear the commotion from here. What happened?” Sandy asked but stayed on task cleaning the wounds.

  “Coyotes, about seven of them,” Ben answered.

  “Eight,” Brad corrected him.

  Ben glanced at his youngest, mad at him for checking the trap, but at the same time, he was overjoyed his kids were safe and unscathed physically, although he couldn’t say the same for them emotionally, especially Emma. If Bajer didn’t pull through…

  Sandy continued cleaning blood from the matted fur around Bajer’s neck, using their dwindling water supply to wash the wound and inspect the damage done by the coyotes. Ben helped Emma soothe the dog as Sandy applied hydrogen peroxide to the bite wound, causing Bajer to strain against them as they held her down. Using a piece of sterile gauze, Sandy dried the area, then applied an antibiotic.

  “I think we should leave it uncovered for now if she can keep it clean. It might need to drain, and we should let it.” Sandy sat back.

  “I’ll make sure it stays clean,” Emma promised.

  “Here, give her this.” Sandy handed Emma one of the pills Julia said the dogs could take for pain.

  Gunner paced nervously, periodically pushing his way in for a closer inspection and giving Bajer a concerned sniff. Ben looked around, still concerned that more wannabe thieves were lurking nearby. They’d been focused on Bajer for the last few minutes, and he didn’t want any surprises.

  “I think that’s about all we can do here. Let’s get her moved up on the seat so we can get on the road.” Ben tried to move things along without being insensitive to his daughter or Bajer’s needs, but it wasn’t smart to stick around here, and there was nothing more they could do for the dog that required staying put.

  “I’m sorry.” Brad put a hand on Bajer’s leg, but the apology seemed more for Emma’s benefit than the dog’s.

  “It’s okay, Brad. It’s not your fault.” Emma let her brother off the hook but remained focused on Bajer as Ben and Joel gently maneuvered the dog inside the Blazer and onto the rear bench seat.

  “Get going. We’ll be right behind you.” Ben encouraged Joel, Allie, and Brad to lead the way. “Stay on 50 until La Junta, then look for Route 10 toward Fort Garland. That’ll take us to 160. We’ll look for gas there or in Alamosa before we head over the mountains.”

  Joel and Allie nodded and helped Brad and Gunner load into the Scrambler while Ben helped Sam into the Chevy and closed the tailgate. He did one more quick sweep of the place with his headlamp on the brightest setting and made sure they weren’t leaving anything behind. Sandy and Emma were already in the truck and ready to go when he finally slid in behind the wheel. He checked on Emma and Bajer in the back seat before putting the truck in gear. Emma gave him a solemn nod, and they were on their way.

  This wasn’t how Ben envisioned breaking camp: in the darkness, like rats fleeing a sinking ship. It felt rushed and wrong, but he was fed up with all of it. He was tired of looking over his shoulder and feeling like they were never really safe, no matter what precautions they took. Durango would present its own challenges, of that he was sure, but he was putting an end to this craziness—today.

  40

  They cruised through the town of La Junta, Colorado, without so much as slowing down. There wasn’t a soul in sight, but that didn’t surprise Ben; it was just after four in the morning. He’d gotten his wish for an early start to the day, but not in the way he’d wanted. Joel and Allie pointed out a gas station, but Ben didn’t like the idea of stopping in the dark.

  There were too many places to hide in the remnants of the town to make fueling up here worth the risk. They didn’t need gas yet anyway, and as far as the water situation was concerned, they could get that once they were well into the Rockies. This method of travel might not be popular with the others, but he’d maintain this hardline stance from here on out. Ben intended on treating the rest of the trip as an exfil situation from hostile territory because, for all intents and purposes, that was exactly what it was.

  An hour and a half later, pushing their luck at highway speeds along the narrow two-lane road, they spotted a sign for Waldenburg, Colorado, and were rewarded for their efforts by a US-160 route marker. Ben felt his anxiety begin to fade with the darkness as the horizon behind them slowly filled with the purples and reds of a new morning. A few minutes later, he rubbed his eyes and leaned over the wheel to get a better look.

  “What is it?” Sandy asked.

  “The Spanish Peaks. Yes, definitely.” Ben pointed to the two prominent mountains rising up in the distance.

  West Spanish Peak, the taller of the two at just under fourteen thousand feet, stood like a beacon of hope, welcoming them back to familiar places. They still had a ways to go, but it was the closest thing he’d seen to home in a long time. They’d made the Rockies, something he doubted was possible during some of the darker times over the last few weeks. But here they were, together and healthy for the most part, but worn thin.

  Sandy smiled as the rising sun painted the mountains in a golden hue, highlighting the jagged contours of the looming peaks.

  “It’s beautiful.” She wiped a tear from her eye.

  “It sure is,” Ben agreed.

  “Come in. Do you guys see that? Over.” Allie’s voice resonated with the excitement felt by all of them.

  “We sure do. Over,” Sandy answered.

  Ben calmed himself, remembering there was a very concerned girl in the back seat with a wounded dog and they still had a ways to go. Not that reaching Durango would ensure Bajer’s recovery by any means, but she’d fare better with the stable environment of the house than in the back of a bouncing truck. There was also the possibility of getting Bajer help in Durango. He knew of at least one person in the neighborhood who could fix her up properly—if they were still alive, that was.

  Half an hour later, the heat of the day was already building. The Spanish Peaks were off to their south now, and the elevation was beginning to change drastically. The terrain was harder going here, putting a strain on the overloaded Blazer, but that was expected. Fort Garland or Alamosa was their best chance for fuel, and they’d need it to get over the mountains. But Ben had no intention of treating this like any other pit stop. One of them would post up on the outskirts of whatever place they ended up and keep watch. They were too close to fall victim to complacency.

  Joel found the remains of a gas station just outside Alamosa, and after the customary perimeter check, they parked the trucks in the shade of a carwash and fueled them one at a time. Ben intended to help with the physical rigors of pumping gas out from the underground tank, but at Joel’s insistence, he and Allie handled the process. That was all right with him, though; the lack of sleep and fresh-brewed coffee had left him less than energetic. And it was just as well that he was the one to stand guard at the entrance to the parking lot.

  Ben sat behind a flimsy metal sign that flexed in the gentle breeze while he scanned the road in both directions. The drugstore across the street was in decent shape, minus the missing windows and glass doors, and it struck him as a good place to hide if he were looking to ambush someone. He wasn’t sure if the movement he saw was trash fluttering in the wind or someone watching them, and he aimed his weapon in the store’s direction.

  “How much longer?” Ben called out to the others.

  “A couple more minutes,” Joel answered.

  That wasn’t what Ben wanted to hear, but he understood they hadn’t been here that long. When they first arrived, Sam and Gunner took care of business under Brad’s watchful eye. Then, at Ben’s insistence, they loaded back into the trucks right away. Emma stayed in the Blazer with Bajer, who was surprisingly alert and seemed to be in good spirits, although he attributed that to the strong pain medication she was on.

  Ben was trying not to drive them all crazy with his insistence that they keep things humming along at an accelerated pace today, but moving through a place quickly was the best way to avoid trouble. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but his goal was to make Durango without another incident. A lofty accomplishment, considering the world they were living in now, but he thought it was possible, if they could only keep moving.

  He scanned the blown-out windows with his scope, finger on the trigger and ready for a fight. There would be no hesitation on his part if he thought for one second there was a threat. That had been the case for some time, but now more than ever, he felt justified to take any action that kept his family safe.

  Eventually, Joel sounded off that they were wrapping things up, and Ben began to move back toward the trucks, never taking his eye off the looted store or the road running past them. They were 150 miles from home, and there was no way he was going to make a mistake now.

  Ben took a position behind an abandoned sedan as the others finished stowing gear. He waited for Joel to pull out and head for the road, then intercepted them on their way out of the parking lot. Sandy was right behind them in the Blazer.

  “We’ve got enough gas to get there now. No more stops until home.” Ben nodded at Joel and Allie, taking a second to rub Gunner’s head and wink at Brad. “Keep an eye on these two for me,” he joked.

  “I will.” Brad pulled Gunner back into the Scrambler as Joel accelerated away.

  “Did you want me to drive? I know you’re tired.” Sandy hung out the window as she crept toward him in the Blazer.

  Ben had intended on driving the final leg but changed his mind. “If you don’t mind.”

  He was tired, but that wasn’t the reason he decided to have her stay at the wheel. He wanted to be ready for anything, and he could do that better from the passenger seat with a weapon in his hand.

  In the Chevy, Ben took a position out the open window on the doorsill like he had before and kept his carbine trained on the store across the street. As Sandy pulled out, he saw movement again and put a few rounds into the brick facade of the drugstore for good measure.

  “What is it?” Sandy hit the gas, and they hightailed it out of there behind the Jeep.

  Ben pulled himself back inside the truck. “I thought I saw something, but I’m not sure. Just letting whoever it was know we aren’t worth the trouble. I’m not taking any more chances.” He didn’t know if there was anyone inside the drugstore or not, but making his intentions clear with a few warning shots couldn’t hurt.

  “Ben… Ben.” Sandy finally got him to look away from the building they were quickly leaving behind.

  “Yeah?”

  “It’s going to be okay. We’re going to make it.” She put a hand on his knee.

  Ben looked at Sandy, then at Emma, and realized he was starting to lose control and probably looked the part. They’d come so far and endured so much, but he had to admit, with the end in sight, he was more scared about what came next. Not because he enjoyed fighting for their lives on a daily basis but because, in some way, their situation was predictable. They never knew exactly what to expect, but there was some comfort in their established routine. And for as much as he wanted to reach Durango, it represented the unknown.

  He had no idea what shape Durango or the house was in—or if the house was even there. But getting to the end of all this meant finding the answers to those questions and facing what might be an unpleasant truth. Up until now, he took a degree of comfort in his ignorance. After these last miles were conquered, there was nowhere left to go. No more breaking camp in search of a better place. Whatever they found in Durango was theirs to fix.

  41

  One by one, the once quaint mountain towns now reduced to shadows of their former selves passed by outside the truck. As the elevation and grade of the road increased, so did the anticipation of reaching home. Ben was encouraged by some of the sights they witnessed and disappointed by others.

  They saw people moving about in places. A few storefronts had even been boarded up, the shops’ owners trying to reclaim some semblance of normality, although he couldn’t help but think that some of these towns were done for. They’d end up like the many abandoned gold mining settlements scattered throughout the San Juans, left for future generations to explore and speculate over their demise. In this case, the cause was apparent.

  Ben watched the Scrambler slow down as they passed the place where he, Joel, and Allie had facilitated the RV’s fall from the cliff in order to clear the road. Brad stood up briefly, trying to get a better view of the carnage beyond the twisted guardrail. Ben thought back to that day and tried to wrap his head around everything that had happened between that moment and the present, but he couldn’t.

  They went up and over Wolf Creek Pass, where Ben and the kids had enjoyed countless bluebird days, skiing and snowboarding the deep powder of the backcountry runs. Then came Pagosa Springs, the place where their journey had almost ended before it really started. The roadblock and angry mob were long gone, but the convenience store still stood, a testament to the owners, who were apparently still relying on fortified positions along the rooftop to keep order. He was encouraged to see a hand-painted sign out front. It listed an assortment of products for barter or trade, including eggs, batteries, kerosene, candles, alcohol, and honey, to name a few. But there was also a less comforting notice posted above a badly decomposed body on display, strung up on a telephone pole out by the road, warning would-be thieves to stay away or face similar consequences.

  Ben was glad Emma didn’t notice the gruesome exhibit; she was busy tending to Bajer’s needs by holding her bowl up to her mouth and letting her take in some much-needed water. Ben was encouraged to see a spark in the dog’s eye that he feared wouldn’t return. Bajer wagged her tail when she noticed him looking in her direction.

  Emma smiled. “I think she’s gonna be all right.”

  Ben nodded back. “I think so, too.”

  His medical training was limited, but he was fairly confident that Gunner and Sam would be jealous of the attention Bajer received from Emma for quite some time.

  Bayfield was the last town located along Highway 160 before Durango, and it looked much as it did when they passed through a few weeks ago, minus the smoke and flames. Ben ignored the sparse little town for the most part; he was too focused on the road ahead and the realization of their efforts.