She dismounted and tied Ol' Ned to a bush. She climbed the steps and knocked on the door. She didn't hear anything, so she pounded harder. Her voice sounded screechy.
"Barrett?"
Barrett woke to the sound of someone knocking on the trailer door. He sat up and was reaching for his leg when they pounded on the door. Mary Jo's voice sounded frantic.
"Just a minute," he called as he pulled the sock on his stump and plunged it into the socket of his prosthetic leg. He buckled it and pulled his pants leg down. One boot and sock on, he stumbled to the door and flipped on the battery powered light. He unbolted the door and opened it to find Mary Jo on the second step down.
"Is Billy Ray here?"
He ran a hand through the hair he had and frowned. "No. Why would he be here?"
"I thought…Ma said she heard ATV's and I woke up thinking it was thunder. Then I heard Billy Ray leave the house, but he didn't come back. We've looked all over for him."
He'd heard the ATV's too, but Billy Ray hadn't been there. Was it possible that he went to investigate?
Mary Jo looked out the window. "I told Ma last night that I hadn't heard from you in a couple days and I wanted to come here and make sure you were okay. Ma didn't want me to. Billy Ray was there when we were talking. I thought maybe he heard the ATV's and decided to check on you." Her troubled gaze returned to his face. "If he didn't come here, do you think he went… or that they caught him on the road?"
Barrett felt sick to his stomach. He should have checked on them, but their father was there and he had the feeling he wasn't welcome. "Where's your father?"
"He left this morning on a job. We don't have no phone or car or nothing."
Barrett sat on his bed and put on his other boot. "I'll go check to see if he's with them." He opened a drawer and pulled out his gun and holster. He put his arm through it and hooked it down. As he shrugged into his coat, he looked at Mary Jo. "You stay here."
She shook her head vigorously. "No way. I'm going with you."
"It could be dangerous. Your parents wouldn't want you to…"
"I'm going," she interrupted. "He's my brother."