Leaving Epitaph: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

62

“Pa, why would Aaron Langer go north again?” James asked. “Isn’t he afraid there are posses out lookin’ for him?”

“In the Dakotas, maybe,” Shaye said, “not in Nebraska. But my guess is he’ll head west eventually. I think he’ll head for Wyoming. I don’t think he’s wanted there.”

“Are we still trackin’ him?” James asked. “Or are we just headin’ north?”

“I’m trying to track him, but I told the three of you before, I’m not a great tracker. If this terrain changes, I don’t know if I’ll be able to see his trail. If that happens, we’ll have to go back to what worked before, stopping in towns and checking to see if anyone’s seen him.”

“Do you think Thomas will be able to track Ethan?”

“I think so,” Shaye said. “Unless Ethan changes horses, which at some point he might do.”

“Then Thomas will have to go back to what worked before.”

“Exactly.”

Several hours later Shaye said, “I just thought of something. Damn, I wish I’d thought of it before.”

“What’s that?”

“Ethan,” Shaye said. “He needed Aaron in order to function. If he doesn’t have Aaron—I mean, if they’ve really split up—he’s not going to be able to make his own decisions for long.”

“So?”

“So if that’s the case,” Shaye said, “he’ll head for Oklahoma City again.”

“His other brother?” James asked. “The priest?”

“Yes.”

“But…I thought he hated him.”

“In the absence of Aaron, Vincent would do,” Shaye said. “If Thomas and Matthew lose the trail…”

“Would Thomas think of that?”

“There’s no reason he would,” Shaye said. “It’s only because I know them that I thought of it.”

“Thomas won’t lose him, Pa.”

“I’m glad you have such faith in your brother, James.” Of course, James was just telling him that to make him feel better. There was no reason to think Thomas wouldn’t lose the trail if he didn’t manage to run Ethan down in a day or two—which is what Shaye was hoping to do with Aaron, simply run him to ground.

He had no idea how close they were to doing that when the first shot came.