Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound Chapter 36

'They are armed,' I warned them all as Sam began the drive back to the farm.

'Thought that was the case,' Sam sighed out, not driving that slow, as Isaac set about picking the handcuffs off me.

'When do you think they will strike?' Gideon asked.

'Army would hit early hours,' Isaac pointed out.

'They are not the army,' I reminded them.

'Correction, they are crooks so they function in the same way,' Sam corrected me, as he turned quickly into the driveway and bounced us all around, which I could do without considering my head was throbbing from Devon hitting me and my foot too didn't feel that great.

We said no more until he had parked up well away from the farm house. In fact I noted that there was only one land rover parked up near the house, giving the illusion there wasn't many people there.

'How do you think they will approach us?' Gideon asked, like he was concerned for his animals.

'Well, I think they might come in like they did at the bungalow,' I suggested.

'Good thing we used our waiting time wisely,' Sam remarked, looking behind us to where Auntie Connie was sat, looking none worse for wear for her ordeal.

'Thanks,' I gushed, to him, knowing that leaving her there would have been taking a risk too far.

'Come on, we need to have our house in order,' Isaac ordered, nudging Gideon to get out, which he did and we all followed, with Gideon helping me down.

I wasn't sure what he meant by that one but I gathered it would involve a lot of planning over something to eat. I now wished I'd picked up the bloody chops I'd left on the counter. Lizzy assured me it didn't matter. They were used to cooking for large amounts. As Liz said to me, an army marched on it's stomach. If I was honest I felt too tired to even consider it. I was just glad that mum and Auntie Connie were fine.

Still the meal was hot and filled me up and others too. It was my job to go and feed the prisoner, as mum couldn't face him on learning he'd gone through her bedroom. Helen refused on the grounds that he'd betrayed the town. Liz didn't even offer an excuse and the men seemed to be happy to sit around the table and talk.

Mathew had been moved into another room and tied to an office chair. It looked like this was the room where Gideon and Theo did their paperwork. There was a phone on the desk, some old trim like phone.

Matthew looked up as I limped in and placed a bowl of food on the desk where he had been parked up. Someone had kindly cleaned up his scratches on his face.

'Your dinner,' I said, nodding to it.

'Thanks,' he replied softly.

'I suppose you'll need someone to feed you considering you're a little tied up,' I teased him and he nodded slowly, so I used the spoon to feed him mouthfuls slowly.

'Who hit you,' he asked me between mouthfuls, which had me reaching up and touching the throbbing area where Devon and clouted me.

'My ex,' I confessed, which had him looking confused. 'Devon didn't tell you,' I quizzed him and shake of his head.

'I might be his cousin through blood but that doesn't mean he shares much with me, other than when he sees fit.'

'Not best mates then,' I joked, knowing really it wasn't a joking matter for him when I knew what Devon might do to him if he could.

'Are you best mates with your cousin?' he asked me soberly and I shook my head, although I had once been close to Auntie Connie's three kids but they were all older than me, all left home too. One had even emigrated. As for Auntie Izzy's kids...well I had never been good enough for them. 'Well you know what I'm talking about then.'