The King's Highway (Days of Dread Trilogy Book 1) (23 page)

He didn’t want to, but obediently swung his feet over the side and sat there a second getting his bearings. Then he stood and followed the familiar stranger out of the room. Boggs padded on the right side of the guy, hugging the old boy’s leg so close that it was a wonder he didn’t trip over the dog and fall. Al joined them.

Down the hall then stairs, Jackson followed the old man. He walked through the living room then out the front door. Expecting to step out onto the porch, Jackson got a real start when he stood in front of the lawyer’s seven-story building that sat on the shore of Lake Ray Hubbard. The eight-lane Interstate Thirty stretched out over the water all the way into Dallas.

He shook his head and blinked.

How could it be?

Looking back just as Al came outside, too, Jackson turned again and stared at the water. “But, but, how did we get to Rockwall?”

The old man laid his hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “She needs you, Son.”

He sat up wide awake, all his senses on alert. Once realization came, it relieved him to be back in his bed at his Uncle Roy’s. Al lay perfectly still in the next twin bed facing him, and his brother beyond him in the third bed. It had been a dream. But was the night vision real? Was the old guy telling him to go after his mother? For real?

Slipping out of bed, he walked to the window. Below, moonlight bathed the pasture that rolled down to a fair-sized block of black farm land. Beyond that, a tree line rose to touch the multitude of stars. The dirt road meandered alongside the pasture and farm field through the CRP—he never did understand the Crop Reduction Program where the feds paid farmers not to plant—and then the bottoms, his favorite spot for hunting deer and hog.

Being here, in this place, surrounded by family gave him great comfort. Could he leave? Leave McKenzie and Cooper? But if he didn’t, would they ever see their mother again?

The dream had been so real, and he totally recognized the building in Rockwall. His mother had pointed it out every time they drove past the lawyer’s building that sat on the lake’s shore. It seemed she spent about a third of her time working way out there, so far from home—or what used to be home.

Instantly, he knew.

As though some kind of human file transfer protocol and some nerd somewhere in some dark, dank basement clicked the upload button, he knew. At once, the knowledge of her horrific first day became a part of him so clearly that he could totally believe he’d lived it himself.

He shook his head.

It was too weird—knowing where she was when the flash plunged his world into madness. How could he? Really know for sure? But he did. Even though things had been crazy, especially anything having to do with that old man, in his heart of hearts, he believed and trusted the knowledge.

Was that what his sister called faith?

Then he heard the words again.

“She needs you.”

He turned, almost expecting to see the old man standing next to him, but there was only the empty room, except for Al and Coop sleeping.

Mom.

“I’m coming for you, Mom.”

THE END

clean reads from a

Christian perspective…

Historical Christian Texas Romances

   Vow Unbroken                                   - 1832

   Hearts Stolen                                  - 1839-1844

   Hope Reborn                                  - 1850-1851

   Sins of the Mothers                            - 1851-1853

   Daughters of the Heart               - 1853-1854

Contemporary Christian
Red River & Apple Orchard Romances

 
 
The Preacher’s Faith                            Sing a New Song

  One and Done                            Lady Luck’s a Loser

Biblical fiction
,
The Generations

   
A Little Lower Than the Angels

   Then the Deluge Comes                                   Replenish the Earth

Mid-Grade
, River Bottom Ranch Stories

   The Adventures of Sergeant Socks: The Journey Home,  bk 1

                                                                          The Bravest Heart, bk 2

   Amazing Graci, Guardian of the River Bottom Goats,    bk 3

Days of Dread Trilogy

   The King’s Highway

Miscellaneous Novels

   The Thief of Dreams >
Warning
:
not written for Christians
!

   The Price Paid                           

   Absolute Pi
(audio)

   Apple Orchard B&B
(now Lady Luck’s a Loser)

Non-fiction

    Great Firehouse Cooks of Texas

   Antiquing in North Texas             

   Story & Style, The Craft of Writing Creative Fiction

Historical Texas Romance Series

Set in Texas, this family saga will win your heart. With a cast of characters you’ll think of as your own family and adventure aplenty, this series is sure to please 

            1832                       1839-1844
                   
1850-1851  

     
3
       1851-1853            1853-1854

Contemporary Red River Romances

Clean contemporary stories set in the northeast corner of Texas that celebrate celibacy and being obedient to God.

Contemporary Apple Orchard Romances

M
ature, inspirational romance in this East Texas series is just fun. Readers will love the parade of characters!

The Generations Biblical fiction 

Perfect for all generations and gender as the familiar, age old stories come to life, never changing the Bible’s rendition, only adding a little imagination to flesh it out.