BLOODLINE The Last Sanctuary | A Novel | By @WendyyWolfe

[20] No Help Forth-Coming

"Yep," Hollis agreed. "We're going to make her sleep in our room, so we can stop that little idea before it sprouts. Maybe Deag can get her interested in the radio and it will give her something constructive to do."

"Yes," Donelle agreed. "And I'll talk to Len later and tell him he has to start teaching them to use a gun. That'll keep them occupied. We'll just keep her busy. Its all we can do."

"She and Bretta can help with the kids as well," Verbena included. "Haven needs to start thinking about her own baby and helping with the kids is a perfect beginning."

Donelle pursed her lips. "Damn these kids, having kids." She went back to check on Neala and Rois.

Verbena and Hollis went outside to smoke. They went around to the plaza and sat around the fire pit. Hollis lit a smoke and handed it to Verbena and lit himself one. They just sat there for the longest time staring at the woods from beyond the brick wall. Finally, Hollis looked at his wife.

"You think I should have gone?"

Verbena's face was expressionless. "I don't know."

"Well, I do." Hollis answered his own question. "Haven has been with us a long time Verby, how can we just sit and do nothing? He can't be far anyway."

Len chose that moment to walk up. "So, who is in trouble now?"

"Seth snuck out last night. He left a note saying he was going to find his mom." Verbena recounted stormily.

"Yeah, I saw him leave." Len stated blandly.

Hollis stood up. "You didn't try to stop him Len?"

"Yeah." Len replied lightly. "I talked to him at length. Listen, I tried to convince him we could get news about Salt Lake City on the radio and that I thought it was a bad idea to put himself out there. He just wouldn't listen. I even threw Haven in the mix, but he had convinced himself she'd understand."

Hollis narrowed his eyes at his Uncle. "I think we should go after him."

"That won't do a bit of good, Hollis, except get you killed. Look, if the boy wants to put himself in harm's way you won't stop it. You might prevent it for a time but eventually he is going to find an escape"

"Lord have mercy, Len." Hollis said with a roll of his eyes. "What if the boy doesn't come back? Did you ever think of that, Uncle?"

"He knows the danger, the possibilities. But if anyone goes, it will be me. Best you not say anything to Deag or Donie," Len cautioned. "You, Deag and Mark can handle things here if I have to go fetch him."

"We can, but I wish I had known what he was planning, because I would have hogtied him." Hollis ended with a snort.

Len lit up a smoke as Hollis and Verbena sat and talked.

She looked lovingly at her sweet husband who she had known since childhood. They had grown up together in Pojoaque, New Mexico, one of the eight Pueblos of the Northern Council. Of course, Verbena's uncle Len had too, but reservation life had never been enough for him. He had gone to college and with his Native American allotment, purchased a small property in Delores Colorado and the crumbling diner in Monticello.

After She and Hollis married, he convinced them to leave New Mexico and come to Utah, where they had been ever since, living and working the diner. Len had built a nice apartment upstairs, which he had lived in, but he wanted to be in the hills and mountains of Colorado and when Hollis took over the diner that is exactly what Len did. He purchased a little RV and moved, starting his YouTube channel and continuing to study their native heritage.