Chapter 16: Chelsea's Choice

The horn carried over the fields without a break.

On the monitor in the warehouse I could see the herd turning in the lane.

Twenty grey heads came around toward the road, one after another.

"Every Bloomed in the county will hear that," Nolan said.

"Then somebody has to shut it up."

"It's a church van with the windows up. She's safe until the glass breaks."

"She's not safe. She's loud."

Chelsea was already at the back gate of the warehouse, working the bar with both hands.

I crossed the floor and caught her sleeve.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To get her."

"She sold me for a train seat, Chelsea."

"I know she did." Chelsea's chin shook, but she did not look away. "I was on the platform. I know what she did."

"Then you know why I'm not going."

"She's still my mother," Chelsea said. "You can hate me for it. I'd rather you hated me than watched."

I let go of her sleeve.

It was the first time I had seen my sister decide something on her own.

"You can't walk to the road," I said. "They'll hear you."

"Then give me a noise."

"I'll give you a better one."

Nolan was already walking toward Amos's four-wheeler by the door.

"Ten minutes," he said. "I'll take it down the farm road and run it flat out. That should pull most of them off the lane."

"Nolan."

"I know." He swung a leg over it. "I'll come back."

He started the engine, and it roared.

He took off down the farm road in a spray of gravel, and the herd on the monitor split in two.