Tennessee Whiskey

by Donna K. Ford

  “Let’s go. This place gives me the creeps.” Dane dialed Lily as she stepped out of the cellar. “Hey, we found it.” As they stepped into the clear night, they came face to face with two dark figures.

  “That’s far enough,” a deep voice said.

  Dane let her hand fall to her side, cupping the phone without ending the call. She quickly surveyed the situation, contemplating her options. She might be able to get past them on her own, but there was no way she could let them get to Emma. Running wasn’t an option. She just hoped Lily could hear what was happening and send in the troops.

  “What are you doing here, Trevor? Haven’t you caused enough trouble already?” she said defiantly.

  Trevor walked closer, pointing a gun at her chest. The big man beside him mirrored his every move.

  “Not really. I’ll take that now,” he said pointing to the box.

  Emma lunged toward Trevor. “Curtis trusted you.” Dane threw up her arm, catching her. “You were supposed to be his friend. How could you do this to him?” Emma shouted.

  “Curtis knew the rules. He stole that from me. I only came for what’s mine.”

  “So you sent your muscle after him.” Dane nodded to the big man. “It’s Milton, right?”

  Trevor laughed. “I heard you’ve been barking up the family tree. I guess you just can’t get enough. Say hello to your brother.”

  Dane flinched. “I don’t have a brother.”

  Trevor laughed again. “That’s not how I hear it. Even if Dad didn’t get that little bitch pregnant, you’re still family, like it or not. Maybe we should all get to know each other a little better, let you get a taste of how the family works.” He grabbed his crotch and jerked his hips toward her. “Maybe we should have worked you into the family business. Emma seems pretty sweet on you. You could have done some good business for us at the bar.”

  “Keep dreaming, asshole,” Dane said through gritted teeth. “I’ll never work for you, and if you touch me, I’ll make sure you eat your dick.”

  Both men laughed at her.

  Trevor took another step closer. “Suit yourself.” He looked pointedly at Dane. “We have what we wanted. We don’t need Curtis or you anymore. He knows too much, and you really aren’t any use to me.” He turned back to Emma. “It’s too bad you had to learn all this the same way your father did. None of this would have happened if you had just played along.”

  Emma gasped.

  Dane frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  Trevor sneered at her with a smug grin. “How does it feel, Emma? What’s it like knowing you bedded the daughter of the man who killed your father?”

  Emma stared at him, her mouth slightly ajar. All the air had been sucked out of her chest and she couldn’t think. “What?” she choked.

  Dane cringed. “Thomas killed Emma’s dad?”

  Trevor laughed. “It looks like we’ve all come full circle. First the old man, then Curtis, and now the two of you. Seems my family is destined to destroy yours, Emma. Maybe we should have a go with you first. Teach you a little lesson.”

  “Stay the fuck away from her,” Dane demanded, stepping in front of Emma.

  “Ha.” Trevor shook his head. “You don’t get to make the threats here. Now, hand me the box.” He pointed the gun in Dane’s face. He reached for the box, taking it from her hands. He raised the gun to her head. “Start walking,” he said, herding them to the truck like animals.

  Dane jerked her arm away as Trevor tried to shove her into the truck. She froze as she stared down the barrel of the gun. She had to buy some time. She knew if they got in that truck they were as good as dead. She glared at him. “What’s with those drugs anyway? Why are you killing people? Isn’t that bad for business?”

  Trevor flipped the box open and peered inside. “It was time to shake things up a bit. I needed to know who was skimming from me. This way my guys learned not to cross me. I’ll put the word out that the drugs were from a competitor, and everyone will be looking to buy my stuff instead. Deal with the devil you know and all that.”

  They heard a car speeding up the drive, kicking up gravel and mud. They all turned to see who it was.

  “Son of a bitch, it’s the cops,” Milton said, speaking for the first time. “What the fuck? I don’t like this, Trevor. Do something.”

  “What? What do you want me to do?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m not going back to prison.” Milton jumped into the truck.

  Trevor kneed Dane in the stomach, knocking her to the ground. He grabbed Emma around the neck, holding the gun to her head as the police cruiser slammed to a stop a few feet away.

  The sheriff jumped out of the car, bracing himself behind the door, his gun drawn. “Drop your weapons,” he yelled. More sirens wailed in the distance. In a few more minutes they would be outnumbered.

  Milton stuck his arm out the window and fired at the sheriff. An instant later a second gunshot rang out and blood spurted from Milton’s arm.

  “Fuck,” Milton screamed.

  Trevor dragged Emma to the truck. He had her hair gripped in his fist and the gun pressed below her ear.

  Dane scrambled to her feet. As Trevor moved his gun hand to open the door, she grabbed his arm, desperately trying to wrestle the gun from him.

  Emma screamed as Trevor shoved her against the truck, letting her go.

  “Run,” Dane yelled as she struggled for the gun.

  Emma ran.

  Dane could hear the sheriff yelling, Trevor cursing. The big engine in the truck roared, and her own breathing amplified, but time moved in slow motion as Trevor yanked his hand away and slammed the gun into the side of her head. There was a loud crack and fire exploded in her shoulder, ripping a path through her back.

  Trevor jumped in the truck, and gunfire erupted all around her as the truck roared to life. The big tires spun, churning the gravel into a storm of projectiles beating against her skin like an angry swarm of hornets.

  Dane turned to her side and rolled into a ball, trying to cover herself. The roar in her head faded. She could hear the sheriff yelling for an ambulance. She closed her eyes against the pain and lifted her head. Where was Emma?

  Footsteps pounded the gravel rushing up behind her.

  “Dane,” Emma yelled.

  Dane rolled to her back, clutching her arm.

  Emma fell to the ground beside her, her eyes wide with fear as tears streaked her face.

  “Oh my God. No.” She pushed her hand against the wound in Dane’s shoulder.

  “I’m okay,” Dane said through gritted teeth, the stabbing blade of pain ripping through her shoulder. She groaned. “Damn.” She let her head fall back against the ground. “I hate hospitals.”

  Emma choked out a laugh through her tears.

  The sheriff kneeled beside Dane. “The ambulance is on the way.”

  * * *

  Emma stared at the monitors, watching the lines streak up and down with every beat of Dane’s heart. She hoped she would never have to watch those lines define the life of someone she loved again. The adrenaline had burned away long ago leaving her feeling hollow and tired. She was afraid to close her eyes, afraid if she looked away, Dane would be taken from her.

  They told her the surgery had gone well. The bullet hadn’t damaged anything vital, but there was damage to her scapula. It would be a long recovery. Emma was just glad she was alive.

  “Hey.” Dane’s voice ripped her from her thoughts.

  She grasped Dane’s hand and squeezed. “Hey, you.”

  “How long have I been out?”

  Tears filled Emma’s eyes. “Two days.”

  Dane raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Funny, I don’t feel like I’ve slept at all. It’s all just a big void.”

  Emma let out a long breath, relieved to see Dane’s baby blues again. “You know, for someone who doesn’t like hospitals, you sure spend a lot of time here.”

  Dane smiled. “How are you?”

  “Better no
w.”

  “What about Trevor and Milton? Did they get them?”

  Emma pressed her lips into a thin line and frowned. “Not yet. They disappeared into the mountains. There’s no telling where they’re headed. But there’s no way they’ll come back here. The sheriff called off the search, but they have people all over the state watching out for them. If they show up anywhere, they’ll get them. It’s just a matter of time.” She paused, questioning if she should tell Dane the rest.

  “What?”

  “Paul and the guys have gone out…hunting.”

  Dane frowned. “Hunting?” she echoed, not understanding what Emma was trying to tell her. Then it dawned on her. “You mean…?”

  Emma nodded.

  Dane studied Emma’s eyes, reading all the hurt and fear that had ravaged her for weeks. So much had happened. She didn’t know how Emma was keeping it together.

  “What are they going to do?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think I want to know. Lily called a family meeting and said something about family business and that was the end of it. They all took off. Trevor is a fool if he thinks he can hide from those boys. I think they’re all part goat, and they know these mountains better than anyone. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

  Dane didn’t know what to say. Wasn’t this what Lily had spoken to her about? “How’s Curtis?” she asked needing a change of subject.

  Emma’s eyes brightened. “He’s better. They moved him to a regular room and he’ll likely go home by the end of the week.”

  Dane lifted her hand to the bandage on her head and looked down at her arm in a sling strapped across her chest. “Looks like we’re a matched pair.”

  Emma laughed. “Yeah.” She lifted her hand and brushed the tips of her fingers along Dane’s cheek.

  “Listen, Emma,” Dane said peering into Emma’s eyes. “What Trevor said about our families, your father—”

  Emma pulled Dane’s hand to her lips. “Our families may be linked together, but you had nothing to do with what they did. You aren’t like them. I don’t blame you.”

  Dane was grateful that Emma hadn’t turned her away, but she wasn’t so sure she could offer herself the same pardon. “I’m so sorry for all of this,” she whispered.

  Emma shook her head. “I’m the one who’s sorry. Curtis got us into all of this, not you. Trevor took advantage of him. You didn’t cause any of this. You’ve saved me twice now.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.” Emma leaned down and kissed Dane, letting the warmth of Dane’s lips soothe her fear. “Thank you.”

  Dane had come to Jellico searching for a family, some moral fiber that she thought would redeem her. What she’d found instead was a level of hell that she never deserved. Dane had more than proven her moral fiber. Emma meant what she said. She didn’t believe Dane was in any way to blame for the sins of her family.

  “You should go get some rest,” Dane whispered. “If you’re not careful, you’ll end up stuck in here with the rest of us.”

  Emma smiled. “I will. I just needed to be here.”

  “I’m glad you were here when I woke up, but now it’s time to rest. Get out of here for a while before I have to call Lily on you.”

  Emma laughed. “Okay. But promise me you’ll be here when I get back.”

  Dane heard the uncertainty in Emma’s words, and she had the feeling they were about more than the gunshot. She lifted the edge of the sheet and peered down, shaking her head. She sighed dramatically. “It doesn’t look like I’ll get far without pants.”

  Emma grinned. Her eyes softened. She leaned forward and kissed Dane again. “Please don’t scare me like that again. I don’t think my heart can take it.”

  Dane threaded her fingers through Emma’s hair and pulled her back in to a kiss. “I won’t,” she promised. She wanted to pull Emma into her arms and hold her. She wanted to chase away the fear and doubt that clouded her eyes. She wanted to burn away the images of Trevor clutching Emma, the gun pressed to Emma’s head. She wanted the nightmare to end.

  She flinched and pulled away as a stabbing pain ripped through her chest.

  Emma pulled back. “I’m sorry.”

  Dane squeezed her eyes closed, trying to block out the pain. She shook her head. “I’m okay.”

  Emma smoothed the sheet over Dane’s chest and sat in the chair next to the bed. “Maybe it’s best if I stay over here.” She took Dane’s hand. “Do you want me to call the nurse?”

  “No. It’ll pass. I just moved wrong.”

  Emma bit her lip.

  Dane could see the worry heavy in her eyes. “I think I’ll get a little sleep for a while. You should do the same. Get out of here for a while.”

  “Okay. If you’re sure you’ll be all right.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  Emma stood. “I’ll come back tomorrow morning.” She brushed a gentle kiss against Dane’s cheek. “Have a nurse call if you need anything.”

  Dane nodded. She closed her eyes, giving in to the sleep pulling her under.

  * * *

  Dane woke in the night disoriented and afraid. The nightmare that ripped her from her sleep lingered in the shadows, making her jump at every sound. The hours without Emma seemed slow, and the room felt cold without her there. Twelve hours had passed on the clock. She lay awake, listening to the beep of the monitors and the shuffling of feet as the nurses moved up and down the hall. She tried to move, but the pain in her back screamed a warning that she wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

  She thought about all she had learned about her family since coming to Jellico. What she’d learned about herself. She wished she had been a better friend to Michelle, and maybe if she hadn’t been late that morning, Michelle would still be alive, or maybe they would have died together. Dane closed her eyes to shut out the memory. There were some things she would never have the answers to. She would never know about her mother’s childhood. She would never get that time back. If the answers weren’t in Jellico, what would she do next?

  She turned her head at the sound of a knock at the door. “Are you up for a visitor?” the nurse with the red lipstick asked.

  “Sure,” Dane answered, happy to have a distraction from her thoughts.

  The nurse opened the door wide and wheeled Curtis inside. He looked like a little boy in the wheelchair.

  “Hey,” Curtis said with a big grin on his face.

  “Hey, nice wheels.”

  Curtis laughed. “It’s kind of fun, but she won’t let me drive.”

  Dane laughed.

  The nurse pushed Curtis up beside the bed and set the brake. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. You two try not to get into any trouble.”

  Curtis promised to be good.

  When the door clicked closed, he turned to Dane. “I heard what happened.” He shook his head. “You going to be okay?”

  “Yeah,” Dane answered.

  “I made a real mess of things.”

  “Yes, you did,” she said wanting Curtis to feel some responsibility for what happened, but then she relented. “But Trevor lied to you. He knew what he was doing was wrong.”

  “What’s going to happen now, Dane?”

  Dane felt sorry for him. His world had changed. She doubted anything could take away his innocence completely or change his heart, but she hoped from now on his trust would not be blind.

  “I don’t know what’s going to happen, Curtis. The police are still looking for Trevor and his brother. I suppose there will be a trial once they’re captured.”

  “What about us?”

  “Well, Emma will have to decide if she wants to rebuild the house. You’ll both have a lot of work to do.”

  “What about you?”

  Dane pressed her lips together, contemplating her answer. “I don’t know that yet either.”

  Someone tapped on the door. Emma stuck her head in. “I thought I might find you in here.” She looked at Curtis. “There’s
a young lady outside who’s been trying to see you. She says her name is Candice.”

  Curtis smiled, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “Yeah.”

  Dane smiled.

  “I take it you know her?” Emma asked.

  “Yeah,” Curtis answered, his smile widening.

  Emma opened the door and waved her hand. A young woman with long blond hair stepped into the room. She looked shyly from Dane to Emma and then to Curtis.

  “Hey,” she said stepping up to him.

  “Hey,” Curtis answered.

  “You okay?”

  Curtis nodded.

  “Somebody named Dane called me a couple of days ago, but I couldn’t get my dad to bring me here until today. He finally agreed to shut me up.”

  Curtis pointed to Dane. “This is my friend Dane. I asked her to call for me.”

  Candice nodded. She looked over her shoulder to Emma as if afraid she would bite.

  “That’s my sister, Emma.”

  Candice raised her hand chest high and waved at Emma.

  “This is my girlfriend, Candice.”

  Emma’s mouth fell open. “Girlfriend?”

  Curtis blushed.

  Emma shook herself and extended her hand. “It’s good to meet you, Candice. I’m sorry I didn’t know to call.”

  Candice shrugged. “It’s okay.”

  The nurse came back, frowning at the sight of so many people in the room. She leveled her gaze at Emma. “Only two visitors at a time, please.”

  Emma stood. “Curtis, why don’t you have Candice take you back to your room, so you can talk? I’ll stay here with Dane.”

  The nurse nodded as she checked the IV. “I’ll have someone come help you back into bed. Don’t even think of doing it by yourself.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Curtis said as he was wheeled through the door.

  Emma narrowed her eyes at Dane. “Were you ever going to tell me that my little brother had a girlfriend?”

  Dane laughed. “I just found out myself just before all this happened. He asked me to get the number out of his phone and call her for him.”

  “Why didn’t he tell me?”

  “I don’t know. She seems sweet, though.”

  “Yeah.” Emma laughed. “I wonder what else he’s keeping from me.”