Shotgun Justice

by Angi Morgan

  “Whatever it is, it won’t come off.”

  He ran his hands around the entire metal collar and couldn’t find a release button or catch, just a lock. “Does it hurt?”

  “It’s snug, heavy and feels huge. It makes me want to swallow.”

  He’d never seen anything like what was clamped tightly around her throat. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. “Any idea where we are? Or how long we’ve been here?”

  “I think it’s still Saturday night. I can see smoke on the horizon from the fires. Based on that, I think it’s been four or five hours. That’s just a guess, since he took my watch. But I know where we are. This is Thompson Grove Recreation Area. It’s about an hour or so north of Dalhart. Not far by car. Might take us a while to walk to the nearest house with no shoes.”

  “I agree on the timeline.” He shook his head, trying to free himself from the emotion of the moment. Drugs. Relief. He didn’t know which, but it was doing a number on his head. And his gut was objecting to any fast change in any direction, especially up and down. “You don’t know how relieved I am that you’re still alive. Think I’ll sit for a minute until we decide what we’re doing.”

  “I’ll join you.”

  The moon was rising high in the sky, reflecting off the picnic tables and structures across a small white gravel parking lot. As his vision cleared, he could see well, considering the circumstances. Moonlight seemed to bounce off everything.

  “I have no idea why he’d dump us here.” He laced his fingers with hers. “It doesn’t fit his MO at all.”

  “I’m sort of relieved that something’s happened. But totally confused over what he plans. Do you think someone scared him off or that he’s hiding close by?”

  “Honestly, Avery, anything’s possible with this killer. We’re not certain that the victims were killed where the bodies were found. This might be how he does things.” Jesse scratched the scalp under his short cropped hair.

  “So keeping victims out in the open like this might be his thing,” she agreed with a long sigh and another tug on her metal collar.

  “You don’t think he’s going to hunt us or something? There are a lot of farms and houses close by. Plenty of possibilities for an escape.”

  “It might not be that easy.” He had a feeling they were being watched. The moon might be keeping their surroundings from being pitch-black, but it didn’t permeate every corner of Thompson Grove.

  “Ready to get moving? We have a long way back to town and can talk about this dude’s crazy motives all you want.” She jumped up and he caught her upper arm, gently pulling her to a stop.

  “We have to work together on this, Avery.”

  “All we’re doing is walking. Unless you know something I don’t.” Her eyes narrowed and she visibly clenched her jaw. She twisted her arm free and fisted her fingers. “I suppose you’re wishing you’d thrown me in jail this time, too.”

  “You know, I didn’t think he’d lock you up, Avery.”

  “It was humiliating.”

  “I hope it wasn’t too insulting. And your people don’t think anything about it. They respect and care about you.” He wanted to regret the suggestion of putting her behind bars. He didn’t, though. She’d been kept safely out of the picture while the state searched for her brother.

  He’d keep that opinion to himself. He could see the similarities to her twin brother when she was in deep concentration. But nothing could make him picture Garrison.

  Not right now. This situation had everything to do with Avery. He was haunted with the last drugged memory he’d kept in his head. The sexy dreams had left him wanting to pull her into his arms as soon as he’d seen her face. Holding her hand reassured him she was really alive and unharmed.

  “You shouldn’t butt into my business. I know it’s difficult for you to understand. I’m all grown up.” She patted his hand politely and started toward the parking lot. “I won’t hide just because Garrison’s in trouble.”

  “We’re probably in more trouble than he ever was.”

  It wasn’t his fault she was so damn stubborn. Or that she hadn’t listened to him when she pulled him over for speeding. But he kept his mouth shut. They needed to work together like partners even if they weren’t.

  The only words coming to his mind would make their situation worse. He had to ignore the urge to respond. If they were ever going to move past arguing and work together, that was what he had to do.

  He shook his head, determined to bite his tongue in half before he argued with her. “I thought Dalhart was south of here?”

  “If we walk due east we’ll hit 385 if no one comes along before that.” She was about twenty feet from him, still tugging on the silver collar around her neck.

  “Wait—” He heard an electronic beep. A red light glowed from the back of the collar by the lock. “Do you hear that? Avery? Stop.”

  “We really need...” Her body convulsed and she fell to the ground.

  Jesse ran to her. Whatever had just happened, she was still breathing. “Do me a favor and wake up, Avery. You’ve got to be okay.”

  Jesse smoothed back her hair, wiped away a few beads of sweat and worried about her clammy cheeks. There was nothing outwardly wrong with her. He’d seen the light, heard a beep—not a gunshot.

  “And I thought...I had a headache before,” she whispered as she came around. “What happened?”

  “This thing around your neck is a...a shock collar. I don’t know how—”

  Avery’s eyes fluttered closed again as she fainted. Jesse picked her up and placed her on the picnic table. Why put a collar and shock Avery? How would that get what Snake Eyes wanted?

  Because Jesse knew the location of Garrison’s safe house. The Snake Eyes Killer had found where he was vulnerable. He couldn’t watch Avery suffer like this and didn’t know how many times she could be shocked without it disrupting her heart.

  He wanted to be strong.

  Wanted to keep his oath as a Texas Ranger.

  But Avery was more than a colleague or family. He wouldn’t let her die.

  * * *

  AVERY SLOWLY OPENED her eyes. Every muscle ached like it never had before. She turned her head cautiously, uncertain what the heavy weight was at her waist. Pretty sure a man had hold of her hand.

  She recognized the back of his head. “Jesse?”

  He popped upright, quickly taking in their surroundings, which were completely strange. Her back was stiff from whatever she was lying on. Trees swayed overhead. The beginning streaks of a sunrise peeked through the trees in front of her. The grasslands to her right. A cow mooed somewhere close by.

  “How do you feel?” he whispered.

  “I don’t understand. What’s going on?” She should probably remove her hand from his, since they weren’t on really good terms at the moment. But her body felt chilled and his fingers were warm. He didn’t seem in a hurry to let go, either.

  “What do you remember?”

  The outline of his features were worried expressions or frowns—but not because of something she’d done. No, this was different and frightened her. Her stomach tightened.

  She couldn’t let him see her scared, so she reacted the only way allowed in this new phase of their relationship. “Throwing you in jail. How did you get out and where the heck have you brought me?”

  “Thompson Grove Recreation Area. You said it’s not far from Dalhart.”

  “What? Why?”

  Glowing reptile eyes.

  The image was so vivid it jump-started the memories that flooded back in one fast whack. “Shoot. Wow. For a minute there I lost a full day. Snake Eyes drugged you, too?”

  “Yeah. You...um...you don’t remember waking up before?”

  “Why are you acting this way?” She shooed his hand from he
r side and swung her legs over the edge of the picnic table, sitting up, feet next to him on the bench. Sort of woozy, but determined not to let Jesse see. “You look worried about...me. And I know that’s not what you should be thinking about. We need to get out of here before Snake Eyes returns.”

  “I guess we need to go over the details again.” He shoved away from her and the table, cursing the hodgepodge of dirt, twigs and stones that he walked across without his shoes.

  “Again?” She wiggled her toes...also free of shoes.

  He cursed and pulled up his foot, brushing aside something that caused him pain. Facing the sun, she stared as he bent in half and grabbed the back of his head. When he straightened, he faced her with so much worry and concern in his eyes it scared her. “Dammit, Avery. It doesn’t matter. Nothing does. I thought you were dead.”

  Dead?

  Confused, she took a deep breath, noticing for the first time that her chest hurt. Swallowing hard, she felt the tightness inside her throat and out. Her fingers touched cool metal like a tight choker. “What is this thing? And what do you mean by ‘dead’?”

  “A shock collar.”

  “Like for a dog?” She tugged at it, barely able to get her fingers between it and her skin. “Get it off.”

  “I can’t. He’ll zap you again if I touch it. You’ve been unconscious most of the night. I can’t believe you’re standing up.”

  “He who?”

  “Snake Eyes wants me to divulge information about your brother. Info I don’t have, by the way. If I don’t...”

  “He plans to shock me to death? Is that even possible?”

  “You damn well came close already.” Jesse shoved his hands into his pockets, spun to face the sun, cursed at something under his foot and bent at the waist, rapidly drawing air into his lungs. “And you don’t seem to remember any of it.”

  She had nothing. Couldn’t think of a word to say. No response and couldn’t even say that. Her former best friend was clearly upset...with good reason. She was speechless because he’d said “dead.” Meaning, she might have been close to it.

  Jesse was a smart man. He’d know if she was breathing or if her heart was beating. She’d never seen him like this. Ever. Through all the scrapes and bruises growing up. Or the awkwardness in junior high. Or even going to the spring dance with her to shut up Garrison’s bragging about taking the homecoming queen. This quiet man had never broken down.

  If she didn’t know him so well, she’d swear he was halfway crying with relief. He pressed the corner of his palms into his eyes—her habit—before standing straight and throwing back his wide shoulders.

  Absolutely not. That was impossible. Jesse didn’t cry. Nothing affected him that deeply.

  “You’re obviously tired,” she concluded. “But are you ready to get back to Dalhart?”

  “No!” He marched to her side and pressed on her shoulders to hold her in place. “We aren’t going anywhere. He said to stay put.”

  “He’s talking to you? How? Is he watching? Is that how he knows when you mess with the collar?”

  “He knows when you mess with it or when you try to leave. He’s either triggering it or there’s a sensor embedded. It starts beeping before you’re shocked.”

  “I can handle a couple of shocks until we can get to a hospital.”

  “Avery, honey.” He rubbed his palms up and down her arms. “You’ve already tried that. This time you can’t remember trying it. We aren’t doing it again. We’re waiting.”

  “You can’t really expect me to just sit here. Until what? He kills both of us?” She could rest a little longer while she figured this out. She headed back to the picnic table. “What about Garrison? Who’s going to warn him?”

  “It’s already been taken care of.”

  “Right. And that’s the reason you personally came to rescue his little sister.” She crossed her arms, not meaning to huff, but sort of huffing all the same. She didn’t mean it and regretted the words as soon as they were out, causing a continued tension between them.

  Jesse was talking about things they’d experienced a couple of hours ago that she couldn’t remember. She wasn’t angry at him or his help. She was frightened and didn’t know how to admit it.

  “Would you put being angry at me on hold? I know I’m the bad guy in your life. I’m willing to accept that responsibility most days. I just think we have a bigger problem at the moment.”

  Put her anger on hold? That was a ridiculous suggestion and made her want to laugh out loud. But it was also very logical. It was very...Jesse.

  “Agreed.”

  Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Her heart took a little tumble as she watched his surprised expression and the backward step that he took. His hands drifted from her shoulders to her knees and the outline of her body in between.

  Time for her to put distance between them and keep it there. She sat confused on the picnic table. Suddenly cold and warm and severely attracted to him. Even here. She wanted his warmth, his comfort, his concern.

  “So how do you know what Snake Eyes wants?” she asked, pulling her knees to her body and weakly wrapping her arms around them. She couldn’t dwell on how her body felt. She could stay as strong as Jesse. She could remain strong and logical.

  But to think logically, like a law-enforcement officer, she needed the facts, which were all fuzzy. Some danced around in her brain but not as complete sentences. Everything was fragmented like a puzzle.

  “Snake Eyes called the sheriff’s office when I arrived at the fire—where you were supposed to be. He admitted he had you, asked where Garrison is hiding. Said he’d kill you if I didn’t spill the beans.”

  “Well, you can’t tell what you don’t know.”

  Just a flash but she knew he had that answer. The quick narrowing of his eyes and a slight arch of his eyebrow... That was his tell. She’d learned it years ago when he tried to cover for her twin brother.

  So he knew where Garrison was staying, but he wasn’t letting anyone else know that he knew. Probably a wise decision. If Snake Eyes was watching them, it made sense that he had a listening device somewhere close, too.

  “He hasn’t made contact since we’ve been here. I’m drawing the conclusion that he wants us to stay, since he shocks you each time you try to leave.”

  Jesse leaned on the end of the picnic bench, stretching his arms over his head. Avery wanted to reach across and rub his shoulders. Lord knew, she’d done it often throughout college. But not now.

  Touching him that night... It was what had started the greatest embarrassment of her life. She laced her fingers together, holding tighter, pulling her legs closer. She was still a little chilled and very unwilling to let her companion know it. She could manage.

  “I’m at a loss here, Avery.” He shook his head. The early sunlight reflected off the natural highlights in his hair. “I honestly don’t know what to do except sit tight. I’ve combed through this parking lot for a sliver of metal to pick the lock on that collar. I’ve got a pair of bloody kneecaps but nothing else.”

  “I could try now that it’s daylight.”

  “Too risky if he’s watching.”

  “We just wait? For what?” Fear was pushing its way to the forefront of her emotions. It was hard to control it. “I’m attempting to walk this through from the killer’s point of view. We know his purpose is to secure information. How does he plan on doing that? Telepathy?”

  Right on cue a phone rang. Faint. Covered by something. They both jumped to follow the sound, searching the brush and tall grass. Not too hard to find when you knew where to look. They found the plastic bag pushed deep in the hollowed part of a tree.

  Jesse held it, paused. She had the same thought... What if there were prints inside? What if there was trace evidence? She shrugged, gestured for him to answer. He flipped the ph
one open and pushed the speaker button.

  “Yeah?”

  “I’ll skip the pleasantries,” a voice disguised by a mechanical device said swiftly. “It’s been a long night and I’m ready to move on. Are you ready to give me the location?”

  “I swear that I—” The collar beeped. “Wait. I can’t provide you an address I don’t have.”

  “You have half an hour before the next phase of our game begins.”

  The screen went blank.

  “Is it locked? Make sure you can’t dial out. Don’t shush me. I know he’s probably listening. Just try it.” She pointed, wanting to take it into her hands, realizing at that moment just how tingly her hands felt. As if they’d been asleep for a while.

  Jesse punched in numbers on the old basic phone. Nothing happened. He flipped it over and tried to remove the back to gain access to the battery. They could see the glue around the edges. Glue around the on and off button.

  The screen was locked, just as she’d feared. He stuffed the cheap phone back into the bag, not trying further. He spread his arms wide, ready for her to be comforted, then wrapped her in his hug.

  “What the he—”

  His hand clamped over her mouth even as his eyes scanned the horizon like a machine. He held her tight, chest to chest, his lips brushing her ear as his hot breath lifted the tendrils of hair falling free from her ponytail, tickling the sensitive skin.

  “Just listen for a second,” he barely whispered. “Keep your eyes peeled for movement. I haven’t seen a glint of a scope, haven’t heard anything to even stop the bugs from chirping. We’re casually going to find the way he’s hearing us. Don’t do anything that will get you shocked. You start beeping, you move back to the table.”

  “Why can’t you leave without me and bring help?” she asked just as softly against his ear.

  “Been there. Done that. The second shock knocked you off your feet before I made it to the road.”

  She pulled back to look into his eyes. Searching for that small squint that happened when he lied. “How many times?”