Cut and Run

by Amy Elizabeth

  “I don’t know,” Alec replied, holding the stethoscope to the mare’s gut.

  As soon as they’d seen the note, Alec shouted for Roger. “Get the medical kit out of the tack room. Then go up to the farmhouse and get my rifle. Get yours, as well. Have Lucy get my father ready to go to the clinic overnight.”

  Roger’s face paled. “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m not done. When Alli gets back, have her escort the two guests off the ranch. Tell them it’s an emergency and get them a room in town, on us. Tell her to stay with a friend in Jackson, and tell Ryan and his staff to do the same. I want this ranch empty, no exceptions. No one is to come back here until they hear from us.”

  “What about Tommy?”

  “He’s staying. Have him get his gun, too.”

  Alec let out a deep breath as he removed the stethoscope from his ears and leaned over Star’s head. He examined her eyes and nostrils before lifting her lips to inspect her mouth.

  “She’s in shock,” he said, indicating the pale color of her gums. “Whatever drug he gave her, it’s shutting her system down.”

  Rebecca’s chin began quivering. “Is she going to die?”

  He stood when four sets of hoof beats crunched on the gravel outside. “Not if I can help it,” he answered, glancing out the window. “I’m going to tell Tommy and Alli what’s going on, but I swear I won’t be more than ten steps from this barn.”

  After he left, Rebecca looked down at Star. Who could possibly hate her so much that he would attempt to kill her brother and her horse? Who had been studying her so closely that he would even know who Jeff was and which of the fifty horses on the ranch was hers? What kind of sick person would do those terrible things, for no reason whatsoever? She wasn’t even afraid for herself at this point. All she could think about were the people around her who were in jeopardy.

  Star gave a little groan and shifted on the hay, weakly stretching her back legs. Then she lay quietly again and closed her eyes. Rebecca leaned down and wrapped her arms around her horse’s neck.

  “It’s okay, baby,” she whispered. “Alec knows what to do. Just hang on a little bit longer, okay?”

  Footsteps raced down the barn aisle, and she looked up to see Allison’s panicked face. “Alec just told us everything. I’m so sorry, Bec. I can’t even believe it!”

  Before she could respond, Alec appeared behind her. “Alli, I need you to go. The guests are getting their things together now.”

  “I don’t want to leave,” she argued. “Let me help with Star. Let me stay with Rebecca. Let me do something, Alec. Don’t just send me away in the middle of this.”

  He placed his hands on her shoulders and softened his tone. “You are doing something. You’re getting yourself and our guests out of harm’s way. That’s what I need you to do right now. Okay?”

  Allison gave a reluctant nod. “Okay.”

  As soon as she’d gone, Alec let himself back into the stall. “What exactly are you planning to do?” Rebecca asked.

  “Wait for whoever it is we’re waiting for to show up,” he replied, kneeling to check Star’s gums again. “I’d get you off the ranch, but I don’t know how much good it would do. We’re in a better position to protect you here than anywhere else.”

  “I wouldn’t leave anyway, unless I knew Star was alright.” She dropped to her knees and touched his face, forcing their eyes to meet. “But what you’re suggesting is crazy, Alec. I understand that you want to protect me, but bringing Tommy and Roger into this, too? Look at what this guy did to my brother. If something happened to one of you…”

  Her voice trailed off as he wrapped his arms around her. “Nothing is going to happen to any of us.”

  Roger strode down the aisle, holding the Winchester and an impressive rifle of his own. “Loaded?” Alec asked as he stepped over to the stall door.

  “Of course.”

  He double-checked anyway before nodding in satisfaction. “Is Lucy getting ready to take my father into town?”

  “As we speak.”

  “Good. You’re going with them.”

  Rebecca and Roger both blinked in confusion. “I beg your pardon?” Roger said.

  “I want you to go with them to the clinic and stay with him tonight.”

  “Wouldn’t you rather have me here?”

  Alec shook his head. “I can’t be worrying about him and Rebecca both. I need to know that he’s safe, and you’re the only man I trust for the job.”

  She rose to her feet. “Alec, I don’t think there’s any reason–”

  “There wasn’t a reason for him to go after your brother, was there?” he retorted. “I’m not going to take any chances.”

  Roger opened his mouth to say something, but he seemed to change his mind. Instead he gave a stiff nod and picked up his rifle. “I’ll call you once we get there.”

  “Thank you,” Alec said, visibly relaxing as he patted the old wrangler’s shoulder.

  He returned the gesture. “You gonna call the police?”

  “No. They’ve already said there’s nothing they can do. And I don’t want to risk scaring this guy off.”

  “But you don’t even know who you’re dealing with.”

  “Fine by me,” Alec replied. “He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with, either.”

  Tommy appeared in the aisle as Roger headed for the farmhouse. “Alli and the guests are gone. Ryan and his crew are leaving, too. What do you want me to do?”

  “Go to your cabin and get your gun. Search all the buildings on the property before it gets dark, and meet us up at the farmhouse. If anything happens, fire a warning shot.”

  Rebecca felt like she was in some kind of nightmare as she watched everyone scramble to protect her. This is all wrong. They shouldn’t be doing this for me.

  She waited until Tommy was out of earshot before she turned to Alec. “I can’t believe you’re doing all of this. I should just leave. Take me to the airport and I’ll get out of here right now, before anyone else gets hurt.”

  He gave her a pointed look. “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then trust me.”

  *

  Half an hour passed while Alec pumped fluids into Star and gave her two injections to counteract the effects of the drug. Rebecca assisted where she could but for the most part stood off to the side, watching Alec do what he did best. The mare gradually grew more alert, even lifting her head off the straw at one point.

  “How’s she doing?” she asked.

  “If the drugs were going to kill her, she’d already be gone. He must’ve underestimated the dose.” He glanced up at Rebecca. “I’ll get Dr. Truman out here tomorrow to take a look at her, but my guess is she’s going to make it.”

  A huge weight lifted off her chest as she gazed down at her beloved horse. “I’m so glad you knew what to do.”

  She helped him gather the tubes and syringes and place them back in the medical kit. Then he glanced out the window at the darkening sky and reached for his rifle.

  “Come on. We need to get out of here.”

  She gave Star one last hug before taking Alec’s hand and exiting the stall. She glanced around as they strode through the grass, expecting to see a lone figure lurking somewhere in the shadows. Tommy emerged from the guest cabin nearest the corral, shotgun in hand, and met up with them at the base of the hill.

  “Everything’s clear.”

  “I figured as much,” Alec said. “Just wanted to make sure.”

  The farmhouse seemed quieter than usual, if that was possible. Alec brewed a pot of coffee as Tommy sat at the kitchen table. “How do you wanna do this, boss?”

  He glanced down the hallway. “There are only two ways in. I’ve got a clear view of the front door from the living room, so I’ll stay there with Rebecca if you want to take up post out back.”

  They sat in tense, heavy silence and downed the entire pot of coffee. Normally Rebecca found the sound of the grandfather clock soothing, but
tonight it echoed in her ears like the countdown of a ticking bomb. She trusted Alec and Tommy with her life, but she couldn’t shake the notion that something terrible was going to happen to one of them.

  Or both of them.

  Or all three of them.

  Her stomach lurched when Tommy stood and carried his empty mug over to the sink. Then he retrieved his shotgun and turned to Alec. “You know where to find me.”

  “Wait!” Rebecca jumped to her feet and grabbed his sleeve. “You don’t have to do this, Tommy. This is insane.”

  He gave his easy smile. “No one’s forcing me to do this, Bec. And who knows? Maybe we’ll luck out and he’ll be a no-show.”

  After he disappeared through the office, Alec and Rebecca entered the living room and drew the curtains closed. He moved one of the loveseats so he’d have a clear view of the front door, then he set his rifle down and stretched out on the couch. She curled up beside him and rested her head on his chest, trying to convince herself that tonight was no different from any other night. They lay in silence for a long time, listening to every little gust of wind and the rhythmic, ominous ticking of the clock.

  As if reading her thoughts, Alec tightened his arm around her. “Stop worrying, Rebecca. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  *

  Sometime in the middle of the night she jolted awake, startled to find that she was alone. Just when she started to panic, she sat up and saw Alec by the window, peeking through a crack in the curtain.

  “What is it?”

  He shook his head and smoothed the curtain back into place. “Thought I heard something. Must’ve been the wind.”

  Rebecca glanced at the clock and was surprised to see it was almost five in the morning. Dawn would break soon. Maybe Tommy was right. Maybe her stalker wasn’t going to show up tonight, after all.

  “Do you want something to drink?” she asked as she pushed off her blanket.

  “I’ll get it for you,” he said, already making his way towards the kitchen. “What would you like?”

  “Just some water, please.”

  Rebecca shook her head a few times, trying to clear the fog of sleep from her mind. She didn’t know how she could have fallen asleep in the first place after so many cups of coffee. She yawned as she stood and stretched her stiff muscles, then she shuffled towards the bathroom. Just when she reached for the faucet, she heard the crash of breaking glass.

  Then the unmistakable crack of a gunshot.

  Then total silence.

  She covered her mouth and shrank back against the wall of the bathroom, staring at her horrified reflection in the mirror. She didn’t know if she’d heard the rifle or the shotgun, but she wasn’t about to venture out there.

  Alec will be here in just a minute. He’ll come for you when it’s safe. Just wait.

  She strained to hear something, anything–but there was nothing except the echo of her pulse pounding in her ears. Each passing second felt like an eternity as she retreated to the corner of the bathroom, her entire body quaking with fear.

  Where were Alec and Tommy?

  What was going on out there?

  Why was it so deathly quiet?

  A floorboard creaked in the living room. She heard a footstep, then another. Her heart nearly exploded out of her chest as she listened to slow footsteps echoing across the hardwood floor, headed straight for the bathroom.

  Please let it be Alec, she prayed, although deep down she knew it wasn’t.

  The footsteps stopped right outside the door. Then the doorknob turned, and the door creaked as it ever so slowly swung open.

  At first, she didn’t understand what she was seeing. This is a nightmare. Wake up, Rebecca. Wake up right now.

  Then her stalker smiled, and the entire room spiraled when she realized she was already awake.

  The smile belonged to none other than Sean McIntyre.

  Chapter 19

  “You’re dead!” Rebecca shrieked.

  “You left me for dead,” Sean corrected her.

  His blond hair was matted and he had a crazed look in his eyes, a look that only cocaine could induce. Her heart plummeted to the floor when she realized the gun he was holding was a shotgun–Tommy’s shotgun.

  No.

  This isn’t real.

  It can’t be.

  She flattened herself against the wall of the shower, trying to make sense of what was happening. She’d seen him on the floor, unmoving, unblinking–not even a hint of life or breath. How in the world had he survived? And how in the world had she spent the past three months thinking he was dead, when in fact he’d been hunting her and planning for this very moment?

  Her blood ran cold when he smiled. “You know the funny thing about rehab?” he said, leaning casually against the doorway. “It gives you all sorts of time to think about your life. And you know what I realized?”

  Where were Alec and Tommy? Sean’s shirt was torn and his lip was bleeding, so she knew he’d struggled with at least one of them.

  “What did you realize?” she replied, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.

  “I realized you were right,” he said, setting down the shotgun and folding his solid arms over his chest. “Remember when you’d come crying to me about the latest episode with Karl, and you’d say that you should be able to rely on the people closest to you, rather than have to run from them?”

  Already she didn’t like where this conversation was going. “I remember.”

  Sean sighed and shook his head. “I guess I really shouldn’t blame you for what you did, then. You come from a family full of runners, don’t you? Between your father and your brother, you’ve been well-trained. I’m sure your wretched mother would run, too, if she wasn’t such a coward.”

  Her jaw stiffened when an image of her brother’s battered face flashed through her mind. “Why did you go after Jeff? You almost killed him.”

  He looked surprised. “I didn’t? Huh. Pity. I gotta admit, though, he put up a wicked good fight. He’s still got a little Southie in him, after all.”

  “What did he ever do to you? He was your best friend.”

  “He was until he left us! Don’t you understand? He always thought he was better than us.”

  “He is better than us. And he’s certainly better than you, you pathetic bastard.”

  Rebecca froze when Sean whipped a .22 semiautomatic from behind his back and pointed it straight at her head. “I’m a little disappointed,” he said, his voice frighteningly calm. “I was expecting a warmer reception than this.”

  Stay calm. Keep him talking. As long as he was talking, he wasn’t hurting anyone.

  “What do you want, Sean?” she asked softly. “Why are you here?”

  He looked miffed as he lowered the gun, like a child who’d been scolded. “I wanted to see you again, Becky. Couldn’t you tell from my letters how much I missed you?”

  Oh, my God, he’s insane. He is certifiably insane.

  She stared at him with wide eyes, searching for any indication that she could reason with him. There was none. And she knew from experience that when the drugs took hold of him like this, there would be no stopping him. Unless one of her guardians came to her rescue soon, she knew with absolute certainty that Sean was going to rape her or kill her.

  Or both.

  She could feel him undressing her with his eyes. “I gotta admit, you look good in those tight jeans,” he said, tucking his gun into the back of his pants. “I like the whole cowgirl get-up. It’s giving me a few ideas, if you know what I mean.”

  Her heart hammered when he stepped into the bathroom. “I didn’t want to believe that you were the one who found me,” he continued, his words as calculated as his steps. “I thought to myself…no, not my Becky. She wouldn’t leave me when I needed her most. Not after all the times I was there for her when she needed me. But then I thought…wait, she’s just a kid. She doesn’t understand what loyalty is. She doesn’t think she owes me anything. All she w
anted was a chance to get away, and there it was. No one was left to stop her. Or so she thought.”

  Rebecca gasped as Sean grabbed her throat and shoved her back against the wall. “Did you really think I’d let you go?” His foul breath made her stomach heave. “Maybe I want you back, Bec. Or maybe I don’t. Maybe I just want the sick satisfaction of watching you squirm. But most of all, maybe I don’t think you deserve to get out of Southie and actually have a life. What makes you think you’re so entitled?”

  He turned his head and spat on the tile. She struggled to get out of his grasp, but he tightened his grip on her throat and pressed his repulsive cheek against hers. She cringed as he traced his mouth along the side of her face, letting his lips settle against her ear.

  “You’ve been awfully busy since you got here, haven’t you?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about.” A malicious grin spread across his face as he pulled back to look at her. “Like mother, like daughter, eh, Bec?” he whispered, easing his knee between her legs. “Always open for business.”

  Rebecca swung at his face, but he saw it coming and expertly blocked her hand. “No need to get angry,” he chastised, pinning her arms against her chest. “Believe me, sweetheart, it’s one of your best qualities.”

  She gave an angry shout and tried to free herself, but she didn’t stand a chance. Sean waited with remarkable patience for her to stop squirming before he continued.

  “I’ll admit…you confused me at first. I kept seeing Tommy slip in and out of your cabin, and initially I thought he was the one you were with. But then I realized…no, my girl’s refined. She’s got much better taste than that. Why go for some dumb hick when you can shack up with the boss instead?”

  “That hick has more class than you ever will,” she hissed. “And even if I shacked up with him and every other guy in this state, it’d be none of your goddamn business.”

  He smiled and shook his head. “You know, I’d almost forgotten how feisty you can be. You have no idea how much it turns me on.”