by Merri Hiatt
“I ain’t no dog killer. You want to put a bullet in his head, then you do it.” String quickly turned and walked toward the main house.
“Don’t you walk away from me.”
“And don’t you threaten me.” String never halted his pace.
“If you want a job done right, you gotta do it yourself.” Red headed back toward the orchard.
Purity watched him closely. Past the gazebo on the left about twenty paces, he disappeared from her view. She heard the squeal of a door hinge followed by the bang of a door closing. “It is a cellar door. Ten will you give you twenty that he’s got everyone tucked away down there. How do I get ‘em out?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Purity had a text message from Brad. Jacob was being taken to surgery to have drain tubes placed in his lungs. He inhaled too much river water. Courtney was breathing easier after two respiratory treatments.
Pure made a call, then headed toward the main house, keeping a watch out for String and Red. It didn’t take long to find what she was looking for. Frank kept his guns under lock and key. The key was hidden in the Bible by his bedside. It was the first place Purity looked.
“Love God and love my guns,” she said. She gathered up six weapons, then began scouring the closets for smoke bombs. “Don’t farmers use them to keep bugs off their crops? Maybe that was just smoke. Probably a bad idea anyway. If I can’t get everyone out of the cellar, they could die of smoke inhalation.”
She’d have given anything to have at least one other person there to mull over ideas with. Time was running out. If Red meant his threat, women, children and animals were in harm’s way. Jeremy came to mind immediately. “If he touches one hair on his head, I’ll…” Pure’s hands clenched into fists. “I don’t know what I’ll do, but it will be bad. Really, really bad.”
She gathered up the guns and ammo and headed toward the door. A muffled sound stopped her in her tracks. She heard it again.
She followed the sound to the closet in the hall. A knife had been jammed into the space by the door handle. Purity pulled the knife out with a grunt and a gasp, then opened the door. Frank and Emma were bound and gagged. Duct tape covered their mouths. She quickly helped them get free. “Are you okay?”
“It’s Red. He’s behind it all. He wants to take the ranch from us. Doesn’t think we deserve it.”
“You’re bleeding.” Purity gathered towels from the bathroom and pressed one against Frank’s forehead.
“I’ll be fine.”
“What happened to your eye?”
“He hit me with the butt of his gun. Damn coward!” Emma said. “Is everyone okay?”
Purity shook her head. “I think they’re all in the orchard cellar.”
“How do you know about that?” Frank asked.
“It’s a long story.”
“Do you know there are two entrances?”
“That I didn’t know. Where’s the other one?”
“By the chicken coop.”
“That’s a long way from the orchard.”
“It’s a big cellar.” Emma said. “There’s electricity and everything. That’s where we make our applesauce.”
“C’mon, let’s go get that son of a bitch.”
“I called the police. They’re on their way.”
“You didn’t. Please tell me you didn’t,” Frank said.
“Why?”
“Chief of Police is Red’s brother,” Emma said.
“Oh, no. I told them everything.”
“Who’d you talk to?”
“I don’t know. It was a woman.”
“That’d be Emma Lou. She and Red dated for a while. They broke up on bad terms. We might have caught a break.”
“She’d probably like to see ol’ Red get his comeuppance.”
“Let’s hope so,” Pure said. She helped Frank and Emma get to their feet. “Are you sure you feel up to this?”
“Hell yes! I don’t take kindly to someone tryin’ to steal what’s mine.”
“And neither do I,” Emma said.
Purity distributed the guns, two to Frank and two to Emma, keeping two for herself, and they headed toward the chicken coop. They kept constant vigil as they moved quickly.
“It’s around the back,” Emma said. “It just looks like a small cupboard for storing things, but it ain’t.” She pulled on the chain around her neck until a ring of keys came riding up from out of her bra. “Gotta keep these close to my heart.”
She found the key so fast, Purity had to marvel at her speed. With so many keys on the ring, she found it nigh on to impossible that Emma could remember what each and every one was for.
“You’ll have to bend over in half and put one leg in, then the other. Skooch over a bit, then you can stand upright. Watch me.”
Purity watched, then followed Emma’s movements. Frank did the same, shutting the door behind him and relocking it.
“There’s a switch here somewhere.” Emma felt around until she found the wall switch, then flipped it up. Light flooded the area.
“It’s huge!”
“Half the size of a football field,” Frank said. “And this is only about a quarter of it. There’s a hidden connecting hallway.”
“Why all the secrecy?” Pure asked.
“There’s a lot of people who want to know how we make our applesauce. People will go to extremes to get information. It’s powerful. And, it would put us out of business if anyone was successful,” Emma said.
There were machines and vats and bins that Purity couldn’t identify as well as large stainless steel tables and some kind of contraption Pure was sure must be a conveyor belt of some kind.
When they reached an area with floor-to-ceiling shelving, Frank pressed an almost invisible button and a display panel appeared. He tapped in a code and then swung the unit to the side, revealing a dimly lit hallway.
“When we get to the other side, we’ll need to be quiet. That’s where the other connecting door is. We don’t know what’s happenin’ on the other side of that door,” Emma said.
“I think we should try and take one person at a time back through the corridor. If they have everyone on the ranch down there, it will take ‘em a while to notice anyone’s even missin’,” Frank said. “The fewer people in danger, the better.”
Purity nodded.
They reached the doorway and Frank tapped in the code, then nodded to Emma to turn off the hallway light before he began to open the door. He pushed on the door gently, barely nudging it open half an inch.
“Don’t ever’body speak at once,” Red said. “No one’s leavin’ here ‘til I get answers. I got all night, but he don’t.”
Purity felt her heart seize when she saw a gun being held against Jeremy’s head. As if the boys didn’t already have enough to overcome in therapy!
Bamma, TJ and Jessica were standing close by. Frank touched Jessica on the elbow and she turned. He held his finger to his lips. Jessica nodded. Frank pointed to the group, then used his thumb to point back to the hallway. Jessica nodded again. She casually nudged Bamma, then nodded behind her. He turned, saw Frank, and edged his way toward him until he was inside the corridor.
Jessica led person after person, very slowly, back through the hallway, always making sure her body was to the right and could be seen easily by Red.
Bamma whispered to Purity that there were around thirty people in the cellar.
“What does he want?” Pure asked.
“The secret to the healin’ well.”
“Does anyone know it?”
Bamma shrugged. “I sure as heck don’t.”
“Has anyone been hurt?”
“Just that big dog. He shot him in the leg.”
Purity could feel her anger rising higher. She headed back toward Frank and Emma. “We have to take him down. We can’t get any more people out of the room or he’s going to notice.”
“How many we got?”
“There are eleven in the hall now.”
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Frank nodded. “I only know one way to shoot. I’m aimin’ for his heart. Even though I don’t think he’s got one.”
“I’ll take out his knees,” Emma said.
“I’m not sure I should even shoot. I may end up hitting Jeremy,” Pure said.
“I’ll do it,” Jessica said. “I was a police officer for eight years. Top of my class at the Academy. Marksmanship was my specialty.”
Purity handed her both the guns.
“On three,” Frank whispered, then mouthed, one, two, three.
They were through the door silently in seconds. Shots rang out as people ducked. Jeremy ran toward Meg and Bobby.
Red received direct hits to his chest and knees, and two shots right between the eyes, courtesy of Jessica.
Purity ran forward, wrapping her arms around Alex, Bobby, Meg and Jeremy. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, yes, we’re okay,” Meg said.
“I was so worried,” Pure said.
“We were worried about you! Where have you been? Where’s Jacob?”
“You didn’t tell them?”
“I couldn’t. Red had us on lockdown. Jacob’s at the hospital in Milton.”
“Charlie flew him there in Frank’s helicopter. He’s having surgery right now. They’re putting drain tubes in. He’s going to be okay. So’s Courtney,” Pure said.
“What about Diego?” Jeremy asked.
“We need to get him to a vet,” Bobby said.
“Hold it right there!” The cellar doors burst open and six police officers with guns drawn entered the cellar. They eyed Red’s body, then holstered their guns. “Are you folks all right?” the man in front asked.
“Now,” Meg said.
“Who’s Purity?”
“Me. I’m the one who called you.”
“You did right to call us. What happened here?”
“Justice,” Alex said with a hard edge in his voice.
Purity searched his eyes. They were filled with pain for Jacob.
“Start takin’ witness testimonies. We’re gonna be here a while, the man said to the officers behind him.
“We need to get our dog to the vet,” Bobby said.
The police officer bent down and looked at Diego’s leg. “It’s just a surface wound. He’ll be okay. My brother’s a vet. I’ll have him come take a look.” He flipped open his cell phone and made the call. When he was done, he said, “He’ll be here in ten minutes.”
“Thanks,” Meg said.
Jeremy was clinging to Meg.
“You’re okay, honey. Are you feeling scared still?”
Jeremy shook his head.
“I am, too,” Purity said.
“Is Jacob gonna be okay?” Jeremy asked.
“Yes,” Bob said. “The doctors are taking really good care of him.”
“Can I see him?”
“We’re all going to go see him as soon as we give our reports to the officers.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The vet arrived, an older gentleman with a kind way about him. He talked with Diego in soothing tones the entire time he was examining him. He pulled cleaning agents, antiseptic and bandages from a black bag and tended to the wound.
“I’m going to give you a prescription for pain medication. It will make him groggy and a bit lethargic, but it will help. In a few days, he’ll be back to normal.”
“Thank you,” Bobby said. “I know his owners will be relieved.”
“Here,” Emma said, handing Alex one of the keys from around her key chain. “This’ll get you to Milton in no time. It’s the Blazer parked in the garage next to the main house. That key will open up the garage, too.”
“Thank you,” Alex said.
“It’s got GPS and everything. Just say Milton Hospital and it’ll do the rest,” Frank said.
“Purity is better with that stuff than me. I’ll let her take care of it.”
“We’ll get Diego up to the main house while you’re gone. You can get that prescription filled at the hospital pharmacy,” Emma said.
They all headed up the cellar stairs and then to the garage. The trip to the hospital was spent in silence. Everyone was still stunned from the days’ events and unsure what condition they would find Jacob and Courtney in.
They found Brad in the waiting room and were filled in on Jacob’s condition. The surgery had gone well and he was in post-op.
“He should be in a room within an hour or so. Courtney is sleeping. She was coughing so much, they gave her a sedative.”
Purity and Meg stood in Court’s doorway watching her sleep.
“She looks so peaceful,” Meg said. “I have so much to thank her for. She saved Jacob’s life, then Alex saved Jacob’s life. We are doubly blessed.” Meg began to cry.
“Oh, Meg.” Purity hugged her friend.
“I don’t want him to die. I couldn’t stand it. It’s bad enough that he thinks we don’t love him, but he just can’t die without knowing how much richer our lives are with him in it.”
“He knows, Meggie. I know it doesn’t seem like he does. It’s just all this crap from his past boiling its way to the surface. He loves you guys just as much as you love him. He just needs time and a bit of space.”
“Well he’s not getting any space. I’m not letting him out of my sight for even a second.”
Purity smiled. “Yes, you will. Because you love him and you want what’s best for him. You’ll go to counseling, we’ll all go to counseling, and five years from now things will be different.”
“Five years! My heart can’t take five years of this.”
“You’d be surprised how much the heart can take.”
“Jacob’s on his way to a room,” Bobby said, interrupting their conversation.
They all headed to room 128, except Brad. He stayed by Courtney’s side, holding her hand.
When she moaned and then opened her eyes slightly, he said, “Hey, honey, how you feelin’?”
“Like I been chewed up and spit up.”
“That sums it up pretty well.”
“Why do you look so tired?”
“Worried about you.”
“Oh, I’m fine. You know me. I’m too ornery and stubborn to let a little water take me down. How’s Jacob?”
“He just came through surgery and has a room. I think he’s doing well. I’m gonna check on him in a minute.”
“I love you. Do I tell you that enough? Should I say it more?”
“You tell me the perfect amount and you show me all the time.”
“Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. I’m gonna go to sleep I think.”
“Why don’t you do that.”
“Okay.” She patted Brad’s hand and slipped into a restful sleep.
Brad sighed. She was loopy, but she was Courtney again, making jokes and asking about Jacob. She was okay. He took a deep breath and released it. She was okay.
In room 128, Jacob was breathing steadily. They watched as each breath brought small amounts of liquid trickling down the drain tubes, collecting in two heavy plastic coated bags on either side of the bed.
“That’s from inside his lungs?” Jeremy asked.
“Yeah. He swallowed, well, inhaled a lot of water,” Bob said.
“So, it didn’t go in his belly, it went into his lungs, ‘cuz he breathed it in.”
“Right.”
“Now, this is makin’ it so the water’s comin’ out.”
“Right.”
“So, each time that stuff comes out, he’s gettin’ better.”
“Right.”
“He looks better than before,” Purity said. “A lot more color in his cheeks.”
“He’s doing very well,” the nurse said. “By tonight we’ll have him up walking around and he’ll be coughing more. That will really get the fluid out. He’ll also be doing breathing exercises to strengthen his lungs.”
“When can he come home?” Jeremy asked.
“The doctor will decide that, but I would guess
three or four days, maybe even sooner.”
Everyone was encouraged by the nurse’s words.
Meg and Bobby decided to stay the night in Jacob’s room and Brad wanted to do the same for Courtney. Purity and Alex offered to take Jeremy back to the ranch with them.
“Want to sleep with us tonight?” Purity asked Jeremy when it was getting close to bed time.
“Can I?”
“Sure. Diego’s already on our bed and I figure we could all use some cuddling time.”
“I do that with Mom and Dad sometimes. I like it.”
When Diego was snoring at the end of the bed and Jeremy was deep in sleep between them, Alex said, “So this is what it’s going to be like when the baby’s born.”
“Probably. How do you feel about that?”
“To quote Jeremy, ‘I like it.’”
They shared a lingering kiss, then drifted off to sleep.
The next morning they headed to the hospital. Courtney was rummaging through a drawer when they arrived. “Don’t they have any damn scissors around here?”
“You look better,” Pure said.
“I feel better. I want out of this joint. And I hate this stupid thing they put on your wrist. I want it off, now!”
“I think they make you keep it on until you’re discharged.”
“I’ll gnaw the damn thing off if I have to.”
The nurse came in. “I told you to stop tearing at your bracelet. You’re going to end up with a bruise or a scratch on your skin.”
“Do you have any scissors?”
The nurse rolled her eyes and headed for the door. “I’ll check on your discharge paperwork.”
“They can’t keep me against my will. I’ll sue.”
Purity laughed. “So glad to see you’re back to normal.”
“It’s not funny. I want this IV out of my arm, too. It itches.”
“We’re going to head up and see Jacob.”
“Oh, I’ll go with you. He’s doing so much better today.”
“You’ve already seen him?”
“I went up around four o’clock. Couldn’t sleep and I didn’t want to bother Brad. Meg and Bob were crashed out in the chairs looking damn uncomfortable and Jacob was watching t.v. We talked for a bit. His voice is really scratchy.” Court unplugged her IV pole and pushed it ahead of her toward the door.
