“Was that--?” Lance gasped softly.
“It certainly was,” Wiley replied while staring in disbelief.
†
It was later that same evening. The storm had passed through quickly, although the roads remained wet. Despite the early hour, there were several trucks already parked in the tavern’s parking lot. Even though it was only Thursday, there would be a good crowd since a live band would be playing later. The tavern appeared nearly empty, with the hard-core drinkers hanging out at the bar. A weary looking Dina carried a pitcher of beer to the pool area. It was early, and she was already exhausted. She appeared unhappy and lacked enthusiasm. As she approached the pool area, it was easy to see why. The Harford boys played pool at one of the back tables and joked around. Apart from the four men, the back was empty. Dina appeared reluctant to approach them and, instead, set the pitcher on the nearby table. She attempted to slip away unnoticed. Wayne must have slipped around the front and cut her off before she could escape. The cheap grin on his face was enough to cause her to cringe.
“Where are you going so fast?” Wayne asked in a devious tone. “Don’t you want your tip?”
Wayne flashed a dollar bill and attempted to slip it down her shirt. Dina took a quick step back to avoid his hand near her cleavage. The last two years took their toll on her, and she appeared to have little fight left within her.
“Leave me alone,” Dina muttered and attempted to go around him.
Wayne again stepped in front of her and grinned cheaply while playing with the dollar bill in his grease-stained fingers. Someone suddenly bumped into Wayne from behind. His attention sharply fixated on the man who had run into him. A meek looking man in his late forties, who stood no more than 5’8”, gave Wayne an apologetic look.
“Pardon me,” Ruger announced politely and attempted to walk past.
Wayne gave Ruger a jolting shove to his shoulder, preventing him from passing. “You have a problem?” Wayne snarled and stared down upon the meek man.
Dina watched the exchange with concern and uncertainly slipped out of the pool area. Ruger stared at Wayne, who towered over him by several inches, and appeared completely innocent of any wrongdoing.
“No, I don’t have a problem,” he replied casually.
“Well, you’re about to have one,” Wayne growled and grabbed Ruger by his shirt.
Ruger didn’t flinch nor show emotion to Wayne’s hands on him. A tall, muscular man appeared behind Ruger and glared at Wayne over top of Ruger’s head. The stranger stood two inches above Wayne at an impressive 6’4”. He folded his muscular arms across his chest and raised his brow in question. His green eyes pierced through Wayne’s with a look that would chill most men. He oddly resembled a science experiment gone astray.
“Is there a problem?” the large man gruffly asked while staring down Wayne.
Wayne stared at the thirty-something year old, muscle-bound man with a look of surprise and quickly released Ruger. He chuckled softly and shook his head almost meekly.
“No, no problem,” Wayne replied while taking a quick step back with his hands in the air.
The tall, muscular man, Diesel, nodded his approval and smirked most sinister. “Glad to hear,” he replied then nodded Ruger to the nearby pool table.
Ruger grinned slyly, almost taunting Wayne, and joined Diesel at the free table. It would appear as if Ruger enjoyed his rather large trumping card. If it hadn’t been for the impressiveness of his friend, the Harford boys would almost certainly have mopped the floor with the meek man. As the men began their pool game, Dina slipped into the backroom and offered the two newcomers drinks. She appeared relieved to have reinforcements as a buffer for the Harford boys. They weren’t easily intimidated, but this was one battle they seemed unwilling to fight.
Chapter Eleven
A little while later, the sheriff’s blazer drove past the tavern, as was Sheriff Holt’s usual practice on busy nights. The blazer suddenly slowed to the point of skidding and sharply turned into the parking lot at the last second. Vaughn jumped out of the blazer with a shocked look on his face and uncertainly approached the hitching post alongside the building. Casey’s large, gray horse, in full western tack, was tied to the rail on the very end. Vaughn slowly approached the horse, ran his hands along the horse’s shoulder, and walked to its left hindquarter. Vaughn ran his hand along the massive scar on the horse’s hindquarters. As he stared at the horse, an image from that night of him attempting to control the soaking wet and bleeding horse in the arena barn sudden flashed through his mind. Vaughn studied the horse then returned to its head. Storm snickered softly and pushed his large nose into Vaughn’s chest nearly knocking him off his feet. He petted the horse’s nose, appeared curious, and headed toward the tavern entrance.
Vaughn entered the tavern and looked around. There were very few patrons at the bar and only one or two were women. He studied each one from his position in the doorway, squinted, and appeared bewildered. He uncertainly approached the bar where Dina awaited her drink order. She seemed to be in a better mood now than she had been earlier.
“How’s it going this evening?” Vaughn asked casually.
Dina looked at him, offered a tiny smile, and shrugged. “More of the usual,” she replied. “Why?”
Vaughn appeared deep in thought then snapped out of his daze, smiled, and shook his head. “No particular reason.”
The bartender, Mack, handed Dina a scotch on the rocks and a highball. Vaughn eyed the drinks and immediately became curious.
“Some hardcore drinkers tonight?” he asked.
Dina flashed a smile and freely gossiped. “Non-locals,” she replied cheerfully. “I may actually make descent tips tonight for a change.”
“Are they worth checking out?”
She eyed him and snorted a laugh to his casual interrogation. “No, they’re not biker dudes or gang bangers,” she replied in a mocking tone.
Vaughn grinned and snorted a laugh to her comment. As Dina walked away, he turned to the bored looking bartender. “Mack, can I get a coffee to go?”
“Sure thing, Sheriff,” Mack replied cheerfully.
Vaughn leaned against the bar and glanced around with more than a passing interest. He carefully studied each woman, but they were the usual bar flowers. Dina’s mother sat at the end of the bar and flirted with a disinterested local. The end of the month was coming fast, and she probably needed rent money. Vaughn helped himself to some free pretzels and turned Mack’s newspaper toward him to read the headlines. Dina entered the pool area in the back with her tray containing the two drinks. She set the drinks on a nearby pub table for Ruger and Diesel. Ruger politely smiled and paid her double the tab. Dina grinned with renewed life and headed back toward the main bar area. Ryan was suddenly alongside her, as if innocently passing. She saw him too late to avoid him. His hand groped her breast through her tank top. She jumped with surprise then immediately turned angry. Ryan laughed at her. He obviously knew she wasn’t going to do anything about it. Dina appeared to consider an appropriate reaction, but she was reduced to sneering at him instead. She was about to push past him when a woman was heard from nearby.
“Some things never change--”
Dina and the four men looked toward the opening to the main bar area. Casey leaned casually against the doorframe just inside the pool area with her arms folded across her chest and a strange smile on her face. Dina stared at Casey and appeared stunned. It was like seeing a ghost.
“Casey?” Dina gasped with surprise.
Dina carelessly shoved Ryan out of the way, hurried for Casey, and threw her arms around her. Casey briefly returned the embrace, although something seemed oddly different about her. Dina didn’t appear to notice or simply didn’t care. She stepped back and stared at her best friend with tear-filled eyes.
“I can’t believe it’s you. You haven’t written or called,” Dina gasped. “Where have you been?”
“Finding my way,” she replied with the same, stra
nge smile still on her face.
Dina appeared excited possibly for the first time in two years and bounced around happily. “I’ll tell Mack I’m taking the night off,” she announced. “We’ll hang out and catch up.”
“Tonight may not be good,” Casey’s casually replied.
Dina appeared confused and almost stunned as she stared at her friend. Casey grinned slyly while looking into the pool area, walked past Dina, and approached Ruger at the second pool table. Casey smiled and indicated the pool stick.
“May I?” Casey asked.
Ruger smiled charmingly, apparently taken by the beautiful woman, and handed her the pool stick. Casey casually twirled the stick skillfully between her fingers and approached the Harford boys at the next table. They were watching her closely as well. She was a ghost of the past; they couldn’t help but stare.
“Fifty dollars a game,” she said firmly while wearing a cheap grin. “Who am I playing?”
All four boys suddenly seemed to come to life. Wayne grinned while looking lustfully over her. It didn’t take long for the shock to wear off and their true personalities to quickly surface.
“The prodigal child returns,” Wayne said with a chuckle. “Did you miss me?”
Casey stared at him and smiled slyly. “I’ve done nothing but think about you the last two years, Wayne,” she informed him. She glanced at Dina and showed little reaction. “Scotch on the rocks.”
Dina appeared surprised by the request or possibly by Casey’s actions. She uncertainly turned toward the bar area and nearly ran into Vaughn, who stared at the pool table with the same look of surprise.
“Is that Casey?” he asked without taking his eyes off the familiar yet somehow unfamiliar woman.
Dina appeared tense and uncertainly shook her head. “I’m not sure.”
Casey barely resembled the innocent, young girl either had remembered. Dina stared a moment longer then turned toward the bar area. Grey stood directly in front of her with a strange smile on his face.
“Dina--”
Dina appeared surprised to see him then smiled with delight. “Oh, my God, Grey!” she cried out excitedly and threw her arms around him.
Grey tensed as she clung to him, appeared reluctant to return the embrace, and quickly released her. Dina pulled away and stared at him. Her look conveyed her confusion and possible concern. He oddly resembled a human taken over by an alien lifeform. He lacked emotion in light of their reunion, much like Casey.
Grey stared past her at Vaughn with a strange, tiny smile. “Deputy Holt--or is it Sheriff?”
Vaughn approached him and appeared curious while studying him. He, too, apparently noticed the strange behavior. “It’s sheriff,” he replied. “When did you return?”
Grey turned and headed toward the bar forcing Vaughn to follow him. “We’re just visiting,” he announced casually. “Buy you a drink?”
Vaughn followed a few feet behind while studying him and remained suspicious. Back within the pool area, Casey shot ball after ball into each pocket while watching Wayne and Ryan circle her like hungry wolves. Their eyes remained on her with each shot. She showed no reaction to their behavior, although she watched them from the corner of her eyes.
“Hmm. I’ve missed that ass,” Wayne announced with a throaty chuckle.
“Looks even better than I remember,” Ryan said with a lustful grin.
“And still completely off limits,” Casey casually informed them with little emotion.
All four boys laughed. Ryan rubbed against Casey’s buttocks as he passed her. Casey rammed the stick behind her, narrowly missing Ryan’s groin. He jumped and laughed.
“She’s twice as feisty too,” Ryan teased.
“Probably not getting it enough,” Wayne laughed.
Casey lined up her next shot while ignoring them as Wayne paused behind her. She watched him out of the corner of her eye. Wayne grabbed her hips and grinded against her from behind. Casey kicked back and struck him in the shin. He released her with surprise. She spun with the pool stick in both hands and hit him square in the chest, shoving him back.
“Don’t touch me again,” Casey growled while glaring into his eyes. “That’s your only warning.”
Wayne appeared surprised by her sudden reaction and even more to her tone. Fred and Blain moved in closer while Ryan laughed at his brother.
“Yeah, Wayne,” Ryan announced. “She only likes it from men in masks.”
All four men snickered. Casey’s cold expression didn’t change as she casually took a step closer to Ryan.
“Is that supposed to be funny?” Casey growled.
“Nah, just stating a fact.”
Blain suddenly grabbed Casey from behind and attempted to hold her as Wayne approached with a grin.
“Someone needs to teach you a little respect,” Wayne said with a lustful look in his eyes.
Wayne moved closer to her while Blain held her then ran his finger along her neckline and toward her cleavage. Ruger and Diesel were now watching from across the room. Diesel took a step toward them in an attempt to intervene.
Ruger stopped him with a raised hand and casually responded, “That’s not our fight.”
Casey grabbed Blain’s arm and used him as leverage to kick Wayne with both feet. Wayne was thrown across the room. Ruger watched him fall to the floor near him. Casey tossed Blain backwards and onto the pool table while he still clung to her. Casey rolled over Blain and stood on the pool table. Blain sprung to his feet. Casey flipped the pool stick with her foot and into her hands. She twirled the stick and moved into a fighting stance. Blain and Wayne lunged for her. Casey somersaulted over them and landed on the floor behind them. She swung the pool stick and struck Wayne and Blain. Ryan lunged for her. She spun into a backwards roundhouse kick and knocked him backwards. He crashed into a nearby table. The beer pitcher and glasses fell to the floor with a crash. Vaughn entered the pool area with Dina behind him. Casey spun, kicked, and struck each man with the stick and her feet. Grey casually entered the pool area with his drink, took a seat, and watched the fight with little reaction. As the last man hit the floor, Casey remained in her attack position with the stick and watched them. All four writhed around the floor while clutching various body parts. Vaughn and Dina stared at Casey with shocked expressions. Ruger and Diesel chuckled. Casey casually straightened, tossed her stick to Ruger, and looked at Vaughn with a devious, twisted smile.
“Sheriff--”
Casey casually turned and placed her hands behind her back. Vaughn removed his handcuffs, shook his head, and cuffed her wrists behind her back. Wayne slowly moved to his knees.
“I’m going to kill that bitch!” Wayne shouted as blood seeped from his mouth. “You’d better lock her up!”
Vaughn led Casey past Wayne. Casey kicked behind her, unobserved by Vaughn, and struck Wayne in the face. Vaughn looked back. Wayne lie motionless on the floor. Vaughn appeared puzzled. Casey flashed a smile at Dina as they passed.
“Yeah, I’m kind of busy tonight.”
Deputy Tucker hurried into the tavern as Vaughn escorted Casey toward the door.
Vaughn indicated the Harford boys to Tucker. “See that those boys go home.”
Tucker looked into the pool area, where all four Harford boys writhed in pain, and appeared stunned.
Chapter Twelve
Casey sat quietly in the backseat with her hands cuffed behind her and appeared peaceful and oddly content. Being trapped in the back of Vaughn’s police blazer wasn’t nearly as confining as she thought it would be. The cuffs were a bit dramatic though. Vaughn glanced at her through the rearview mirror several times. She caught a glimpse of his dark eyes staring back at her. Oddly enough, he wasn’t nearly as intimidating as she’d remembered.
“Is this new?” she finally asked, breaking the silence.
Vaughn pulled over to the side of the road, threw the blazer into park, and stared at her through the mirror. His dark eyes were now demanding.
“Why,
Casey?” he suddenly demanded to know. “You’re back one day and you take on all four of them.”
“One-on-one hardly seemed fair,” she casually replied.
“You deliberately went out of your way to piss them off,” he scoffed.
“Yes, I know their father is tight with the mayor and will be up your ass about it,” she replied. “I’ve heard this story before, and I have to say the ending really sucks.”
“We’ll stay here all night until you answer my question.”
The way he looked at her through the mirror with those dark eyes conveyed his seriousness. She could probably play this game with him for a few more hours, but she really didn’t feel like wasting the time.
“Why?” she asked innocently. Her eyes suddenly narrowed. “Because they’re like a pack of wild dogs and the law won’t do anything because of who they are.” Her emotions took over for a moment as her voice lowered considerably. “They get a free pass to sexually harass and assault every woman within groping distance.” Casey took a deep breath, pulled her anger back inside, and her calmness again returned. “I gave them fair warning before defending myself.”
Casey casually relaxed and stared out the window with little expression. Vaughn continued to watch her through the mirror. She didn’t acknowledge him.
“This is my town now, Casey,” he informed her firmly. “If you came back for revenge, I’ll lock you up. If they did something to you, you need to press charges. It’ll look better in case they press charges against you.”
She finally looked at him in the front. His comment humored her. “Are you kidding? They don’t want it getting around that they were beaten up by a girl.” She took a deep breath and sighed. “No, they’ll probably break into my house late one night, kill everyone I care about, and brutalize me,” Casey announced then considered the comment. “Oh, wait. That already happened.”
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