Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Before last night, I always considered myself to be a reasonable guy. I didn’t shit talk or stomp around looking for a fight, and I preferred to avoid unnecessary conflict. But my experience last night awakened something dark and dangerous inside me. I was ready to do whatever it took to protect the person I loved most, and as far as I was concerned, Willow would never be safe as long as Duke and his cronies were still breathing.
Which is why part of me was glad to hear voices drifting up from the clearing below.
“I’m tired, guys. Maybe we should just go.”
I didn’t need to strain to identify Martin’s whiny voice. Slowly, I crept closer to the open window to hear them better. It sounded like they were standing at the base of the tower.
“Fuck that,” Duke snarled. “I’m not leaving until we find them and finish this.”
“We’ve been searching for hours.”
“That piece of shit killed Ox,” Zeb pointed out. “We can’t let him get away with that. Besides, what the hell are we going to tell the cops? We drove here in Ox’s truck.”
“We’ll have to stage it the right way,” Duke said. “Wipe off the prints and put the gun in Erik’s hand or something.”
“Isn’t it registered to you?” Martin asked.
“Don’t be an idiot. I bought that gun years ago, after we offed those MILFs in Death Valley. Those sluts were almost as big of a pain in the ass as these two are turning out to be.”
My hand cramped as I squeezed the metal dowel rod. I had suspected that this wasn’t their first rodeo, but to have my suspicions confirmed by the devil himself was chilling. One wrong move and that could have been our fate tonight.
“I can’t believe that asshole got the drop on you,” Zeb said, snickering. “You look like barbecued shit.”
“Fuck you,” Duke snapped.
“Are we checking the tower or what?” Martin whined.
“Is this you volunteering?”
“Fuck no. The damn thing looks like it’s about to fall apart.”
“Quit being a bitch,” said Zeb.
Clearly, they weren’t going to give up and leave. They’d either search the tower together or send one or two guys up to check the place. Whichever option they chose, I was going to make sure it was the last thing they ever did.
I’m coming for you sick fucks…
I treaded softly to the cot and placed my hand over Willow’s mouth. She awoke with a start. The fear in her eyes faded as she recognized who was touching her. I held a finger to my lips to indicate that she had to be quiet. She nodded. I removed my hand from her lips and pointed downward. Her eyes widened. After a few seconds, she heard the voices, too.
Zeb and Martin were arguing over who was going to make the climb. The fruitless search had obviously taken its toll; they were turning on each other, which could only be a good thing. My mind raced to come up with a plan of attack. We had to take them by surprise, just like I’d managed to do back at the campsite.
I helped Willow slide silently onto the floor and then whispered, “I’m going to take these guys out, but I need your help.”
“What can I do?”
“We’re going to sneak out onto the platform. They won’t be able to see us from the base or the stairs unless we lean over, so we should be covered.” I pointed to the old radio equipment on the table. “I want you to take that radio receiver, the big boxy piece, and throw it off the tower, into the woods, as hard as you can.”
“Okay.” She squinted. “Wait, why?”
“Because we need to draw at least one of them away before I try to sneak down. We’re about a hundred feet up, so it should make enough noise to get their attention.”
“But there’ll still be at least one of them down there,” she said. “Won’t it be dangerous?”
“No more dangerous than waiting for them to find us.”
Willow paled at that scenario, then nodded.
“That’s my brave girl,” I said. Without thinking, I kissed her quickly on the lips. She smiled warmly at me and then flinched at the sound of the creaking stairs.
Someone was coming up.
“Let’s go,” I said.
I opened the door and let her slip out first. She padded around the platform to the other side of the cabin, farthest from the hatch that led to the stairs. I went in the opposite direction, then paused, waiting for Willow to perform the task I’d given her.
Time seemed to slow. I was on edge as the creaks grew louder. I adjusted my hold on the dowel rod in my hands, the weight of it strengthening my sense of purpose. I wasn’t much of a match against a guy with a gun. My only hope was to catch him off guard. I should be able to knock him on his back, I thought, and hopefully get him to drop the gun before he knew what hit him.