I tied Susie up but I didn’t do a good job with it mainly because I wasn’t lying, I didn’t know how to tie someone up. Also, I didn’t want to do a good job.

“Done,” I said, my hand going to Susie’s forearm. I gave her a squeeze there, not knowing what I was saying, just wanting her to have something, to tell her we were all in this together, to tell her I would do what I could.

Denny yanked Susie forward and shoved her to sit on the couch next to Melanie.

I stood there, my mind going a million miles a minute. Should I lunge for the gun? Should I go for the axe he made me carry into the house? If I did, would he shoot me, or Melanie, or Susie?

Time.

I needed time.

“Why?” I asked Denny as he stared at the two terrified women on the couch.

“Gag her,” Denny replied.

“What?” I asked.

“Gag her, Susie, the f**kin’ bitch. Don’t want her talkin’. Don’t want her runnin’ that sick mouth of hers.”

I looked at Susie. She was scared stiff, she didn’t have it in her to speak.

“She won’t talk,” I told him.

Denny looked at me and said calmly, “I don’t want to repeat myself again, sweetheart.”

I shook my head, still trying to buy time for Melanie and Susie and for me. “I don’t have anything to gag her with.”

“Find something. I’m sure she has some fancy-ass scarves somewhere.”

Was he serious? He was going to let me wander the house looking for a scarf?

I shot Susie and Melanie a look then muttered, “Be right back.”

Then I ran from the room.

* * * * *

Colt’s phone rang in his hand, he didn’t even look at the display before he flipped it open and put it to his ear.

“Colton,” he said, his eyes on the gurney with Darryl strapped to it that was being wheeled into the bar, his mind on Feb and Melanie, his gut twisted in knots.

“Alec?”

It was his mother.

Fucking shit.

“Ma, I can’t –”

“A man has Feb,” she said on a rush and Colt felt ice water slide through his veins. “I’m in my car outside a big, fancy house on The Heritage. Street’s called Vine. A man’s got Feb and Melanie. He’s also got a gun. He took them into the house.”

“Vine?” Colt asked but he knew, Denny, that sick f**k, he knew.

“Yeah, Alec, one three eight Vine.”

Jesus, Susie’s house.

He looked at Sully. “He’s taken them to Susie’s.” His eyes went to Warren. “One three eight Vine. The Heritage. Susan Shepherd’s house.”

Warren, Rodman and Sully immediately turned and jogged away. Colt followed them, his strides long, his patience spent, he was fighting a fear that nearly immobilized him and Morrie was at his side.

“Ma, drive away,” he told his mother.

“Feb’s in that house with a man’s got a gun,” his mother told him.

“Drive away. Now.”

“I knew you weren’t safe so I been watchin’ and I saw –”

After forty-four years, Colt finally had something to thank Mary Colton for.

“Drive away, Ma.”

“Alec –”

“Do it. Now.”

She hesitated then whispered, “Don’t you get hurt.”

“Please, Ma, just drive away.”

“All right, Alec,” she said, “I’ll drive away.”

“Ma?” Colt called before he heard her disconnect.

“Yes, son?”

Then Colt said something to his mother he’d never said in his life or at least not saying it and meaning it, “Thanks.”

* * * * *

I went to Susie’s bedroom, straight to the phone by the side of her bed. I dialed 911. I had no idea how much time I had, Denny was crazy and he could do anything.

When I heard the voice in my ear, I whispered over it, my words hurried and hushed.

“This is February Owens, Denny Lowe has me, Melanie Colton and Susie Shepherd at Susie’s house. He also has a gun and an axe. He’s hurt people at J&J’s Saloon. I can’t talk anymore. I’m setting the phone down but not hanging up so you can’t talk either. He can’t hear you. I’m calling again on my cell in a few seconds, don’t let the operator talk when the call comes through. I’m going to keep my cell with me and the line open. That’s it. No more talking.”

Then I set the cordless on its side by the base and shouted, “I don’t know where she keeps her scarves, Alec! Ask Susie where she keeps her scarves!”“Just look around,” Denny shouted back.

I pulled my cell out of my back pocket and didn’t f**k around with scrolling to anyone’s number. I dialed 911 and then yanked my t-shirt out of my jeans and slid the phone in, display down, between my belly and my belt. I pulled the t-shirt back over it and tucked it around the phone.

“Found one!” I shouted my lie, but started searching and luckily found Susie’s scarves in the first drawer I pulled open.

I nabbed one and ran back to the living room, praying he hadn’t started without me but also that the 911 operator would keep quiet.

“You want me to gag her?” I asked loudly the minute I hit the room.

“Yeah, darlin’,” Denny said and I walked direct to Susie, my eyes sliding between her and Melanie, trying to tell them without words it was going to be okay and hoping I wasn’t nonverbally lying.

“What next?” I asked Denny as I gagged Susie.

“Erase,” Denny answered and I straightened and turned to him.

“What?”

“Erase,” Denny repeated, moving toward me, taking me by the arm and pulling me back.

“Erase?” I asked. “What –?”

“Gonna erase everything, Feb. All of yours, all of mine.” He lifted the gun and pointed it at Melanie as I stood and stared at him, frozen stiff with shock. “So we can get back to the way it’s supposed to be, gonna erase it all.”

He was going to shoot Melanie, I knew it, and he wasn’t going to hesitate.

I didn’t think, I just went for the gun but I was too late, he pulled the trigger when my hand hit his wrist and the gun exploded as the noise pounded against my ears and my heart stopped beating.

* * * * *

“He’s got a gun,” Morrie said, sitting beside Colt as Colt drove his truck to Susie’s.

“Yeah,” Colt replied.

“How’d he get a gun?” Morrie asked.