Authors: Kassanna
See Dick Run (8 page)
With no way to see, he had to rely on his sense of direction and memory. He aimed for the direction he hoped the shore was in, moving as quickly as he could. His hand grazed some rocks and he latched on, sinking his fingers into the deep indentations and pulling himself up. He raised his head above the surface and exhaled. Kever checked his location. The house was now totally encompassed in flames which shot up into the morning sky and appeared to touch the sun. Black smoke billowed in huge plumes snaking into the sky in various directions. He lowered his head and followed the shore away from his camp. The blast created waves as a side of his home was blown out. Someone would come out and investigate and at the moment that was the least of his worries. First he had to find Moira.
***
Boards gave way and working her leg, she continued to angle the sole of her foot at the worn wood. She could hear the creaks as the lumber of the shack gave way to the fire and briefly thought she heard Kever calling her name. Moira’s heart pounded in her chest and sweat trickled down her temple and between her breasts. Haze from the house was seeping into the crevices, filling the tiny area, and the two smells were creating a noxious odor. Fear slithered down her spine. She needed to find Kever.
Moira pulled back her leg and kicked out, putting all her weight behind the blow. Wood splintered around her foot. She rushed to the space and put her nose to the gaping hole, inhaling the fresher air. Placing her palms on the other boards, she pushed out. The nails gave way and the planks fell, giving her an area large enough to squeeze through. Timber scraped her arms as she angled her body and sucked in a breath. Sharp pieces scratched her through her shirt, snagging at the cotton and digging into her back. Moira clamped her mouth shut, tears formed in the corner of her eyes as she pulled her shoulder away. She dropped forward on her hands and knees and raised her head taking in the complete picture of Kever’s camp shack completely engulfed in a blaze. An explosion sent the small building rocking next to her.
“Oh, God!” She rushed to her feet and started running. “Kever!” Moira screamed as she stopped in the clearing in front of the house. The roof had fallen in and flames reached high into the sky, heat and smoke hit her in waves as she inched closer. Her throat started to burn with every breath she took. She twisted around looking for Kever, and reached into her pocket. Pulling the phone out she lifted to stab in nine-one-one and realized she had no signal. She raised the cell and started trotting around the yard. Closer to the outhouse two bars appeared and she tapped the keyboard.
“Put the phone down,” a woman spoke from behind Moira.
The sound of a cocking gun had Moira levering her hand down and cautiously turning around. She came face to face with a short woman of stocky build and was reminded of a pit bull, not because of the lady’s appearance but because of the way she held herself. Dressed in fatigue pants and a black tank top, her mousy brown hair was tightly pulled back into a severe ponytail and she held a rifle butt down on her hip. The strange woman was toned but not overly muscular.
Moira tapped down her panic and assumed a façade of cool indifference. “Why does everyone insist on pulling a gun on me this week?” she mumbled then added louder, “Alicia Newell, I suppose?”
A cheeky grin spread across the woman’s face. “Live and in shooting color.” She chuckled at her joke.
“So you’ve burned down a shack. Care to tell me where Kever is?” Moira arched a brow.
She snorted. “I think he’s in the growing rubble somewhere smoldering.”
Moira resisted the urge to place a hand over the knot that formed in her chest. “Why?” she murmured as the cell dropped from her grasp.
“Huh… Oh, yeah, because you made Dustin’s life so hard. You murdered him.” Alicia lowered her weapon, maintaining a tight grip on it and moved within feet to Moira.
“That idiot committed suicide, and I was referring to Kever.”
“He did not! Dustin would have never taken his own life,” Alicia screamed. A red flush rose up her neck and tendons protruded from her throat as she strained her voice. “You made him leave me!” Her eyes took on a far-away look as she kept talking. “Everything I did was so that we could be together. He didn’t understand that. I knew Dustin was mine the minute we crossed paths at work. But we had obstacles we needed to overcome. He was my boss and he was married. I knew he wouldn’t cross any of those boundaries. Dustin had too much honor, so I had to create a path for him to follow. Finding new work was easy but I had to get rid of his first wife. I befriended her at the gym, so after a while handing her the Gatorade bottle laced with poison became easy. Every other wife after that was a cake walk. They were surprisingly trusting. Dustin caught on quickly that I was the only woman for him.”
“Well, damn, guess I got that wrong.” Moira shook her head.
“Shut up! You took Dustin, so I took your precious cop. You’re lucky I was feeling benevolent and didn’t light you both up after having to listen to all the grunts and groans the two of you made this morning.”
“Jealous much? I guess Dustin didn’t rock your world.” Moira snorted.
She didn’t have time to block the butt of the rifle that came toward her. Instead, Moira twisted her head and took the blow to the side of her face. She dropped down, falling on her ass with a
thud
. Moira raised her hand to brush her cheek and looked up at her attacker. She wiggled her jaw and leaned away to spit out the blood flooding her mouth. As she moved to bring her feet under her, she noticed her opening and swung a leg out.
Unguarded, Alicia fell back and her weapon went skittering along the ground. Moira hustled to her feet, jumping up and closing the distance between them. She didn’t move fast enough. Alicia leapt up and took a boxer’s stance with her fists raised. They circled each other.
“I can’t tell you how much fun I had watching a dick run.” Alicia’s sneered.
“The correct term is private investigator. Did anyone ever tell you your jokes suck? Hell, no wonder the man took his life. I would too if it meant avoiding the sound of your voice.” Moira shook her head.
Alicia charged, catching Moira around the shoulders with an arm. They hit the ground. A
whoosh
of air escaped Moira. She embraced the ache that developed between her shoulder blades and swallowed back the yelp. They rolled with Alicia striking blows to her ribs. With Alicia’s heavier body mass, Moira was able to land on top and block the new hits aimed at her. She raised her own fists and landed a couple shots of her own to Alicia’s neck and chest.
***
Kever watched from the thicket of scrub pine and ferns, quietly grunting in frustration. He dropped his arm, his feet were sinking in the muck and he glanced around to make sure the snakes were keeping a wide berth to his position. His crossbow was locked and loaded but every time he took aim Moira shifted and got in the way. “Come on, sugar…move.” He lifted his arm and lined up his sights again.
***
Moira aimed for the bitch’s eyes. If her attacker wanted a brawl, Moira would give her one. Then she would go in search of Kever and if that fool was hurt she’d kick his ass too for making her worry. Moira grazed her fist against Alicia’s forehead. Alicia began to buck wildly trying to throw Moira off. Moira wrapped her fingers around the woman’s throat and began to squeeze. Alicia’s eyes bulged. She got her arms between Moira’s and broke the hold then clipped Moira in the chin with the heel of her hand. Moira fell to the side and Alicia struggled to rise, staggering to her feet. Moira glanced up as the shadow dropped across her. Ready to roll out of the way if the heifer decided to use her feet, a whistle whined through the air and Alicia went still.
Alicia dropped to her knees. Another hum reached Moira’s ears and Alicia’s body jerked, bowing out before falling facedown. Two arrows appeared embedded deep in her back, one in the center of her lower spine and the other, a few centimeters left to the middle of her shoulder. Moira rose to her knees, crawled over and pressed two fingers to Alicia’s neck and felt nothing.
She heard a rustling and lifted a hand to cover her eyes as she peered in the direction of the sound. Kever trudged out of the foliage, a crossbow held loosely in his grasp. Moira leaned back on her haunches and watched him as he approached her. She labored to her feet and waited for him. The drone of a helicopter could be heard in the distance.
Kever stopped in front of her, wobbled for a moment then graced her with a crooked smile. “Why am I constantly saving that luscious ass, Ms. Blackstone?”
She smirked, sighing in relief. “Took you long enough this time,” Moira complained. Pressing a hand to her side she started toeing clumps of grass. “Might I add you look like shit.”
He grunted. “This coming from a woman that was getting whipped in a fist fight. What are you doing?” He motioned to her feet.
“Looking for my phone. It was all in the plan. Let crazy chick think she was winning and then bam, throw her off with a quick one, two combination.” She waved her hands in the air for emphasis. “I was worried about you,” Moira grumbled.
“What? Sorry, didn’t hear that? Will you stop and look at me?” He grabbed her by the bicep.
She kept her head down, staring at the brown and green tufts of vegetation. Moira blinked several times to hold back the tears and swallowed.
“Hey, I’m good. You’re okay. Cher, that’s all that matters.” He tugged her into his arms and held her close.
She could smell the bayou on him, the ripe odor of algae and swamp gasses. It didn’t stop her from wrapping her arms around his shoulder and burying her face in the crook of his neck. Her forehead grazed his throat. “And you need a shave”
“Sorry, I would, but my girlfriend’s crazy stalker burned my house down.”
The rumble of his chest as he laughed rolled through her. Her grin grew wider against his skin. “And you stink.”
“Again, no house. You don’t smell like roses either.” Kever brushed his chin on her hair. “More like an outhouse.”
“I wouldn’t if someone had built a bathroom in their home.”
“Shut up, woman. Do you know what tomorrow is?”
“The day you do paperwork at the station to account for the all the carnage?” she joked.
“Yeah, and Valentine’s day, and after all the bodies and buildings have been accounted for I plan on doing a different type of celebrating.” He cupped her jaw with his hand and skimmed his lips against the corner of her eye to kiss the tears away before taking her mouth with his.
The End
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