Town Darling (25 page)

Mitchell glared at Diesel. 
Grey frowned, smacked Diesel on the arm, and pointed to the rabbits.  Diesel
rolled his eyes and pursued one of the white rabbits.  The rabbit ran from him
and led him in circles. 

Mitchell removed his cell
phone, placed a call, and spoke into the phone.  “Hey, it’s me,” he announced. 
“The sheriff sent some additional help, so we have the situation here pretty
much under control.”  Mitchell was silent while listening to the person on the
other end.  “No, he was taking care of something else.  If he needs backup, I’m
sure he’ll call.”

Ruger overheard the
conversation, glanced at Mitchell, and hid his humored smile.

†

D
ina entered the police
station bullpen.  There were several temporary police officers milling about
with drunken men in handcuffs, who were adamantly insisting they didn’t do
anything wrong.  Most of those being arrested were non-locals who indulged a
little too much at the annual fair.  It wasn’t uncommon, although it wasn’t
something Dina had ever seen before.  She immediately noticed her mother
sitting alongside one of the desks with her hands cuffed behind her back.  She
looked disheveled, which was actually normal for her, but her worn, tired face
was bruised and scratched.  Dina stared at her profile a moment from a distance
then uncertainly approached her and the arresting officer, who sat behind the
desk and typed on the computer before him.  She paused several feet before her
mother and saw the scratches and bruises more clearly.  Olivia looked oddly
like roadkill.  It was possibly the saddest moment Dina had ever had with her
mother.  Olivia looked at Dina in her usual drunken manner, but this time, she
actually made eye contact.

“Are you okay?” Dina
finally asked.

“I need five hundred
dollars for bail,” Olivia remarked with little emotion.  “If I don’t make bail,
they’re going to make me spend the night in jail.”

Dina stared at her while
searching for a response.  “That’s it?  You need money?” she suddenly asked. 
What should have been hurt was actually anger.  “You haven’t spoken to me in
almost ten years and when you finally do, it’s to ask me for money?  Is that
why you called?”

“I didn’t call you,” Olivia
scoffed and attempted to hold up her head, although it was obvious she would
soon pass out.  “Do you have the money?

Dina shook her head with
disbelief.  “No, I’m not posting your bail.  I don’t even know you.”

“I’m your mother,” she
snorted with hostility.

Dina stared at her and
looked stunned by the comment.  “No,” she replied and vigorously shook her
head.  “The only mother I knew died two years ago.  Spend the night in jail. 
I’m sure you’ll find it more comfortable than your usual corner table at the
tavern.”

Dina stormed from the
bullpen leaving Olivia staring after her with her mouth hanging open.  Dina
hurried out of the police station and paused just on the quiet sidewalk.  She
allowed her head to fall into her hand.  She lifted her head, took a deep
breath, and fumbled with Grey’s car keys.  She was about to approach Grey’s
jeep when she suddenly stopped and looked back at the police station with a
bewildered expression.  She removed her cell phone and pressed a button while
heading for Grey’s jeep.

†

T
he fair was winding down by
the time the rabbits were caught and returned to their cages.  Grey, Ruger, and
Diesel walked across the nearly deserted fairgrounds toward the parking lot. 
There were still some visitors playing last minute games, although most of the
food stands were already closed.  Many vendors were getting ready to enjoy a
night on the town, which consisted of the tavern or the bowling alley.  Ruger’s
cell phone rang.  He glanced at the caller ID, appeared puzzled, and answered
the phone.

“Hello?”

Ruger suddenly stopped and
listened to the mysterious caller on the other end.  “Who is--?”  He pulled the
phone away from his ear and stared at it with a puzzled look.  The caller had
apparently hung up.  He hurried Grey and Diesel toward the parking lot.  “That
was an anonymous call.  Someone broke into the store.”

Grey removed his cell phone
as he followed them and pressed several buttons.  “I’ll call Sheriff Holt.”

“I’ll call Casey,” Ruger
quickly announced then looked at Grey as they continued toward the parking
lot.  “Tell the sheriff to stay with her.”

Grey appeared bewildered by
the comment.  Ruger pressed a button on his cell phone as they hurried across
the parking lot.

“Damn it, it went to
voicemail,” Ruger announced then spoke into the phone.  “Casey, we have a
situation.  Stay alert.”

All three hurried through
the parking lot and toward their car.  Grey appeared frustrated while on his
cell phone and disconnected the call.

“I got the sheriff’s
voicemail too,” Grey announced.

“Someone needs to go to the
house and make sure Casey’s okay,” Ruger said.

Grey looked around the
parking lot.  There was a long run-in shed with saddled horses tied to a
hitching post.  “I’ll borrow my friend’s horse,” he informed them.  “I can ride
through the woods and be there in ten minutes.”

Ruger nodded.  Grey hurried
for the shelter with the tied horses.  Ruger and Diesel jumped into his car and
drove away.  Grey untied one of the horses, backed it out of the shed, and
placed the reins around its neck.  He touched the horse’s face and pointed a
warning finger at it.

“This is important,” Grey
sternly informed the horse.  “I don’t like riding at night, so I want you to be
on your best behavior, got it?”

The horse appeared
disinterested.

“As long as we’ve got that
straight,” Grey muttered and clumsily mounted the horse.  He sent the horse
into a trot across the fairgrounds, and, despite his anxiety, he appeared to
ride rather well.

S
heriff Holt drove along the
dark back road to the Remington farm in his police blazer.  He glanced at
himself in the rearview mirror several times and attempted to fix his hair
while driving.  He casually placed both hands on the steering wheel and smiled
dreamily to himself.  He could barely contain his smile and shook his head
while sighing.  Life was finally as it should be--with Casey by his side.  He
hummed the wedding march then appeared embarrassed and shook his head.

“Getting a little ahead of
yourself, Vaughn,” he muttered softly.  His grin again returned.  “Ah, who
cares.”

A car’s headlights were
seen in the rearview mirror behind him.  The headlights flashed.  Vaughn
studied the car behind him and appeared curious.  Perhaps it was a drunk
driver.  Who the hell would flash a police blazer?  The car sped up and rode up
the back of the police blazer.  Vaughn looked in both mirrors and appeared to
contemplate his next move.  The car suddenly picked up speed and started to
pass him.  He glanced in the side mirror.  It was Casey’s black Camaro.  He
smiled and laughed while shaking his head.

“She’s going to be the
death of me,” he teased but maintained his grin.

Vaughn slowed to allow her
to drive alongside him, but she didn’t pass only kept pace with his blazer by
the back quarter panel.  Vaughn appeared concerned and looked at the curve coming
up ahead.  Now she was just being plain dangerous.  Giving her a ticket for
reckless endangerment would certainly put a damper on their romantic evening. 
Her car didn’t back off.  Vaughn looked back several times.

“What the hell are you
doing?” he firmly demanded aloud to himself.

The car suddenly revved and
rammed into his back quarter panel as they neared the curve.  Vaughn attempted
to control his blazer but there was a tree just up ahead.  He slammed on his
brakes, but it was too late.  The blazer struck the tree head on.  Vaughn was
thrown forward as the airbag deployed and then his head hit the side window. 
Casey’s car sped past and continued through the curve and out of sight.  The
sheriff’s police blazer was partially in the woods with the front end smashed
against a tree.  The entire back driver’s side panel was smashed in as well. 
All the lights remained on outside the vehicle.  The driver’s side window was
cracked with blood smears.  Within the blazer, Vaughn was slumped back against
the seat with blood running down the side of his left temple as the air bag
hung shriveled from the steering wheel.

†

T
he Remington farmhouse was
well-lit with the outside barn light and the porch light on.  Several lights
were on within the house both upstairs and downstairs.  Storm grazed in the
pasture among the mares.  His head suddenly lifted and he appeared to be
watching someone or something.  The horse suddenly snorted and galloped across
the pasture for the gate near the barn.  Storm appeared alert, snorted several
times, and then pinned his ears back and reared up with aggression.  He ran
along the fence as someone moved through the shadows toward the house.  Through
the outside window of the house, Casey was seen walking across the kitchen with
her shirt open, revealing her black, sexy undergarments.  She poured two
glasses of wine then looked at her vibrating cell phone.  She glanced at the
caller ID, picked up the phone, and put it on silent mode without answering
it.  She left both glasses of wine on the counter and headed up the back
kitchen stairs.  The intruder moved away from the window and walked onto the
porch.  A black, gloved hand turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door. 
The intruder entered the kitchen and silently headed for the backstairs.

†

T
he woods were dark and
spooky that night despite the clear skies.  Strange sounds seemed to come from
every direction.  Grey rode the slightly excitable black horse along the path
in the woods at a fast gait.  He was having a difficult time controlling the
horse, which obviously didn’t want to be in the dark woods.  Even the sounds of
the leather saddle creaking seemed to spook the nervous horse.  Small animals
were heard roaming the woods and the faint sounds were almost deafening while
riding a horse that heard everything.  The horse suddenly spooked at something
and wildly spun around.  Grey collected the horse and appeared shaken while
attempting to soothe the snorting horse.  The horse’s head was raised, his ears
perked, and his eyes were wide just waiting to find something else to be
frightened by.  Once the horse settled, Grey encouraged the horse along the
path at a trot.  A small animal crossed the path just up ahead.  The little,
brown rabbit may as well have been a bear.  The horse suddenly sidestepped in
sheer panic.  Grey attempted to regain control of the horse.  The horse spun
wildly several times at the frightening rabbit, which had just crossed the
path.  Grey mimicked every move he’d ever seen Casey do while on a spooking
horse, but it wasn’t working.  The horse suddenly reared up.  Grey toppled off
the horse and roughly struck the ground.  The horse ran back for the
fairgrounds and it would eventually end up back at its farm.  Grey groaned,
slowly moved to his hands and knees, and watched the horse run away.

“Horses suck!”

†

T
he antique store along Main
Street appeared quiet in the town that had settled in for the night after a
long day at the fair.  The glass on the front door was shattered inward just
near the handle.  As Diesel cautiously approached the partially open door, a
man was seen standing just inside the alleyway opening.  Diesel looked at the
man.  Fred stared back at him and gave a slight nod to the broken door.

“You don’t want to go in
there alone,” Fred said softly.  “They have crowbars and baseball bats.”

“I’ve got this,” Diesel
replied and nodded him away.  “You’d better go before they see you.”

Fred slowly nodded and
hurried across the street for an old pickup truck.  He jumped in and drove
away.  Diesel gently pushed open the front door and caught the bell above
before it could ding.  He slowly entered the mostly dark store while stepping
over the broken glass.  A dim light was seen in the next room over and soft
voices were heard.  Diesel removed a small, twelve-inch baton and carried it
with him.  Where most men would appear frightened, Diesel seemed more curious
and almost enthusiastic to meet those who broke into the store.  The sound of
items being smashed was heard within the next room.  Diesel followed the dim
light and approached the opening.  Several men in dark clothing smashed china
and other valuable items.  Diesel watched them a moment then casually flipped
on the lights.  Wayne, Ryan, and Blain jumped with surprise and spun toward
Diesel, who now casually leaned in the doorway with the baton in his hand.

“I hope you realize you’re
going to pay for that,” Diesel said simply.

Ernest sat in one of the
antique chairs like a king on his throne and looked at the big man in the
archway.  He casually stood and glared at Diesel with a smirk.

“Just leaving a little
message for your friend, Grey,” Ernest announced with a little too much
arrogance.  “Stay out of our way, and you may not get hurt.

The look on Diesel’s face
was that of humor.  The threat was almost laughable.  He just grinned and shook
his head.  “You’re going to hurt me?”  His smile was frightening.  “That would
be quite an achievement, considering all four of your boys couldn’t even handle
one, small girl.”  He didn’t move from where he leaned in the archway.  “You’d
need an army to defeat me.”  His smile suddenly twisted.  “And I’m not even the
dangerous one--” Diesel smirked and nodded across the room.  “--he is.

All five men looked across
the room to Ruger, who stood just outside the office with an oddly emotionless
expression on his face.  Ernest and his boys appeared humored by the less than
impressive man.

Ernest gave a nod to
Ruger.  “Show him what happens when you mess with a Harford,” he announced then
looked at Wayne.  “You take care of the muscle.”

Blain and Ryan approached
Ruger, while Wayne lunged for Diesel with a baseball bat.  Diesel suddenly
straightened, flicked the baton in his hand, and it extended to three feet.  He
defended the bat with his baton.  The two men lunged for Ruger with their
crowbars.  Ruger spun into a series of forward and backward roundhouse kicks
and knocked the crowbars from each of their hands.  It was easy to see who
finished Casey’s martial arts training.  Once they were disarmed, Ruger grabbed
Blain by the arm and kicked him several times in the side then flipped him over
his hip as Ryan came to his brother’s aid.  Ryan threw a punch.  Ruger blocked
his fist, grabbed his wrist, and kicked him in the chest.  Ryan crashed into
the old settee and appeared momentarily dazed.  Ruger casually picked off a
speck of dirt from his shirt while Ryan got his second wind and finally sprang
to his feet.  Blain was back on his feet as well.  Both men lunged for Ruger
from opposite directions.  Ruger spun into a roundhouse kick and knocked Blain
to his hands and knees.  He catapulted across Blain’s back, using him as a
springboard, and flew into a roundhouse kick while airborne, striking Ryan in
the head.  Ryan immediately dropped to the floor.  Both men lie on the floor,
writhing in agony, while Ruger casually stood over them. 

Diesel knocked the baseball
bat from Wayne’s hand, tossed his baton aside, and began punching him with all
the skills of a Marine in Special Forces.  Wayne was down before he even
realized he’d been hit.  Ernest watched in horror as Wayne hit the floor. 
Ruger casually stepped over Ryan and approached Ernest.  Ernest backed away
with the horror evident in his eyes then attempted to bolt past him.  Ruger
spun into a ground spin and swept his legs out from beneath him.  Ernest
painfully struck the floor.  Ruger moved over him, grabbed him by the throat,
and stared into his eyes.  Ruger’s eyes were void of any emotion.

“I vowed to never kill
anyone again, but the next time you force me to put my hand on your throat,
I’ll rip out your windpipe,” Ruger casually informed him.  The look in his eyes
conveyed the seriousness of his threat.  “Do we understand each other?”

Ernest stared at Ruger with
a look of horror while gasping beneath his grip.  He slowly nodded.  Ruger
released Ernest’s throat and casually straightened.

“Video surveillance
captured your destruction, so I’ll expect prompt payment for damages,” Ruger
said.  “And in case you’re thinking your brother-in-law will interfere, you
should know we have friends who are worse than me.”

Ernest scrambled to his
feet, ran for his sons, and hurried them from the shop.  Diesel and Ruger
watched them flee the scene.  Diesel folded his arms across his chest and gave
Ruger a curious look.

“We know someone worse than
you?” Diesel asked.

Ruger shrugged and appeared
humored.  “Probably not, but a man can dream.”

Diesel chuckled softly and
patted Ruger’s back.  “I was surprised,” he remarked.  “One of those boys
almost got a punch in.  You’re going soft, old man.”

Ruger glared at the big
impressive man standing alongside him.  “Call me old man again, Diesel, and
I’ll permanently crack your nuts.”

Diesel turned to face him
and appeared serious.  “Now, see, that’s what I mean,” he announced.  “You
didn’t even take one cheap shot.  None were clutching their boys in total
agony.  I mean, who are you?  Casey’s made you soft.  You didn’t used to be so
gentlemanly.”

Ruger sank into thought
then looked at Diesel with realization.  “You’re right,” he remarked then shook
his head and sighed.  “I am getting soft.  I didn’t used to be this nice.”

“Exactly,” Diesel chimed in
while slapping his shoulder.

Ruger smacked Diesel in the
groin with the back of his hand.  Diesel gasped and clutched himself.  He
didn’t hit him hard enough to drop him, but it obviously stung.  Diesel glared
at Ruger with disapproval.  Ruger grinned in response and sighed.

“Yes, that did make me feel
better,” he announced cheerfully.  “Thank you.”

“Yeah, any time,” Diesel
said in a higher than normal pitch.

†

G
rey’s jeep pulled into the
crowded tavern parking lot.  Dina jumped out of the jeep and hurried inside. 
The tavern was packed to maximum capacity with fairgoers, vendors, and locals
alike.  The noise level was staggering and the mood was extremely enthusiastic. 
Dina easily maneuvered her way across the crowded tavern with years of
waitressing practice on her side.  She slipped between two men and stood before
the bar.  Mack busily tended to the thirsty patrons and temporary waitresses,
who had their hands full attempting to serve customers.  Despite the crowd,
Mack approached when he saw her, apparently surprised to see her on Saturday
night following the talent show.

“Hey, Dina,” Mack announced
cheerfully.  “I hear Casey rocked at the talent show.”

“More like an earthquake,”
Dina replied then immediately fidgeted.  “What happened tonight?”

Mack appeared bewildered. 
“What do you mean?”

“With my--with Olivia.”

He glanced across the bar
to her mother’s usual table then looked around the tavern with some surprise. 
“Actually, I haven’t seen her in a few hours.”