Blair became aware of the tips of Maribel’s fingers moving lightly across her back after slowly coming awake. Her arm was draped over Maribel’s stomach, and her head rested on a pillow propped on Maribel’s shoulder. Blair did not ever remember feeling so safe and loved. Yes, loved. Maribel’s affection flowed from her fingers. Shifting slightly, she felt Maribel’s fingers stall.
“Good morning,” Maribel said.
“Hey, you don’t need to stop. That is hands down the nicest way I’ve ever been roused from sleep. What time is it?”
“Around seven. We’ve got time. It didn’t hurt when we delivered the supplies late yesterday, so I’m not too worried if there is a delay today. The only thing I worry about is what Hank’s next move might be.”
“We got off on a tangent yesterday, and you didn’t say much about your visit with Danella and Lucritia. I know you gave them another shotgun, but what has you so worried besides the obvious?”
“Squirt shot his toe.”
Blair popped up, and the sheet fell off her body as she sat there naked from the waist up. “What?”
“Yesterday, he came ’round before the shooting, and Squirt did what I taught her. She only grazed his toe, but I imagine he was pretty pissed about that. I wanted them to come back and stay here for a bit because I have good security, but Danella refused. I had to respect her decision to stay, although I completely disagree with it. At least they’re on notice and will be ready if he decides to make another visit. There aren’t any trees or other barriers around the trailer for him to hide, so they’ll see him coming well before he tries anything. Squirt’s a good shot and apparently, isn’t afraid to take a shot when she needs to.”
“She’s a kid, for fuck’s sake.”
“When you grow up like Squirt, you don’t have the luxury of being a kid.”
“That’s not right.”
“Didn’t say it was. Just stating the facts.” Maribel sat up and stroked Blair’s arm. “Blair, you and I come from two very different worlds. I don’t think you quite understand what a kid experiences when they come from poverty. Maturity comes fast in some ways and in others, like the story I told about my period, innocence prevails.”
“I’m coming with you this morning,” Blair stated. “You respected Danella’s decision to stay put, now you have to respect mine.”
“Stubborn woman. How about we head to the chicken coop, have breakfast, and then we’ll do the deliveries?”
“Can I check my email before we start?”
“Sure, I wouldn’t want to keep you from your crush.” Maribel winked.
“The sooner I have a date nailed down, the better. Then I can do a full-court press on the other pseudo-famous folk. I might need funding, and Lara Beck is known for her philanthropy. Plus, she is positively loaded.”
“I can donate to the cause. I have plenty of money. That is, if you don’t mind that some of it may be considered blood money.”
“Actually, I like the idea of funding from the gun manufacturers and NRA going to rallies on gun control. Poetic justice? Irony? I’m not sure what applies in this situation. But I don’t care. I hope the media tracks that down and it causes a big old burr in their sides. Oh!” Blair smacked her hand against her mouth. “Shit, that might affect your sponsorships.”
Maribel shrugged. “Don’t care. I can always win money in competitions.”
“You are truly an anomaly. A woman with too many contradictions for me to unravel in one night. Speaking of nights. Last night was glorious, and I hope we will have many more.”
“Me too.”
†
A feeling of impending doom crept into Maribel’s thoughts like an unwelcome guest. She didn’t want to invite them inside, but she didn’t possess the skills to keep them at bay. Traveling down the rural route with her heightened senses, Maribel saw a flash of something and reacted without thought.
“Get down,” she ordered.
The loud blast echoed in Maribel’s ears, and then she heard the telltale chuchak sound of racking a round before another blast rang in the silence of the morning. Maribel slammed on the gas and fishtailed down the road but not before one of the slugs blew through both windows and tiny shards of glass made their way inside the cab. She heard several more blasts before she knew she was far enough out of range for any of the shots to hit their target. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t come after them in his own vehicle.
Afraid to glance at Blair before they were safely out of danger, Maribel kept her eyes glued to the road. The whimper she heard forced her to look.
Blair had her arms crossed over her head. There was a decent sized hole in the window, and a few small shards of glass glittered in her hair. Panic set in when Maribel noticed the blood. She wanted to pull to the side of the road to find the source, but she couldn’t chance Hank following and causing more harm. It was vital to put more distance between them and the very real possibility that one of his shots would hit their mark. Maybe one had already done that.
After they screeched to a stop in front of Danella’s trailer, Maribel surveyed the damage. She gently brushed along Blair’s arm coaxing her to look her way. There was far too much blood for the culprit to be a small piece of glass. She needed to find the source. A smear of blood was on her arm, and Maribel wondered if there were multiple injuries and something sharp had somehow managed to pierce her arm.
Maribel was so worried about Blair she hadn’t heard Danella and Lucritia emerge from the trailer. The loud blasts still echoed in her head.
“Blair, are you hurt?”
Blair removed her hands and sat up. Her body shook when she answered, “I don’t know.”
“Mari,” a scared tiny voice called out.
Maribel looked to her left and found the frightened eyes of Lucritia. Danella stood several feet away with a shotgun resting in her arms.
Torn between reassuring the frightened young girl and attending to Blair, Maribel climbed out of the truck, then squatted down to meet Lucritia’s eyes. “Everything’s fine. I need you to go inside the trailer. If any other car or truck comes on the property, you know what to do, right?”
“Yeah, wait ’til I’m sure it’s a bad man, then shoot to kill if they got a gun in their hands. Even my daddy.”
“Especially your daddy. You already gave him a warning shot. I have to help Blair. I’ll be right in after. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Maribel stood, glanced in the direction of the young woman still holding a shotgun and aimed her next directive at Danella. “Don’t hesitate.”
Danella’s grim expression settled Maribel. She knew that Danella wasn’t prepared to let Hank have the upper hand. No matter what.
Maribel ran around to the passenger side of the truck and pulled on the door. The multiple holes had done something to the door causing it to stick. She pulled hard until the frame gave way and creaked open.
Blair’s face was pale as she stared at her right leg. A glance at the large hole in the inside of the door was the only evidence that Maribel needed to know Blair had been shot. Quickly unclipping Blair’s seatbelt, Maribel gathered Blair in her arms and carried her to the trailer. Danella opened the door, and Maribel gently set her on the couch. “I’ll be right back. I need to call for an ambulance.”
Running back to the truck, she plucked her cell phone from the cup holder and then grabbed the shotgun from behind the seat. While walking back to the trailer, she pressed 911 and frantically started to talk before the woman on the other end finished saying, “911, what’s your emerg—”
“I’m on rural route three about five miles in. A woman’s been shot. Pretty sure the shooter was Hank Gooding. He is armed and dangerous and shot at the truck about two miles away in that ratty cabin on the north side as you travel down the road. Hurry please.”
“Okay, ma’am, hang on, we’ve got vehicles rolling.”
“I gotta go and tend to her leg.”
“Please stay on the phone with me.”
“I can’t. She needs me, but I’ll put someone else on the phone. You can talk with her.”
Danella banged open the door, and Maribel handed her the cell phone. “Talk to the dispatcher, please.”
Danella frowned but took the phone from Maribel. Lucritia was holding Blair’s hand and tears were streaming down Blair’s face.
“Help’s on the way.” Maribel pulled off her T-shirt and pressed it against the gaping wound. A shotgun slug could do a lot of damage. “You’re going to be fine. I promise and I never break my promises.”
A few tiny pieces of glass clung to Blair’s hair, and Lucritia started to pick them out.
“You be careful, Squirt. I don’t want you cutting yourself on a piece that might be a bit too sharp. Besides, I need you to be on the lookout. If you see anything roll up besides a car with flashing red lights, I want you to shoot. Don’t wait, okay? I doubt anyone else will be coming in hot besides the police or the ambulance. So, if you see a fast-moving car, you go ahead and take the shot.”
“Okay, Mari. I won’t shoot the police even if Mama says they’re a bunch of assholes who like to rough up people for fun.”
“That’s right. Today, they’ll be here to help us. And we need their help. Blair needs their help.”
“Yeah, that’s the place. We’re almost to the end of the road. I don’t know. Do I sound like I got medical training?” Danella asked in exasperation. “She’s looking pale. Got a hole in her leg and Mari just pressed her T-shirt against the wound.”
The faint sound of sirens wailed in the distance. “Thank fuck. I think they’re almost here. I guess I don’t need to talk to you anymore.”
Maribel shook her head. “Danella, she was just doing her job, trying to give the paramedics more information.”
“She was asking me questions that I couldn’t answer. You shoulda stayed on the phone. I’ll hold your shirt on her wound. You go out and meet the cops. They’re more likely to help you.”
Maribel was once again stymied by what to do. Finally, she nodded and headed out. Fortunately, she had the wherewithal not to take her shotgun. She was depending on an eight-year-old to make sure she didn’t get her ass shot off by a hyped-up Hank looking for revenge. Figuring he wasn’t crazy enough to come anywhere near where the sirens were heading gave her a small measure of confidence.
Maribel waved her hands in the air, and the ambulance pulled next to the battered truck. Two uniformed medics jumped out of the rig, and Maribel pointed to the trailer. “She’s inside.”
“Is the shooter still around?”
“We were shot about two miles from here. I’m not sure where he’s at.”
Two police cars rolled in after the medics went inside to attend to Blair. Maribel was glad she recognized one of the officers. “Hey, Sam. Danella’s got nothing to do with this. She ran Hank off yesterday and that’s why he’s gone nutso.”
Sam jerked his head at the truck. “That your truck?”
“Yeah.”
The other man emerged from the second vehicle and grabbed his belt after he swaggered to join his colleague.
“What were you doing out here, anyway? Don’t you live out by Cedar Ridge?” Sam asked.
“Close enough. I was making egg deliveries.”
Sam squinted at Maribel. “Lot of drug deals out here. You should keep your distance.”
“Danella’s clean.”
The other police officer scoffed.
“This isn’t about a drug deal. It’s about Danella sending Hank on his way and him not liking her version of divorce papers.”
“How come you’re involved?”
“I don’t like assholes who beat on little kids. I might have taught Danella’s kid how to defend herself.”
“Aw, Maribel. Don’t tell me you gave that kid a gun.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you that. Look, Sam, I’ve got more important things to attend to right now. My friend’s been shot, and I’m gonna ride in the back of that ambulance with her.”
“I need a statement,” Sam clarified.
“Fine, come to the hospital and I’ll give you my statement. You better go check out that cabin about two miles up the road. Be careful, he’s got a high-capacity gun. Took about six shots before we were out of range.”
“I doubt he’s still hanging around. Sirens undoubtedly chased him away, but we’ll check it out.” Sam tipped his hat, and then his eyes traveled to the left of Maribel. “They’re about to load your friend.”
The rolling gurney was bumping on the ground on its way to the trailer. Maribel waited patiently while the paramedic secured Blair and rolled her to the back of the ambulance.
“I’m coming with,” Maribel declared, leaving no room for argument. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed the two officers walking toward the trailer.
“I would think you have better things to do right now than hassling Danella and her kid. Like chasing after a maniac before he starts shooting up the town. I mighta left three of my shotguns in her trailer, so don’t start hassling her for having unregistered guns. They’re mine. Seriously, Sam, he’s out there and he’s hopped up. Serve and protect, not hassle and annoy. If another innocent person gets shot, that’s on you.”
Sam stopped and jerked his head at his colleague. “Come on, let’s check out that cabin.”
As the ambulance doors closed, Maribel sighed in relief when she saw the two police cars turn around and lead the way down rural route three.
Maribel turned her attention to Blair and stroked her arm. She caught the attention of the female medic hanging the IV bag and asked, “How bad?”
“She’ll be fine. Vitals are good, considering she has a slug in her leg. She’s young and strong. It could have been a lot worse. A little higher and the shot might have hit a vital organ.”
“I’m Maribel and this is Blair. You should know our names. Makes things more personal. Medical folks are more diligent if they know who they’re working on.”
“Most people around these parts know who you are, Maribel. We’ll take good care of your friend. Don’t worry.”
†
From a hiding place in the dense foliage, Hank ground his teeth as he watched the police pull next to the cabin. The forest was uncharacteristically quiet. It was as if nature recognized pure evil and was holding its breath in a sort of stasis until the negative energy vacated their home.
“Fucking cops,” he muttered.
Discarding the fleeting thought to empty his shotgun in their direction, he melted farther into the heavy cover of the trees. They wouldn’t find a lot in the cabin. A few beers, a tiny amount of coke, and the extra ammo he hadn’t thought to grab.
Hank still had eighteen or nineteen rounds left in his shotgun, and he thought he might need every one to seek his revenge. At least he knew one of those slugs had found its mark when the ambulance went rushing by earlier.
Slinking down farther into the brush, he watched as one of the cops pushed the mic on his shoulder. The other pig had opened the door to the cabin and disappeared inside. Although he strained to hear what the asshole was saying, the words were too muffled to hear. Whatever. As soon as they left, he wasn’t about to stick around. He had a few loose ends to take care of, and then he would leave this shithole town.
Patience. He could exercise patience. That was something he’d lacked earlier, and that had earned him a consolation prize. If he’d managed to kill that bitch, they never would have rushed away in the ambulance. No, his shots had not done their job like in the weed store. No one had walked away from that.
After he took care of his final loose ends, he might turn on Danella’s shitty TV and find out how much damage he had managed to do earlier. Hank continued to watch as he crouched down in the ferns and moss. The cop who spoke in the mic was leaning against the open door of the car. Hank wondered what he was waiting for, when he got his answer. This time he could just make out what the other man was saying to the other asshole who had emerged from the cabin.
“They’re sending out a team to comb the cabin. Let’s head to the hospital and get that statement.”
The other cop nodded and folded himself into the car. The lights were still flashing as he pulled away. Hank spit onto the ground. “Assholes don’t need those lights. They’re just flaunting their power.”
Carrying the shotgun in one hand, he yanked at his pants again and made the slow trek to Danella’s trailer. A plan was forming in his head about how to approach that run-down piece of shit without getting his ass shot off. That fucking kid of his would likely blow his dick off if he came at them without cover.
†
Maribel heard the swoosh of the doors and looked up in time to see Sandy rush inside. She looked frantic until her eyes settled on Maribel.
“What the fuck happened? Is Blair okay?”
“They said she was going to be fine, but they’re still working on her. I didn’t know if I should call her mom or not.”
“Tough call. Her mom came in this morning with Senator Chadwick. So, I’m going to take a wild guess that perhaps she isn’t too excited to have them visit her here or know what happened. I advise you to wait until you can ask her about it.”
“Thanks for coming, Sandy. I didn’t know who else to call.” Maribel ran her hands nervously through her hair.
“Of course, I love Blair like a sister. You too, you goof. Here’s a shirt. It should fit fine. I don’t have your muscles, but I have plenty of flab to warrant buying tees with extra room in them.” Sandy held out the plain blue T-shirt, and Maribel slipped it over her head.
“This is all my fault,” Maribel moaned.
“I seriously doubt that. So, what happened?”
“Have you been listening to the news?” Maribel asked.
“A little.”
“That shooting in the marijuana store…”
“Yeah, what’s that got to do with anything? Blair doesn’t smoke weed.”
“No, the shooter is someone I know.”
“How the hell do you know a crazed drug dealer?”
“He’s Danella’s ex.”
“Danella? You mean the one with the kid?”
“Uh huh. I gave Squirt one of my old shotguns for protection. I’ve been showing her how to shoot. She shot Hank’s toe and he’s pissed.”
Sandy slumped back into the waiting room chair. “How’d he slip through your security?”
“We were making a delivery to Danella, Mr. Simpson, and the rest of the folks I usually give eggs and things to. When we drove by this shitty little cabin, he started shooting. I slammed on the gas, but I wasn’t quick enough, and Blair caught a slug in her leg.”
“I thought bullets bounce off of cars or trucks.”
Maribel shook her head. “This isn’t Hollywood, Sandy, bullets and especially single slugs from a shotgun do not bounce off of fiberglass or metal.”
“Oh. I know the woman at the admitting desk. Do you want me to see what I can find out about Blair?”
“I tried already. I’m not family, so they wouldn’t tell me anything.”
Sandy narrowed her gaze at Maribel. “You care for her, don’t you?”
Maribel lifted her watery gaze to Sandy. “I think I might be falling in love. Sometimes, she’s so exasperating, but she makes me think. She challenges me to consider stuff I’ve never thought about before.”
Sandy chuckled. “The liberal and the conservative. This should be interesting to watch.”
A nurse with blue scrubs called out, “Is there a Maribel here?”
Maribel stood. “That’s me.”
“Come with me. She’s been asking where you are and telling us she has to pee. The drugs have impaired her and distorted a few facts. She thinks you’re the one who was shot. Coming out of anesthesia tends to wreak havoc on a person’s understanding of what’s going on, but don’t worry, the surgery went well. The ortho who was on call is the best one we’ve got. You’ve got five minutes. Then we’re transferring her to a room on the unit.”
“Can I come too?” Sandy asked.
“Who are you?”
“A friend.”
“No, only the girlfriend. Who I assume is Maribel? You can wait until she is settled into room 102. Give us another hour. Okay?”
“Thanks.” Maribel followed the woman in scrubs through the automatic doors and hoped like hell that Blair was as stable as the paramedic said.
†
“I have to pee,” Blair slurred.
Maribel looked helplessly at the woman in scrubs who was shaking her head.
“She has a catheter in her. It only feels like she has to pee. We’ll have to keep telling her that because the drugs make her forget.” The woman chuckled.
“Okay.” Maribel stroked Blair’s sweaty forehead. “Honey, go ahead and pee, you’re on the toilet. Sort of,” Maribel added.
“Maribel, I have to pee. Tell them I have to pee. Blood. Oh, God, you’re shot. I can’t lose you, too.”
“It’s okay, babe. I wasn’t shot. You were. You had me so scared.”
“Don’t leave me, Maribel.”
“Never.”
Blair’s eyes closed. “I have to pee. I don’t want to pee the bed.”
The nurse pushed a button and Blair’s face seemed to relax. A tiny bit of drool escaped the corner of her mouth. “She’ll be out for a while. If you want to come back later, that would be better.” The nurse patted Maribel’s arm. “For her, and for you.”
“Can I stay for a bit?”
“Not right now. We have to make the arrangements to settle her in her room. I can come get you when we’re done. Are you her health care proxy?”
The rush of panic returned to Maribel. “Why, is something wrong?”
“No, no, nothing like that. She should make a full recovery. I just need to know if you are authorized to make any decisions. I also can’t give you much information about her condition unless you’re approved and until the drugs wear off. I don’t think there is documentation on her wishes. I thought maybe you had that.”
“No, uh. Her mother might. She lives here. Blair is only here for a bit of time. She, uh took a leave of absence or something from her job to be with her mother after the shooting…”
“The school shooting?”
“Yeah, her sister died in the…” Maribel choked up and couldn’t finish. The reality hit Maribel that Blair didn’t live here, and she was going to go back, sooner rather than later. Especially after this latest incident. There wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it, either.
“Maybe you should call her mother, then.”
“I don’t know. They, uh, had a bit of a falling out.”
“Oh, well, I hate to kick you out, but we need to get her settled in her room. I’ll come get you, I promise.”
Maribel had a decision to make. Should she take these few minutes while they were settling Blair to check on Danella and Lucritia, or remain at the hospital ready to stick like glue to Blair’s bed after they situated her in a room on the unit? When Sam and the other officer entered the emergency department and made a beeline for Maribel, who was waiting patiently with Sandy, her decision was made. They hadn’t found Hank. He was still on the loose. Maribel had a bad feeling, and she was rarely wrong.
After finishing her statement and signing the report, she set the pen on the clipboard she’d borrowed and pulled Sandy to a far corner in the waiting room. She hoped the low tones in her voice would not be overheard by Sam and his buddy.
“I’m going to get one of those Uber drivers to take me out to Danella’s place and check on her and Lucritia. This time, I’m not giving them an option. I’ll drop them off at my place and then come back. Hopefully Blair won’t wake up before I return. If I’m not back in a couple of hours, max, send Sam out to her place.” Maribel jerked her head in the direction of Sam and the officer who seemed to have a perpetual scowl on his face. “Hopefully only Sam will check on us. The other guy seems like a total tool.”
“For the record, I don’t like your plan.” Sandy held up her hand. “But I know better than to convince you otherwise. Besides, you are the most stubborn woman I know. You two deserve each other. You know that?” Sandy scoffed.
“Thanks, Sandy.”
†
At first the driver was hesitant to take Maribel to the end of the road. The area had a reputation for rampant drugs and crime. Maribel offered him a hundred dollars for his inconvenience and told him he could drop her off a half mile away. He didn’t have to take her all the way to the end.
“This is good,” Maribel directed.
“You got a way back, lady? Talk about shithole places. I don’t think you can get more shithole than out here. How do people live like this?”
Maribel ignored his commentary and handed him the money. “My truck’s here.”
“I don’t see no truck.”
“It’s up the road a bit, but I’d rather get a little exercise and walk the rest of the way.”
“Suit yourself, lady. This area of town gives me the creeps.”
Maribel pulled open the door and stepped into the sunshine. Closing the door carefully, she waved away the Uber. Her senses were on high alert as she kept scanning the area. There was a better than fifty percent chance that Hank was waiting in the wings, ready to ambush her as soon as she approached the trailer.
Maybe she should have thought to have the driver swing by her place so she could grab another gun, but that would have freaked him out too much. She was heading to the danger zone unarmed but not completely unaware or unprepared. Although she was approaching a section of the road where there was nowhere to take cover, and she’d be completely open and exposed around the trailer, so would he, and Lucritia was a very good shot. She had to bank on him either having to shoot from too far away or exposing himself to someone who wouldn’t hesitate to protect her mother or Maribel if it came to that.
As she cautiously proceeded down the road, doing her best to walk silently on the cracked pavement that was in desperate need of repair, a rustle in the brush caught her attention. Turning her head in the direction of the scarcely audible noise, she once again heard the sound she knew so well. She was still a fair distance from the cabin but took off in a sprint in a desperate struggle to find shelter against what she knew would be Hank’s attempt to fill her with several slugs. She understood the damage one slug could do to her body. It wasn’t pretty. She’d seen Blair’s leg. Even after several hours of surgery, Maribel realized there was a good chance Blair would never recover enough to avoid a reminder of this terrible day. It was a toss-up which day in her life would be worse. The day her younger sister died or the day she was shot—both events a result of gun violence.
Maribel knew the truck wouldn’t be a sufficient barrier, but it was all she had. She might have a chance if she crouched in front of the engine block. There was a lot of metal to get through. It was better than nothing. He’d have to come close and put himself at risk.
Zig-zagging her way down the road, she could see her truck. Counting in her head, she heard six shots ring out and none had hit her so far. He was undoubtedly too far away for accuracy. At least there was that.
“You fucking bitch. I’m gonna kill you and then gut you like a pig.”
Maribel slid in front of her truck and gulped air. Three more shots rang out and one managed to hit metal. She took a chance and peered out, catching a glimpse of her attacker. He was brazenly walking in her direction. A barely audible squeak momentarily distracted Maribel, and she turned in the direction of the noise in time to see the barrel of a shotgun poking out from one of the rusty windows on the trailer.
That’s my girl. If she’d heard the noise, it was possible Hank had as well, and there was no way she was going to let him shoot at the trailer. The flimsy material was no match for a shotgun slug. She prayed for good fortune, and when she heard the chuchak, she jumped from behind the truck and waved her arms.
“Right here, asshole, I’m right here.”
Hank swung the shotgun away from the trailer and aimed at Maribel. As if in slow motion, she saw his finger on the trigger and heard the snick as the gun jammed.
His frustrated voice yelled out, “Fuck, fucking piece of shit.”
The chuchak filled the air again as he repeated the pump action, putting the slug in the chamber this time for real. The loud shot was deafening. Maribel closed her eyes.
Oh Blair, I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise, but I couldn’t stand by and let him hurt more people.