Chapter Sixty

When Mort came into the house, Jillie’s friend Dix had shoved her behind her back and told her to run and hide. But instead, she looked around the room in search of something she could use as a distraction.

When she spotted the top of a black cylinder sticking up out of Miss Lil’s back pocket, she moved closer to get a better look. Spray paint? Bug spray? Hair spray? It didn’t really matter, because any kind of spray might be just what she needed.

All Jillie had to do was get the canister from Miss Lil’s pocket and then get close enough to the cousins to let them have it in the face. The challenge would be getting them both with the same shot because hitting only one would be a disaster.

But then Toby shot Mort, and during all the commotion that followed, Jillie managed to pick-pocket the cylinder out of Miss Lil’s pocket. She’d palmed the thing and shoved it behind the elastic of her underwear in one smooth move.

When Toby told Jillie to go get the map, Miss Lil winked at her then picked a fight with her sister.

After Jillie gassed Toby, Moms Potter grabbed up both weapons and disappeared into the kitchen. When she came back, she was carrying more zip ties.

Since Mort wasn’t in any shape to escape, she’d only bound his wrists. But like she’d done before, she bound both Toby’s wrists and legs.

“You okay, Lil?” Miss Dix pulled a wadded-up tissue from somewhere in her bra, spit on it, and dabbed at the small spot of blood on her sister’s shoulder.

Moms Potter inspected the wound. “Just a graze, she’ll live to fight another day.”

“I know you didn’t just spit on a used tissue and wipe it on me.” Miss Lil swatted her sister’s hand away. “Don’t you know the human mouth is one of the filthiest things on the planet?”

“Oh yeah?” Miss Dix said. “Well my mouth’s a lot cleaner than yours.”

“Would someone please call the police?” Lil said. “I’ve had just about all this fun I can stand.”

“Will someone please drive me to the hospital to see Beth?” Jillie said.

“I believe that can be arranged,” the police-nephew said from just inside the front door.

“Grand Central Station,” Moms Potter said. “Come in and make yourself useful.”

Within the next few minutes, Mrs. Potter’s house was abuzz with people. A deputy sheriff showed up, followed by an ambulance and two EMTs.

After Mort’s wound was bandaged, Miss Lil’s shoulder was disinfected. Toby’s swollen face was doused with bottled water until he was breathing better. Then the two cousins were handcuffed and taken away. The sheriff and his deputy took statements from everyone present, then left.

“It’s going to take them a while to get those boys to the hospital,” Moms Potter said. “The nearest one’s in Albuquerque. We’ve got critical care places all around, but no hospital.”

Miss Dix looked at her nephew. “Please don’t yell at me. I’ve been awake over twenty-four hours; I can’t be held responsible for anything I might say.”

The policeman-nephew hugged Miss Dix and Miss Lil. “I’m not going to yell at either of you, not just yet, anyway.” With a thoughtful look on his face, he added, “Life doesn’t offer any guarantees, does it? I guess it’s up to us to make the most of the time we have here, however long or short that might be.”

Jillie tugged at David’s shirt. “Can we go see Beth now?”

“You bet we can.” David smiled at her. “You ever ridden in a Jeep complete with a siren and flashing lights?”

Jillie squealed and started for the car.