Chapter Sixteen

Jess felt the race and roar of blood through his veins as Trent pressed the razor more firmly against his throat. One way or other, he'd end things. Right here. Right now.

"How do I know Mike and Daisy are even here?"

"I told you, I got 'em tied to that post." Trent shoved him forward, not relaxing his hold. "I got 'em trussed up like turkeys, but they're there." He pushed Jess to his knees. "Go on and tell for yourself. Mind the lantern."

Jess hadn't even thought of there being a lantern out here, but of course Mike would have brought one out when he came to see to the horses. Daisy might have brought one out herself, too. He couldn't see them, but he put his hand out, still with Jim Mitchell's razor pressed flat to his throat, and found a wool coat sleeve.

"Mike?"

The boy squirmed a little, but he couldn't move much. He couldn't make more than a few low sounds against the heavy cloths that gagged him.

Jess ran his hand up to his hair and tousled it. "You all right, Tiger? Just nod."

Mike nodded vigorously.

"Okay. Good. Hold on now. I'm gonna get you and Miss Daisy outta this. Daisy?"

It took Jess a few seconds more to get to her. She was tied with her back to the opposite side of the post, gagged like Mike was. Jess found the back of her coat collar and then squeezed her shoulder.

"Miss Daisy? Are you okay?"

She nodded, too, and tried to talk, but the sounds she was making seemed more angry than afraid. She wouldn't be very happy if she knew what he was thinking on doing. Maybe it wouldn't come to that. Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me . . .

Trent yanked him back to his feet. "Satisfied?"

"Come on, Trent," Jess pled. "You don't wanna do this. Look at him. He's just a little boy. He never hurt you nor nobody else. You're a father. How can you think of your own boy and want to hurt another kid?"

Trent's hand shook. "You don't know what it's like. You don't know how it was when I came back to that cabin and saw Timmo layin' there with his eyes open and lookin' at nothin' and his skin white as death and his blood everywhere."

His breath was coming in gasps now. Could be he was bleeding out himself.

"You don't want to do this," Jess told him again. "It won't bring Timmo back. He couldn't stand what happened up there, and he'd be ashamed to know you did more killin' on account a him."

"No," Trent growled, clinging to Jess now in an effort to stay on his feet.

"Miss Daisy there's a nurse. She fixed up my pard back in the house so even the doctor said there warn't no more he coulda done. She can help you. You ain't got the strength to do anything anyway. I can feel it."

"I can still cut your throat, boy," Trent panted in his ear. "That don't take much strength."

"I said you ought to go on and kill me if you were set on it. No need bringin' the boy into it. Just don't do it in front of him."

Trent's breath shuddered out of him, and for a moment it seemed his hold was loosening.

"No!"

The blade bit into Jess's skin once more, deeper this time, making the blood flow warm down his neck.

"You ain't killin' my son and walkin' away free, Harper. You're gonna know what it's like. Maybe you can't see it, but you'll be able to hear it. I'm gonna take the gag off a that boy, and let you hear every scream. I'm gonna— gonna—"

The razor jerked again and then tumbled down the front of Jess's coat and to the ground. Trent slid down behind him.

"Trent?"

"Gonna kill him," Trent muttered, struggling to get up again. "Gonna kill him and let you hear it. Let you live with it all the rest of your life, like I gotta live with my Timmo layin' there the way you left him."

Jess knelt beside him, trying to find his hand somewhere in the darkness, trying to see how bad off he was now.

"Trent? Where's the razor? Where'd it fall? I'll get it and cut Daisy loose. We'll take you into the house. She can help you."

Trent cursed him. "I don't want her help or yours. You've already done for me. But you still ain't out a this. I'm gonna kill you, Harper. I'm gonna kill you yet."

"Where's the razor?" Jess pressed, feeling around him on the ground. "You ain't in any shape to make threats now. There ain't any use in 'em anyhow."

Trent began to wheeze and struggle for breath. Jess didn't have to see to know what that meant.

"Now ain't the time for revenge, Trent," he urged. "Now's the time to make peace with yourself and with God."

"Gonna kill you, Harper. Gonna kill you and see you in hell."

"Trent—"

Trent arched his back, kicking his legs with a low cry and the clatter of whatever he'd knocked over, and then he slumped back to the ground and was still.

Jess exhaled heavily and used his coat sleeve to wipe away the sweat on his upper lip. Trent was dead for sure now. It was over. It was all over. All he had to do now is find that razor and get Daisy and Mike free and get them back into the house.

He patted his hands in widening circles around him, mindful of not grabbing hold of the open blade should he come to it.

"Mike?" he called. "Daisy? Trent's dead. Let me find this razor and cut you loose."

He was still feeling around on the ground when he heard Traveller nicker and start shifting on his feet. The other horses were suddenly restless, too. Then he smelled it, just a whiff of smoke and the crackle of fire in the hay. Trent had kicked over a lantern. With his last breath, he'd had his revenge.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed the story. I'd love to know what you think.

Just kidding! Don't kill me.

There will definitely be more as soon as I can write it.