Day Three
PROMPT: "Blame" [three days]
Part 1 of 3
She had a crazed look in her eye. It was a look that said she was capable of anything. Considering she was currently pressing a pistol to Jada's temple; he knew he had to play it cool.
"Ava, you don't want to do anything rash," Rafe said, training his own .35 back on her. "You know you don't want to hurt anybody." He almost choked on his words. What a lie. She'd shot her way out of the state hospital tonight, killing two nurses and a guard in the process. Now, she was using Jada as a human body shield. She didn't care who she hurt.
"Are you sure about that, Rafe?" Ava's smile gleamed wickedly. "I think I might enjoy doing a little damage before I leave this one-horse town. Why shouldn't I hurt you after the way you hurt me? Maybe I'll kill you before I skip out of here. Better yet, maybe I'll kill her, and you can cry about it." She shook Jada hard.
Jada gritted her teeth. "Watch yourself, Ava. I wouldn't try that again if I were you."
Ava snickered. "Ooh. Those are big words coming from someone with a gun to her head."
"If you're so tough, you would take me on without a weapon? I think you're all talk and no action."
Rafe's eyes went wide. Jada was antagonizing Ava. That would not end well. He was worried for Jada, genuinely worried. He cared more about her every day. If she got hurt tonight, he didn't know what he'd do.
"Ava's not going to hurt anyone," Rafe quickly intervened. "She's going to calmly drop her weapon, let you go, walk over here, and -"
Ava cackled. "Oh, please. You think I'm really going to what - surrender to you? So, you can throw me in a 5x5 cell again - or worse, make sure I get a needle in my arm this time? I don't think so, Rafael. I have a better idea. I will kill your little girlfriend, and then you, and walk out of this crappy motel, and -"
"That's not going to happen. Backup will be here any minute," Jada said.
"Did I ask you for your input?" Ava snapped.
"Jada's right about backup coming," Rafe said. "Why not just stop this now before things get any worse? Come on, Ava. Think things through. Think about how Tripp's going to feel when he hears about this."
"Keep my son's name out of your damn mouth! You could give less than a damn about Tripp. You only care about yourself. You are a good actor though; I will admit that. You manage to convince people you care about them; you make them trust in you and believe in you, and then you screw them over in the worst possible way. You have to pay for that, you bastard. You have to pay!" She thundered. "To hell with you! I want you dead. I want you dead!" Her face was twisted in a look of unadulterated rage as she raised the pistol and prepared to fire.
Rafe wanted to return fire but with Jada in the way he couldn't get a clear shot. He started to jump aside just as Jada threw her head back and butted Ava in the face. Ava screeched indignantly as Jada made contact with her nose. There was the sound of bone crunching. Ava howled and fell to the ground, and then there was a mad tousle for the gun. Rafe got into the fray of tangled, flailing bodies, and managed to catch Ava by her bony wrist.
"Ava, you're under arrest!" He snapped a pair of handcuffs on her as blood gushed down her face.
Rafe helped Jada steady herself. She had a bruise blossoming above her eyebrow and Rafe gently traced it with his fingertips, whispering, "I'm sorry," to her. She shook her head, mouthed back, "It's okay."
The door burst open and other officers streamed into the room, including Eli and Lani, who took charge of the scene. Ava was hauled upright and led to the door. She looked back once to bark at Jada and Rafe, "You two deserve each other!" and then she was gone.
Rafe gave Jada a bracing hug, grateful she was alive. He wanted to take her to the hospital just to be sure she was one hundred percent okay, but of course, she begged off.
They drove home in silence, each lost in their thoughts. Rafe's mind was tortured. Had Jada almost died tonight because of him?
