Savior Ch. 23

Both men were running toward me, and I let them come, every fast, pounding step increasing my chance of hitting them and pulling my aim farther away from the house. When they'd closed three-quarters of the distance, I popped up from my hiding place and fired four times, the second man at the front of the house twitching with the last two shots before falling to the ground. I quickly switched targets and fired three more times. The second thug also went to the ground in a tumbling roll.

The first gunman I'd shot was shrieking in pain, but as he struggled to his feet, I snapped weapon back to him and squeezed the trigger again. The man tumbled back, still and silent.

I stood with Patrick and Hanna, watching as the five bodies were loaded into the coroner vans. Hanna had positively identified the two men whose skulls I'd caved in as Henry Gauge and the man she only knew as Blade. She'd also been able identify a third man, Jerry Hunt, known around the club as Hunter, the victim of Patrick's shotgun. The other two were unknown to her, but we all assumed they were Orcas as well.

"I think that's everything," Officer Whipple said.

"It's about damn time," I growled. Patrick and I had been going over the story for the last three hours. It was nearly two in the morning and I'd had enough.

"Cut me some slack, Rand," Whipple snapped. "We just had more people killed in the last three hours than in the past five years."

"We told you the Orcas were trying to move into town. Maybe now you'll listen."

"Yes, well, we'll put out a watch for them. If we locate them, we'll have a less than friendly discussion about how we don't want their kind in town."

"And my son?" Hanna asked, her words slurred from her swollen face.

"If we find him, we'll take him into custody and arrest Carl Ellerbe for kidnapping and battery."

I felt her relax beside me. "Thank you."

Whipple nodded and turned toward his cruiser.

"Let's go to bed," Patrick said, turning toward his house. "I'm not opening until ten this morning. Seven is just too damned early after tonight."

I took Hanna by the hip, being careful to avoid sore spots, and turned her toward my trailer. "I agree. And Patrick?"

"What?"

"Thank you."

Patrick flashed me a crooked grin with a nod, but said nothing before turning and continuing to his house.