The Serpent and the Crow

Book 2: Chapter Six

"You didn't have to do that. Dale would've talked."

"Time was up. My daughter is still fucking out there."

"Where am I?" Dale said, "You fuckers are going to pay for this."

Dale's eyes strained under the dim light of Wade's trailer. The back of his head was bleeding from Douglas' lullaby he wrote with his Glock.

Dale saw the trailer was bare except for the trash that laid around like ornaments to a guy who didn't give a fuck.

"Dale, I swear if my daughter...you've got one chance in six to answer my question."

"What does that mean, Red Skin?"

Douglas took Wade's Colt and emptied the chamber. Doug shoved in a slug and slammed the barrel back into the chamber. He spun the cylinder.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Wade shouted.

"Getting answers."

"Well, do it with your own gun, in your own house."

"This sick son of a bitch burnt down my house, don't you remember."

"Hey, I don't understand what the fuck you're talking about."

Wade said, "Just answer his questions, and everything will be all gravy."

"What the fuck were you doing out there in the hills, Dale? The president of your Hunter's Club said on record that the club never hunted out there. Game dried up a long time ago in Coyote Hills?"

"How do you know that?" Wade said.

"I noticed you wouldn't question your own people, so I thought I would."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means if you did your job, my daughter wouldn't be kidnapped."

"Fuck you both," Dale spat, "I want my lawyer."

"Look around you," Douglas said, "Does it sound like we want the police involved."

Douglas held the Colt to Dale's kneecap. Dale squirmed as he realised they tied him to the chair. His eyes widened.

Wade warned Dale. He said, "You better be better than those deer on your walls, Dale. And, get to the point."

"What the fuck cops are you?"

Douglas pulled the trigger. Click.

"Help."

"Answer the question."

Click. Click.

"What the fuck? Wade!"

"Don't stare at me, pal. He's gone off the reservation. No pun intended there, Doug."

"I was hunting on my own, I swear."

Click.

"You're lucky, Dale. But the next click is going to be fifty-fifty. If I were you, I'd stop lying."

"Ok, fuck, alright. Put the gun down. Please. Yes, there's indeed nothing to hunt up there but snakes and birds. In fact, hunting in Solemn Pines, is drying up. So how does a hunter make a living if there's nothing to hunt?"

"How?"

"My jacket pockets."

Douglas rummaged in Dale's pockets and pulled out a small bag of Marijuana buds.