Twelve Angry Guests

Chapter 20

Arny clenched his fists, they seemed to have been gone a long time, and he swore at the sound of gunfire. He listened and heard nothing. No victory shout, no call to come down, it was all over. Nothing. He wanted to help, but he didn't want to screw up or Gretta would never forgive him.

While he procrastinated, he quickly altered his focus to the pressure against his back, and slowly raised his arms.

"Not a sound. Walk confidently back up to the other truck, and any attempt to warn your friends will be your last memory of this island vacation."

Arny lowered his hands, listening to the familiar voice of Carlton; even the tough talk was too British public school not to give him away. The large automatic weapon jabbed into his back for emphasis.

"Do you often buttle at events like this, Carlton?" Arny felt another jab and stared walking.

When they reached the truck, Arny realized that Carlton had found the man that the women left tied and gagged, and he was standing to one side of the van's doors, gun raised. Carlton poked him again and nodded at the door.

"Hey, you guys want to step out here for a minute?"

****

Gretta opened her eyes and it was like looking through murky water. There was light and then a shadow loomed directly in front of her face.

"Gretta? Can you hear me?"

"That you, lover?"

"It's Jessica, you were shot." She lifted the compress from Gretta's wound. "Bleeding's stopped and it looks clean enough."

Enough?

"That scar might spoil your bikini line, but it'll be a conversation piece."

"Let's see." Parker chuckled.

"Not unless you want one in the same place."

"What happened?" Gretta began to sit up and was gently eased back down.

"The pair I went after split up, and before I realized it, one was tracking you. I yelled, but it was too late. You were down and wrestling with one of yours. I managed to get the other one of mine, and then Verna came out of the chute, gun blazing and spewing some, un-lady-like dialogue. She took down the man you wounded, and then with a homerun swing, clobbered the one who had you pinned."

Verna was sitting against the wall, blushing, listening to Hart calm and praise her at the same time.

"All I could think of was that phone call about my parents," she whimpered.

"It's okay, Babe, it's over and you were amazing."

"Damn right." Jeff squatted down beside them. "I was still wondering what the hell to do when she took off and did it!"

"Where's Arny?"

"You should just rest for now."

"What happened, where is he?" Gretta struggled to get up.

"You better fill her in or you'll have to knock her out." Parker rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Jessica?"

"We got snookered. Carlton freed the guy we trussed up and they captured Arny and the others."

"What happened? Are they alright?"

"They are all back at the main house. Forrester has been in touch, suggesting we surrender as well or say goodbye."

With a pointed look, Parker removed his hand and backed away as Gretta sat up, testing her leg. The bullet had gone through the inside of her thigh below the groin.