Tacoma Falls: Wild Horses

Catching a rat

Waylon

I loaded the rifle, aimed, and fired. Once the first bullet hit the rat in the leg, Shep, Beau, and Hank fired their rifles. Bullets hit the rat's body. We didn't stop until we emptied our rifles. We lowered our rifles as the rat dropped to the ground with a thud and walked toward Grayson.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" Hank asked Grayson.

"You know how the phone signal is in the woods. It's shit," Grayson said.

"Mary and I tried calling you to warn you about Rusty."

"No need to warn me since the rat showed up. How the hell did he find us?"

"A few people said they spotted Rusty leaving Dixie's place," Shep said.

"That doesn't surprise me that stupid bicycle ran her mouth."

"No, but Rusty killed Dixie when he bashed her head in."

"What?"

Shep nodded in response.

"Dixie was a bitch. But she didn't deserve to have Rusty take her life," Beau said.

"The rat didn't care. He would have done anything to take Amber's life." Grayson walked away and headed to the cabin.

"What now?" Shep asked.

"Hank, does your family have a tarp?" I asked.

"They should since they use it to clean deer," Hank said.

"Good. We're going to need to take the rat to his final destination. Now we need a story."

"We'll just say the rat encountered a bear and lost." Shep shrugged.

"Works for me," Beau said.

I shook my head and helped Hank grab a tarp to wrap the body in so we could take it to the pig farm.

*******
Amber

I ran toward the front of the house while guns fired to find the girls and Maury waiting in front. Morgan and Mary spotted me and ran toward me until they crashed into me. We hugged each other until the gunfire stopped.

"Do you think it's over?" Morgan asked.

"If I know Hank, Beau, and Beau's brothers, it's over. Those boys are excellent shots," Mary said.

My heart thundered against my rib cage. Twenty minutes later, Grayson appeared around the house. I let go of Mary and Morgan and ran into his open arms. Grayson wrapped his arms around me and lifted my feet from the ground. I have never been so happy until I saw Grayson just now.

Grayson set me down and checked me to ensure Satan didn't shoot me. "The rat's dead."

"What?"

Grayson looked at me. "Hank, Waylon, Beau, and Shep shot him dead. Hank and Waylon are taking care of the evidence. It's over, Wild Filly."

"Does that mean it's over between us, too?" I searched Grayson's face, hoping it wasn't.

"Not a chance, Wild Filly. I've waited years for you. I'm not giving you up again."

My lips curved upward as Grayson leaned in and captured my lips.

"Awww," the others said.

We laughed against each other's mouths before pulling away and walking toward them.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Rusty visited Dixie. Dixie was supposed to meet Cassie but didn't show. Cassie found Dixie's body," Morgan said.