Elk Creek

Chapter 12

Raina whipped around the corner out of sight as her nightmare stepped from the cabin. Though sunburnt and balding slightly, the Sheriff still sparked the same paralyzing fear inside Raina as he had nearly four years earlier.

Breath coming in short bursts, Raina peeked back around the corner. Why was he here? How had he reached Iza before them? Was Carter already in custody? Raina's mind soared with the possibilities.

"Don't even think about it, Hanson." The Sheriff's smoke choked voice ground all possibilities of a happy ending to a halt. Air stuck in Raina's throat.

"What are you doing here Rick?" Val's hand edged toward his waist. Dark eyes trained in on the end of the shotgun in Rick Thomason's hands. At such a close range, Val would be lucky to get out of the way let alone draw his own weapon.

"I think that's pretty obvious isn't it, Hanson?" the Sheriff's nearly black eyes lit with excitement. "No? Where is the Franklin girl? Can't see her letting you come look for her child on your own." From around the corner, Raina cringed. She never should have come. This is exactly what they had wanted.

A booming voice sounded from inside the cabin. "What's going on out there?" Seconds later the beefy man stepped through the door. "One of your officers, Thomason?"

"Not for long." The Sheriff adjusted the shotgun on his shoulder. Carter took a step closer to Val, his lifeless eyes scouring for any sign of movement.

"You're the one that's been shacking up with my girl," Carter growled.

"Last I checked Raina'd rejected that position." A muscle in Carter's cheek spasmed. His lip pulled up in a gruesome sneer before he drove a heavy fist into Val's abdomen. Raina bit her lip and squeezed her fingers tight. Tears stung her eyes. When Val straightened, his gaze snapped with murder.

Out of sight, Raina scrabbled to remove the pistol from her pocket. The barrel caught on a tear in her pocket. Frustrated and scared, Raina yanked the gun free.

"Bring 'im on in. Can't wait to see Raina's face when she finds him dead on the floor."

Cocking the gun, Raina wheeled around the corner and pulled the trigger. She didn't have time to make sure Val was out of the way. She just pulled the trigger. The bullet whizzed past Carter's shoulder and lodged itself in the side of the cabin, taking some shirt sleeve and a thin layer of skin with it.

Teeth grinding in rage, Carter's head snapped in her direction.

"Rain, run!"

Terrified, Raina turned to comply with Val's orders.

"Take one step and Thomason pulls the trigger." Her foot froze in the air.

Carter turned slowly, his eyes roving up and down Raina's form making her squirm with disgust. "I want my daughter back, Carter," Raina spat, her hand tightening around the pistol. Her finger hugged the trigger, though the gun hung at her side.­­

"In good time. You'll just need to gain my trust back." Anger overcame Raina. She raised the gun and fired again. This time the bullet embedded itself in Carter's shoulder.

A loud thunk sounded from behind Carter and in seconds he was on her, the pistol discarded in the snow. Bulky arms tightened around Raina's torso, suffocating. Her arms pinned at her sides, Raina kicked and squirmed to get free. Carter held on tight and dragged her toward the cabin door.

As Carter slung her through the door, Raina kicked out her legs, catching the jam on either side with her heels. In that second as she struggled to get free, her eyes landed on Val's crumpled form on the ground, blood oozing from a gash in his hairline. A fist squeezed around her heart as she called out to him. Val lie still in the icy snow.