Blood Bath

Chapter 30

Saturday morning Colton only had coffee for breakfast. When he told the family he and Lacie were going to Bad Axe to shop for Christmas gifts, his brothers wanted to tag along.

"Mom, help me out here. It's a breakfast date and I would love to have my little brothers with me, but I'm sure Lacie wouldn't." Colton stumbled for an excuse.

"Boys, it's Saturday and you have chores to do. Let Colton go shopping and perhaps he'll buy you something nice for Christmas." She looked at Colton and winked. "Have fun."

Lacie was ready when he arrived. Colton told her how his mom told his brothers he would buy them a nice Christmas gift. "Now I have to get them something."

"Didn't you plan on buying them a gift?"

"Yes. I got them compound hunting bows for Christmas. I gave them their presents a few days ago."

"Well. That's not your mother's fault. How would she know?"

"She saw me give them the archery bows." Colton said. "Oh well. They are my brothers. I suppose I can find them something else. It takes a lot of thought and my brain is getting tired of all this stress."

The Jeep turned into the Big Boy parking lot. "Look at all the cars."

Lacie suggested they go to another restaurant, but Colton said there should be room for two more in Big Boys. "We might have to wait and I'm hungry."

As soon as they walked in, two groups left the restaurant. Colton and Lacie sat in a booth next to the breakfast buffet. They couldn't resist and both ordered the buffet.

While eating Colton kept shopping on his phone for gift ideas. Lacie had enough and said, "Colton, either the phone goes or I go. Since I'm not done eating, I'm staying."

Colton put the phone face down and apologized. The conversation turned to the great time they had Thanksgiving, and ideas for gifts.

The shopping started at Ace Hardware for a gift for his dad and mom, moved to the Jewelry store for Steph's gift, and then to Dunham's Sports. While in Dunham's, Colton picked out two gifts for Jason and Terry. He noticed Lacie looking at some shirts and workout tights and made a mental note to come back alone.

The last stop was Walmart. Because the parking lot was full, Colton parked away from the crowd. "Are you OK walking this far?" he asked

"It's fine. Be sure you lock the doors though. We don't want our gifts stolen."

Colton locked the Jeep and together they walked into Walmart. The two spent an hour in the store and ended up not buying anything. Lacie was looking at quilts for her mom, but everything was in the wrong colors, and Colton didn't know what he wanted. He spent most of his time checking out the video games, cell phones, and computers. Together they looked through the book, music, and movie departments.

Colton laughed as they walked out the store, "At least we didn't have to wait in the long 'check-out line."

At first Colton didn't see his Jeep. His heart raced as he imagined it being stolen. He relaxed upon seeing that a larger van was hiding the Jeep.

Lacie screamed when she saw the Jeep. Someone sprayed, YOU WILL DIE, across driver's side. The other side repeated those words and added swear words.

Colton grabbed his phone and dialed the sheriff's office. Within fifteen minutes, Ned drove up to the Jeep and walked around it. His face was grim. He got on the police radio and talked to the Sheriff.

"Colton. How long were you in the store?"

Lacie answered, "We spent an hour in Walmart. It happened while we were shopping."