The Fire Inside

Chapter 14

Dutch turned away from you and walked across the other side of the tent.

When he turned to look at you, his arms were folded across his chest.

"I'm not buying this little girl lost act, Blair. Are you gonna tell me what's going on, and why there's a $25,000 reward for bringing you in alive. If you'd committed some crime, they wouldn't care if you were dead or alive, but they want you alive, why?"

You stared at Dutch, and your eyes narrowed. "Are you gonna turn me in?" You asked.

Dutch sighed, "no... I don't know, you better tell me what's going on, Blair?"

You stared at Dutch, then you glanced at the gun, that lay on the cot, where Dutch had left it.

Dutch saw your eyes flick to the gun, so he dashed towards the cot.

There was no way he could have made it to the gun before you.

You grabbed it, as you did he stopped dead in his tracks, and raised his arms.

"Now don't be silly, Blair. Just put the gun down, let's talk about this." he coaxed.

The surprise on his face was unmistakable, when you pointed the gun at your own head.

"I'm not going back, I'll kill myself first," you warned.

Dutch lowered his hands, and took a step back, "Blair, stop, no one's sending you anywhere," he stated, his voice breaking in panic.

"I'd actually started to trust you Dutch Van Der Linde, I should have known better than to trust a man, they always let you down!"

Dutch shook his head, "what are you talking about, please Blair, just tell me."

"My grandfather, my father, Micah if I hadn't killed him and now you, all ready to sell me to the highest bidder," you hissed. "But I should thank you, for this," you raised the gun slightly. "At least now I have a way out."

"Blair, I would never have sold you out, why do you doubt me now! Just explain it to me."

Your mouth felt dry, despite your bluster, you weren't even sure you could pull the trigger.

"When I'm eighteen, I will come into money, but my grandfather has already decided to marry me off as part of a business deal, $25,000 is a drop in the ocean for him and his business partner. My mother was my only protection, with her gone, I had no alternative but to run." you sighed, "imagine my horror when the person who killed my mama, found me. She knew I'd seen her. When she dragged me back to my daddy's ranch in the mountains, they had planned to claim the reward, and leave for Europe, until the storm snowed them in. Sadie told the truth, when she screamed out I had left her. I stole my daddy's gun, when I saw the O'Driscolls coming, saw them shoot my daddy. I hoped they would shoot her too. My grandfather knew, they had killed my mama, he told them, if they left, and forgot about me and my trust fund, then nobody would need to know. With my daddy gone, she knew she needed to kill me to keep that secret. She hadn't planned for me to show up. I hadn't planned for the pair of them to find me!"

"Blair, sweetheart. I can understand why you don't trust anyone, but I...we care about you, just put the gun down." Dutch took a tentative step towards you.

You immediately cocked the hammer, just like you had seen Arthur do.

Dutch stopped instantly. You kept your eyes glued to him.

"I'll either walk out of here, or you'll bury me," you threatened.

You were so focussed on Dutch, you didn't see Arthur looking in the opposite door of the tent. Dutch had mentioned how good a shot Arthur was.