𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐔𝐩 ✧ 𝐑𝐃𝐑𝟐

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞.

The horror of the letter consumed Audrey, her world spinning as her knees grew weak. Before she knew it she was falling, Arthur's arms catching her before she could hit the ground. The letter drifted to the ground, the blades of grass welcoming the bloody letter.

"Dutch! Jesus!" Arthur shouted as he tried to get Audrey back on her feet but she was in too much shock. She heard footsteps rushing over to her and Arthur.

"Oh my! What happened?" Mary-beth cried out at the sight of her friend. Audrey felt herself being lifted up, Arthur cradling her as he carried her somewhere.

"Get back to work, this don't concern you!" The growl came from Susan who was picking up the letter. The woman saw the blood stained paper, not bothering to read it she immediately handed it to Dutch who was in hot pursuit with Arthur.

"Why don't you come home before I kill them both? C.O'D," Dutch read out loud before flicking the envelope in front of the letter and pulling out something that Audrey hadn't seen yet. "Goddamn bastard," Dutch muttered as she felt herself being lowered into her cot. 

"She's in shock," Arthur informed Dutch, standing back up to face his friend. Dutch showed Arthur what he had been looking at, Arthur's face screwing up in disgust and hatred. "He's a monster."

"What is it?" Audrey mumbled, looking at the two men. Arthur shook his head.

"You shouldn't see," Arthur warned. Audrey shook her head, motioning Dutch to show her what they were looking at. 

"Show me, I need to know," Audrey ordered. Dutch looked at Arthur who didn't stop him. Dutch handed her a photograph. Audrey took the photograph in her shaky hands and scanned the image. Her mother and father laid helplessly tied up in their home, blood covering them. She knew it was their blood. Audrey felt tears welling in her eyes before she handed it back to Dutch. 

"We need to do something, Dutch," Arthur insisted. Dutch looked at his friend as Arthur continued. "She needs her family."

"I know and we will," Dutch agreed. "We ride out tonight, Audrey takes us to her house and we stay with her and have a talk to Colm."

"You think he's gon' listen to us?" Arthur scoffed in disbelief. "What makes you think that? By now he'll sure as shit know we have Kieran and now he'll find out we have her too. He ain't going to want to negotiate."

"I'll do the talking, don't worry Arthur," Dutch announced with courage. 

"Just don't turn this around, Dutch," Arthur almost begged. Dutch frowned.

"What do you mean, son?"

"I mean, this isn't our fight but we'll help her. Don't involve your past with Colm," Arthur explained. Dutch stared at Arthur, lost in his thoughts as Arthur continued. "Her family's life is at stake, don't blow this all because of your hatred towards him."

"Son, I-" Dutch began, his tone stern before he calmed himself down, placing a heavy hand on Arthur's shoulder. "-I won't. Just make sure John and Charles can ride with us tonight, I'll get some more also. I have a feeling this won't be easy," Dutch sighed. Arthur nodded before Dutch shoved the letter into Arthur's chest, the man grabbing ahold of the letter before Dutch headed off. Arthur scanned the letter in disgust before jamming it back into the envelope with the photograph before heading over to Audrey who was sobbing to herself.

"He's going to kill them," Audrey sobbed quietly. "He will. I know he will."

"We won't let that happen, Audrey," Arthur announced. Audrey shook her head, unable to look at anyone. Her eyes stayed locked on her shaky hands.