“Oh,” Denny replied, “I’ll take care of her.”

Melanie squeaked in terror and I closed my eyes tight again.

That’s what I was afraid of.

* * * * *

There was a cruiser, lights still flashing, at the front of J&J’s and more sirens could be heard in the distance when Colt ran toward the front door. Sean and Warren were at his heels, Sully and Rodman not far behind them.

He had his gun in his hand but before he hit the door it flew open and Adam, a uniform, shot out, his hand to the radio at his shoulder, his mouth turned there.

“Officer down, J&J’s Saloon, I repeat, officer down, J&J’s Saloon.”

Adam didn’t even look at Colt as he ran to the trunk of the cruiser to get the first aid kit.

Colt ran into the bar.

Joe-Bob was by the front door, slashed to shit, blood everywhere. Colt didn’t even have to check to know he was dead.

He crushed down the rage that threatened to burn through him and saw Marty five feet away, on his back, covered in blood and looking either dead or, God willing, unconscious. Ellen, Adam’s partner, was on her knees beside him. At one glance Colt saw Marty took at least three bullets into the vest he was luckily wearing. Unfortunately, he also took one in the neck.

“Feb?” Colt asked Ellen, she shook her head, that anvil twisted, scoring against the lining of his gut. “Marty?” Colt went on.

“Breathing,” Ellen replied.

“Morrie?”

“Out back,” Ellen said, holding a bar towel to Marty’s neck and Colt ran to the back.

Darryl was on his ass in the alley, his face gray and pinched with pain, his back to the brick wall of the bar, blood spatters could be seen up his neck. Morrie was crouched beside him, his back to Colt, his body hiding Darryl’s.

“Morrie,” Colt called, Morrie twisted and Colt got a look at his friend and saw he was unharmed. Then he got a look at Darryl and skidded to a halt.

“Fuck!” Colt hissed and pulled his phone out of his back pocket.

“We need to get him to a hospital,” Morrie’s voice was soft and calm but it had an edge.

“Feb?” Colt replied, the phone to his ear and ringing.

“He got her. I’m sorry, boss. I –” Darryl started.

“Quiet, Darryl, just be still,” Morrie hushed him and Colt’s call connected.

“ETA on ambulances at J&J’s?” Colt asked Jo in dispatch but he heard the sirens out front.

“Should be there, Colt,” Jo replied.

“Darryl’s in the back, the alley,” Colt told her, looked over Darryl’s injuries and continued, “been hacked, also, what I can see, been shot.”

“Got it, Colt,” Jo said but Colt was already flipping his phone shut.

He skirted Morrie, went around Darryl’s legs and crouched at Darryl’s other side.

“I need to know which way they went. You see that?” he asked Darryl.

“Right, out the alley,” Darryl answered, his head tipping to the left, telling Colt where he’d last seen the car, his voice as pinched as his face.

“What was he drivin’?” Colt went on.

“White Ford Taurus. Didn’t get a number but it was an Oklahoma plate,” Darryl answered.

Colt put his hand to Darryl’s shoulder as the paramedics came running out the backdoor carrying their kit but he ignored them and said softly to Darryl, “Good.”

“Came in the front but was parked in the back. He got Joe-Bob first,” Darryl continued. “Crazy Joe-Bob went right at him, even though that guy came in swingin’. Then he started shootin’, didn’t hesitate, took down the cop before he even got his gun outta his holster,” Darryl finished as Morrie moved away and the paramedics moved in.

“Just relax, Darryl,” Colt urged.

“I told Feb to run, she did but he ran after her. He shot at me, hit me but I tried –”

“Relax.”

“Lieutenant, move away,” the paramedic ordered and Colt didn’t hesitate, he moved.

By that time Warren and Rodman were in the alley as was Sully and Colt moved to them.

“White Taurus, Oklahoma plates, north out the alley,” Colt said, pointing in the direction Darryl indicated and Warren opened his phone as did Sully.

“I was at Mimi’s,” Morrie whispered. “Feb wanted a latte. I was at Mimi’s gettin’ her a latte.”

“Morrie, hold it together, man,” Colt said.

“I was gettin’ her a f**kin’ latte.”

“Morrie, keep it together.”

Morrie twisted his neck, his hand coming to the collar of his t-shirt and he pulled himself together but his eyes went to Colt’s and he said, “That ass**le’s got my sister.”

Colt knew that. He knew it. He felt that knowledge weighing heavy in his gut.

“Melanie,” Darryl said and everyone’s eyes turned to him.

“What?” Colt asked, but it felt like something lethal had hold of his heart.

Darryl blinked then lifted his chin and said, “Feb went with him because he’s also got Melanie.”

Then Darryl slid to the side and lost consciousness.

* * * * *

“No, this isn’t right, Alec,” I said as Denny pushed Melanie onto Susie Shepherd’s couch.

He had hold of Susie who was trembling from the top of her blonde head to the tips of her blood red painted toenails. She was trembling because, now that Melanie was on the couch, Denny wasn’t just holding her bicep in his hand, he was also now holding his gun to her head.

“February, do as I said, sweetheart, tie her up,” Denny commanded.

I shook my head. “Please, Alec, let’s just go. You and me, let’s just go.”

Denny leaned forward and shouted, “Tie her, the f**k, up!”

I decided not to push it, moved forward, my eyes locking on Susie’s before I walked around her. I used the rope Denny gave me and pulled her wrists behind her back.

“I don’t know how to tie someone up,” I said, winding the rope around her wrists. “Maybe you can hand me the gun and do it yourself.”

“Quit f**kin’ around, Feb.”

“No really –”

“Quit f**kin’ around!” Denny shouted again, Susie jumped under my hands and Melanie made a terrified noise from the couch. “I wanna get this done and get the f**k outta here.”

“Okay, Alec,” I whispered, scared, clueless, wondering if Colt or Sully or the Feds would ever think in a million years that Denny would take Melanie and me to Susie Shepherd’s house.