dog. I almost told Wood to go to hell.
“He’ll calm down,” I said.
Wood walked away. The sky was growing lighter and filling with color. Soon the darkness had been erased, and a chorus of chattering birds greeted the new day.
“I used to dream about this day,” Seppi said.
Linderman had said the same thing to me earlier. I knew that his dreams and Seppi’s were much different.
“What was in your dream?” I asked.
“I dreamed that a stranger came to town. He looked just like Clint Eastwood, and he was carrying a rifle. He shot Mouse and Lonnie dead, then he shot Sheriff Morcroft and his deputy and the Bledsoes. Shot every one of them between the eyes, and killed them. But when I’d wake up, nothing would have changed.”
“It has changed. Everything has changed.”
“I know, but it still doesn’t feel real.”
I heard the low rumble of thunder. The wind had shifted, and was blowing from the east. Looking in that direction, I saw a line of single headlights rumbling down the road toward us. Motorcycles, moving fast.
“Bledsoe and his sons are coming,” I said.
CHAPTER 56
I knelt down behind the hill so as not to be seen. Seppi remained standing, and waved to the Bledsoe clan.
Lifting my head, I watched the Bledsoes roar up. Travis Bledsoe rode in a sidecar, the empty sleeve of his leather jacket flapping in the breeze. A boy that was his spitting image drove the motorcycle attached to the sidecar, while his three other sons rode behind their father in souped-up Harleys. Each member of the clan wore a black leather jacket and a colorful bandanna to keep their flowing hair tied out of their faces. It was like watching a remake of Easy Rider.
“Is that all of them?” I asked.
“There are two others, but they’re in prison,” Seppi said.
The Bledsoes parked their hogs behind Seppi’s Honda. Travis climbed out of the sidecar, hitched up his pants, and had a look around. His leather jacket was unzippered, and I spotted a huge sidearm tucked behind his waistband.
“Call them,” I said.
“I’m scared,” Seppi whispered.
“You’re supposed to be scared. Something bad has happened.”
Seppi cleared her throat. “Hey Travis, over here!”
Travis Bledsoe and his sons looked our way. I ducked down further, and began to retreat down into the borrow pit. Seppi stayed at the top, her feet frozen to the ground.
“Are they coming?” I asked.
“Yes, they’re running this way,” Seppi said.
“Come on,” I exhorted her.
Seppi snapped out of it, and scampered down the pit. I grabbed her by the hand, and together we ran to the pickup. The other members of our group had gone invisible, and I felt myself panic. I hadn’t asked Wood where we were supposed to hide.
Linderman’s head popped up from behind a large mound of brush.
“Jack… over here!”
I pulled Seppi over to the spot and we both ducked down. Wood and Linderman were hiding behind the brush along with two of the SWAT team members.
“Good work,” Wood said. “Now stay out of sight.”
“Yes, sir,” I said.
We heard the Bledsoes reach the top of the borrow pit. They were discussing how stupid they thought the sheriff was for wrecking his truck when their voices suddenly stopped.
“There’s the sheriff’s pickup. Where’s Victoria?” one of the sons said.
“I don’t know,” another son said. “You see her, Pop?”
“No,” Travis said. “This don’t smell right. Nobody move.”
The plan wasn’t going to work if Travis and his sons didn’t come down the hill. I looked at Seppi. Her eyes told me she understood.
“Hey, Victoria, where’d you go?” Travis called out.
Seppi’s face turned fearful. Then, just as suddenly, her resolve returned. She pushed herself away from me, and scurried around the mound and into view.
“Over here, Travis. I’m over here,” Seppi called out.
“There she is,” Travis said. “Come on, boys.”
I stole a glance around the debris. Seppi stood beside the sheriff’s pickup, waiting for Travis and his sons. She glanced my way, and somehow found the courage to smile at me. I prayed it wasn’t the last time she did that.
I drew my Colt, and looked at Wood.
“Tell her to get down,” Wood whispered.
I stole another glance at Seppi. Travis and his sons had reached the pickup, and were peering inside the cab. The armless man’s eyes went wide.
“What the hell-they’re both dead!” Travis said.
Seppi started to back away from the pickup.
“Not so fast, you little bitch,” Travis said.
Travis grabbed Seppi by the shoulder and shook her. She clawed his face and broke free, and started to run. Travis drew his gun and aimed at Seppi’s feet.
“We’ve been set up, boys,” Travis said.
Travis fired several bullets at Seppi’s feet. She screamed, and fell face-first to the ground. Travis aimed at her back, laughing his fool head off as he prepared to kill her. His four sons simultaneously drew their guns.
I came around the mound. I’d gotten Seppi into this, and it was my responsibility to make sure she survived. I aimed at Travis, and started squeezing the trigger of my Colt. I did not stop until I was out of bullets.
My first two shots popped Travis in the chest. The armless man staggered backward with blood pouring from his mouth. He fell against the pickup and his gun dropped from his hand. Then he just seemed to melt into the earth.
One of the Bledsoe boys rushed to his father’s aid. The others aimed their weapons at me. I didn’t have anything to fight them with, and lowered my arm. I saw my life flash before my eyes, and all the things I’d yet to do.
“Throw down your weapons!” Wood shouted.
The SWAT team came out from hiding, their assault rifles aimed at the Bledsoe boys. It was an old-fashioned Mexican standoff, and I was in the middle of it.
“Now!” Wood shouted.
One of the Bledsoes had the foresight to drop his gun, and throw his arms into the air. But the others didn’t, and started firing.
It was the last thing any of the Bledsoe clan ever did.
CHAPTER 57
I ran to where Seppi lay facedown in the earth. The air was choking with the smell of gunfire and death, the
