Sure enough, it was dead.
“I told you,” the man said. “Look, uh, my name’s Matthew, and that’s my wife, Delores, and our granddaughter Callie.” Colby got out and tossed the keys back to him. “I don’t know what’s happened to you, but if you need medical help, I can…”
Colby nudged his rifle toward the home. “All of you back in the house.”
They didn’t hesitate. Inside, Colby had Delores tie up her husband, then do the same to her granddaughter. Next, he tied her up and made them lie on the floor. “Why are you doing this?” Matthew said, craning his neck to see him.
Colby crouched down beside him.
“Pretty simple. Who the hell barbecues outside in a grid-down situation, sipping drinks without having a weapon on hand? It makes me wonder why you’re not afraid. It makes me think you’re not telling the truth, and until I get some answers, this is where you’re staying.” He got up to leave.
“My wife has a medical condition. You can’t leave her like this.”
“I won’t. I’ll be right back. I promise.”
He walked out and made his way over to the RV park. Although there was a good reason why people would cook outside, their relaxed demeanor, acting like there was no disaster happening around them, was strange. It made him wonder if they weren’t protected by Spider. He’d caught the way Delores looked at her husband at the mention of his name.
Also, their home’s proximity to Bill’s last known address was a little too convenient.
If there was no one at the RV park, he’d return and release them.
Darting through the trees, Colby adjusted his grip on the rifle.
The park had two buildings: an office, and a bathroom, and showers.
Surrounding that was the parking area where RVs could slide in and hook up to electricity. There were only eight RVs in the lot. Colby sidled up to the office and noticed the door was open. He entered and glass crunched below his boots. Someone had been through and rifled through the cabinets and drawers, taking whatever valuables they could find. Making his way out, he eyed the eight RVs. He waited by the office, observing from afar, trying to get a bead on any activity. There was none.
A glance around, and he darted out, running at a crouch up to the first RV. He looked both ways before sliding around and trying the door. It was locked. He went to the next RV and that one opened. He entered and found it in a shambles. There was no one inside. The next two were identical.
It was when he was in the last one that he heard horses approaching. He used two fingers to pull down thin blinds that covered the windows. Outside three men rode into the parking lot and got close to the RV. “I’m telling you, she was a ten.”
“More like a four. Come on. I’ve seen rounder asses on a pig.”
“Yeah, I bet you have.”
The other guy roared with laughter.
They were heading his way. Shit.
He wouldn’t be able to get out in time. Colby slung the rifle strap over his head and shoulder and tucked it behind him, then took out the Sig Sauer from the holster on his hip. He’d taken it off one of the guys he’d killed back at the farm.
Colby tucked himself into the bathroom. It was a small area that had just enough room to turn around in. There was a washbasin, a shower with a curtain, and a toilet. He got into the shower area and pulled the curtain across.
The door opened on the RV.
“Either way, next time I'm first. I’m not having your sloppy seconds.”
Boots stomped the floor as they entered. “Ah man, I’m ready for a drink.”
“You’ve been drinking all day. Spider wants us back out there in a few hours.”
“He’s got enough people working for him. He rarely comes down here to check anyway.” Colby listened carefully, his finger ready on the trigger. “Get that bottle of Jack Daniel’s out, and set up the cards.”
Someone approached.
One of them entered the bathroom, closed the door, and sniffed hard. He stank like a pig. He unzipped and placed one hand against the wall while he relieved himself. He farted and let out a lungful of air. “Ah, that’s the money shot.”
Ever so slowly, Colby brought the gun around the curtain and touched the barrel to the side of the man’s head. “Don’t even breathe hard.” He pulled back the curtain with his other hand and stepped out. “Zip up.”
In a quiet voice, the guy said, “Don’t shoot. Please.”
“Turn. Open the door. Nice and slow,” Colby said.
The guy zipped up and opened the door. The other two idiots were at the far end, oblivious. One was dealing out cards, while the other was fishing through a fridge. “Toby, where did you put the bottle?” The guy turned his head and his eyes widened.
Colby had one hand on the back of the collar of the guy ahead of him, his handgun pointing over his shoulder.
“Get on the floor, with your hands behind your head, now.”
“What the…?”
“Do as he says, Pete,” Toby said.
The other one, who was dealing out cards, had come around the table to get down when he suddenly launched himself sideways out the open door. As he did that, Toby fired an elbow into Colby’s stomach and tried to make a break for it. He didn’t get far. Colby shot Toby in the back twice. He landed on top of his friend who was on the floor with his hands on his head.
Not wasting a second, Colby darted past them both and made it outside just in time to see the third guy taking off on one of the horses. He brought up the gun
