Ethan punched off his cell as he ran through the forest and back to his Rubicon, Big Louie barking and racing beside him. They jumped in and Ethan floored it, barreling down the rocky dirt fire road.
He didn’t know Joanna’s cell number, so he called the landline at his house. There was no answer.
He called again a minute later. Still no answer.
Curse him for a moron. Blessed had delivered up a horror to him, and he’d been sucked right in. He’d gotten him away from Autumn.
He called Larch’s cell. Three rings. Ethan was ready to panic when Larch came on, his good-old-boy voice deep and rich.
“Larch, it’s me. What’s happening there?”
“Nothing at all, Ethan. Everything’s quiet.”
Ethan thought he’d pass out with relief. “Larch?”
“Yo.”
Typical Larch, the fewer words spoken, the better. Nothing hinky sounded in that “yo,” nothing of Blessed. “Put Glenda on.”
“Can’t, Ethan. Glenda’s turn to check the house and grounds. Then I think she was going to the little girls’ room.”
“She’s inside the house? How long?”
“Well, now that you mention it, she’s been gone a good ten minutes. She’s probably talking to Joanna and Autumn. You want I should get her?”
“Put a call out and get people into the woods around the house. I’ll be there in a minute.” Ethan turned into his driveway at that moment, spewing dust. Larch jumped out of his cruiser when he saw him.
“What’s up, Ethan?”
Ethan’s cell phone rang. He ignored it. “If you see Blessed, Larch—don’t forget—do not look at his face or what happened to Ox will happen to you. Get out your gun and stay behind me.”
The front door was unlocked. Ethan quietly eased through, his Beretta at the ready, Big Louie behind him.
He heard Larch whisper, “You think Blessed got to Glenda?”
They heard a woman’s low, gravelly voice, Glenda’s voice. Ethan put his hand up, waved Larch back, and moved quietly toward the kitchen.
Glenda yelled, “Stop trying to creep up on me, Sheriff. I know you’re out there; you made more noise than a herd of elephants.”
Joanna called out, “Ethan, stay back. She’s got a gun.”
“Yeah, right, lady, and if you try anything, I’ll blow your head off. I don’t need you.”
Joanna said, “You’re going to shoot me anyway, aren’t you?”
“Well, now, let me just say I’m doing things like I’m supposed to. You’re not enough to stop me anyway. Sheriff, you stay out of here, you hear me?”
“Yeah, I hear you.” Ethan heard the low murmur of their voices, but he couldn’t make out the words. Then he heard Autumn’s voice, clear and loud. “I don’t want to go back with you—I won’t go back! And don’t touch my mama—”
He heard Glenda scream, “You shut up, you hear me? Shut up!”
Joanna yelled, “Big Louie!”
Big Louie bounded past Ethan, barking wildly, lost traction, and careened into the kitchen doorway, and bounded straight toward her, his nails a mad tattoo on the kitchen tiles. He heard Glenda yell, heard a gunshot, obscenely loud in the small kitchen. Ethan raced into the kitchen after him.
He saw Joanna hit Glenda in the jaw with a hard right jab. Glenda’s head snapped back with the force of the blow. Big Louie was barking his head off, his jaws locked around Glenda’s leg. She rolled her head, trying to get clear again. Autumn grabbed a pot and swung it hard at Glenda’s back, and got her good.
It was all Joanna needed. She hit her again, hard, in the temple. He watched Glenda’s eyes roll back in her head, watched her hit the center island and slide to the kitchen floor. He eased his Beretta back onto his belt. “Big Louie, that’s enough, lad. You did good.”
He picked up Glenda’s gun and stared at Joanna standing over his only female deputy, rubbing her knuckles.
She looked up, and he couldn’t believe it. She was grinning like a loon. “I hope that was hard enough to snap her out of it. Thanks, Big Louie, you’re a prince.” She went down on her knees and hugged the big Lab against her. He licked her face, then turned his head to take a couple of licks at Autumn’s face.
He hadn’t been needed, but his dog had been a nice addition.
He said, “Usually Big Louie hides under my bed at the first hint of trouble. But he didn’t this time.” Ethan scratched Big Louie’s head.