Page 25 of The Mountain Man's Hunted Bride

The porch creaks seconds before the door flies open. Millard stands in the opening with a shotgun. Chris is right beside him with a handgun.

“You got something that belongs to me, boy. I don’t like anyone else playing with my toys unless I say so.”

“Nothing here that belongs to you, old man. In fact, you don’t belong here. You forget how to read? There’s a dozen or more no trespassing and private property signs posted along the road in front of my property as well as along my drive. Looks like you just bought yourself and Chris at least a month in jail. Maybe more.”

“Fuck you. Those don’t apply to me. Besides, I got me a lifetime Get Out Of Jail subscription. You can’t touch me.”

“Hate to tell you but your subscription expired this morning when the police chief was arrested and started singing to save his own ass. But you won’t be alone. All your son’s will be with you.”

Even I can see the flicker of doubt that crosses Millard’s face. “You’re lying.”

“I don’t lie.” Clay’s voice drops an octave. “I don’t steal. I don’t set fire to people’s businesses or homes because I want the land or they pissed me off. I don’t rape young girls and boys then hand them off to my sons to do the same. I don’t murder my wives when they become inconvenient, or I want a newer model. Then collect the insurance money.

“I have been known to take out the trash. You and your sons are done. You’re going away for a long time.”

“You got no proof.”

“Believe what you want. You’re still going down.”

“Just shoot him, Dad. We take the girl and set fire to the place. Vic and Barny will make it look like trespassers did it again. Come on. Bitch owes me and she’s gonna pay today. I’ll start looking for where he hides his valuables.”

Before he gets two feet into the room, Beck appears behind him and has him in a choke hold. I don’t even register that Gray moved until I see him disarm Millard, twisting his arms behind his back.

“All clear, sheriff,” Gray calls.

“Where are the other two?” Sheriff Harker asks as he comes up behind me.

Beck chuckles. “I left them feeding the chickens.”

Clay reaches around me, clicks a couple button on the computer and a camera feed appears. The other two Stump brothers, Vic and Barnaby, are laid out in the chicken pen, hogtied and gagged. Feed has been poured over their prone bodies, and the chickens are happily gobbling up their breakfast.

CHAPTER 17

Gray

After the four Stump men are read their rights and taken away by the sheriff’s deputies for booking, Clay follows Tawny and I to go see Joey.

He looks rough but the doctor assures us he should make a full recovery. The kidneys will take the longest to heal but should still be fully functional.

Tawny hugs him then breaks into tears at his bruised and swollen face.

“I’m alive, Tawny. I can heal and the best medicine is that its over for us. We’re finally free.” He glances at the sheriff. “Right?”

“I always want more concrete evidence, but we should be good. We’re having specialist go over the autopsy reports and photos for your two mothers to see if we can prove if the previous corner really did their job or was paid off.”

Joey holds Tawny’s gaze. “Tawny, go look in my backpack. Take everything out and the bottom should lift. There’re a couple books hidden underneath. Give them to the sheriff.”

She fans one before handing them off.

“When Mom and I came to live with the Stumps, I use to like to make up my own stories. I wanted to write books someday. Mom had already started giving me notebooks to journal in for my birthday so I could write down my ideas and not forget. Instead, I started documenting the abuse. After he murdered her, it became even more important in case I ever got free and he could be prosecuted. Everything in those journals is true and I’m willing to testify. Tawny will probably remember some as well.”

“The day he dislocated your shoulder and made you wait a week to get treatment. Your mom was murdered. Our favorite dog. My mom’s death.”

He nods. “The night I caught Vic trying to pick the lock to your room. When I found the camera in the shower and then the videos of you bathing that they took. Sheriff, there’s a cubby hidden behind paneling where the TV is mounted. Two feet from the left corner where the two walls meet. Just start pressing and it will pop open. Some are labeled some aren’t. You’ll understand.”

“Why didn’t you report all of this?”

“If I did, who would have been there to protect Tawny? I had evidence that the police chief was on the take. There was no one I knew that I could trust. Not then.”