THE CRUEL SEVEN

by Terence Mitford

  There was a long pause, then Erica stepped back. “Okay, but it’s on you what happens next.”

  He laughed. “I’ve told you what’s happening next. Now, if you want the supply of fresh girls to continue, walk away.”

  Erica turned and left the cabin.

  Lisa’s heart sank. They were on their own, defenseless at the hands of this evil man. She looked at Mike. He seemed just as shocked.

  Harvey grabbed Lisa’s arm, dragged her out of the cabin, and from behind, pinned her against a nearby tree.

  Helplessly trapped between Harvey and the tree, she closed her eyes and braced herself for the inevitable assault.

  Mike was screaming at Harvey to leave her alone, but in his condition, that’s all he could do.

  She held her breath as Harvey reached up under her dress and pulled down her underwear. Then he kicked her feet apart and pushed his weight against her while he began unfastening his trousers.

  This was nothing like the experience at the lake with Luke. She wasn’t attracted to Harvey, and couldn’t bear the thought of him inside her.

  As she tensed her whole body, Luke’s voice filtered through the panic in her mind. He was shouting Harvey’s name.

  She glanced back over her shoulder. Luke was standing a few feet away, pointing a semi-automatic pistol at Harvey’s head.

  Harvey growled in her ear. “Don’t move.” Then he turned to face Luke and laughed. “What are you going to do, Luke, shoot me?”

  Erica walked up and stood next to her son, holding the trafficker’s sawed-off shotgun in her hands. She raised the weapon and pointed it at the sheriff. “No, Harvey. I am.”

  Erica fired both barrels from just a few feet away. The force hit the sheriff square in the chest, lifting him off his feet, and no doubt killing him before he hit the ground.

  Silence followed, and for a few seconds, the world stood still. Harvey lay dead, Mike had stopped shouting, and the plume of gun smoke drifted over and filled Lisa’s throat, causing her to cough.

  Erica called out to the twins and instructed them to put the sheriff in the back of his jeep. “He was right about an accident and a fire, but wrong about who perished and who didn’t.”

  31

  MIKE

  Unable to intervene, Mike had felt useless as the sheriff had dragged Lisa outside. All he could do was shout out. He couldn’t remember what he shouted or how many times he shouted it, but it was hopeless anyway. Harvey was determined and considered himself above the law.

  Mike had managed to roll out of bed onto the floor. His ribs still ached from the crash, but the adrenalin surging through his veins acted as a painkiller as he dragged himself to the door of the cabin.

  He cursed under his breath. Before the crash, he’d been physically fit and because of his workout routine, would have been strong enough to take the sheriff down and choke him unconscious. But he lay in the cabin’s doorway, helpless to prevent the assault on his wife.

  Distraught by what was happening only a few yards away, Mike hadn’t seen Luke approach, but then he heard him shout Harvey’s name, and for once, he was glad to see him.

  It all happened so fast. Harvey had goaded Luke to shoot him, but it was Erica who had carried out the deed.

  In the silence that followed, Lisa appeared to glance down at the dead man’s body, and then rushed over and hugged Luke and his mother. A man had just been blown away by a shotgun, and not just any man, but a town sheriff. Yet the only thought on Mike’s mind was whether he was witnessing a turning point between Lisa, Luke, and Erica. This family had just saved them again, and he knew Lisa well enough to know she would want to do almost anything to repay them.

  The twins arrived, and with a professional-like efficiency, scooped up the sheriff and carried him away. Lisa glanced over to the cabin, then ran over to Mike. Luke followed, and after helping Mike back into bed, Lisa asked Luke to leave them alone for a few minutes.

  As Luke returned to the house, Lisa sat on the bed and hugged Mike in silence. He held the embrace for a moment before pulling back and looking into her eyes. “Are you okay?”

  Lisa just nodded.

  “I saw what happened. I’m glad they stopped him from hurting you, but I wonder how are they going to explain a dead sheriff?”

  Lisa sighed. “I don’t know, but I have a feeling Erica will think of something.”

  “Up to now they have helped us and I’m grateful for that, but they could turn against us at any moment. You need to get away from here while you still can.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “We are witnesses to her shooting an officer. I know she did it to protect you, but at some stage it’s going to dawn on her that we could put her way for the rest of her life.”

  “I don’t think they’ll harm me, and as long as I’m here I don’t think they’ll harm you either.”

  “Just keep your wits about you and watch for any signs they may be changing their minds.”

  Lisa gave him a half smile. “I’d better go and speak to them. Find out what they are planning to do.”

  After Lisa had gone, he pulled back the covers and tried again to move his legs, and to his surprise, had more movement than he’d had since the crash. Maybe the fall from the bed had jolted something back into place. He bent the knee on his left leg and could pull his foot back towards himself. Then he found he had even more mobility in his right leg. He flexed his arms, bending the elbows and lifting them up and down. They still lacked strength and felt more like jelly than limbs, but he was certainly improving faster than he could have imagined or hoped for.

  He wanted to call Lisa back and show her, but as he took a breath, ready to shout, he stopped himself. If the family knew he was regaining his mobility, they may see him as a threat. Maybe he was being paranoid, but he decided to keep his improved condition to himself until he’d made enough progress to protect them both, if necessary.

  32

  LISA

  Lisa returned to the house and looked for Billy. Summer told her he was around in the shack, topping up the generator with fuel. He watched her approaching with a look of bewilderment on his face.

  “Billy, I need to ask. When you told the sheriff about me and Mike and the crashed plane, did anyone else hear?”

  Billy shook his head. “He wasn’t in town. He’s never in town. I saw him on the road when I was walking back.”

  “Did he radio in to tell his deputies?”

  “Not while I was with him.”

  “Did you get the part for the truck?”

  “No, the repair shop didn’t have one. They’ve ordered it but said it could take a week. So I’ll have to go back.”

  “Did you tell anyone about the crash?”

  “Only Harvey. As Erica said, no one is going to drive all the way out here. Apart from him, of course.”

  Lisa returned to the veranda where Erica was sitting as if nothing had happened. “What are we going to do about the sheriff?”

  “Don’t worry about him.”

  Lisa sat down next to her. “I’m glad you stopped him from attacking me, but how are we going to explain killing a police officer.”

  Erica smirked. “I doubt anyone will grieve over him. I think the entire town knew he was corrupt, but they couldn’t prove anything against him. From what I heard, even his wife hated him and would probably thank us if she knew.”

  “So they’ll believe us when we tell them what happened here?”

  “Maybe, but when one of their own gets killed, even a bad one, they pull together. They see it as an attack on them all, so I wouldn’t bank on them going easy on us.”

  “But we’ll still need to report it, won’t we?”

  “Not necessarily.”

  “But you–” she corrected herself. “We killed the sheriff. They’ll know he was here.”

  “I doubt it. He doesn’t usually broadcast it when he comes out here. But don’t worry. The boys will drive him into the woods with the three drug traff
ickers and stage it so it looks like he stumbled across them with a bag full of drugs, and that during the ensuing gun battle, they all killed each other. Case closed. Unless you want to report it and take a chance they’ll believe you.”

  Lisa shook her head. “Under the circumstances, I don’t think I’ll bother. I don’t want to add accessory to murder to drug trafficking.”

  Erica nodded. “My plan it is then.”

  “But one of them has a split in the back of his head.”

  “I guess Ed will have to give up his favorite axe. We have more. So we’ll leave his with the bodies.”

  Lisa sat quietly for a minute, trying to get her head around the last few days. Her organized life had turned to chaos. She had survived a plane crash, hiked for miles to find help, handled a bag full of narcotics, nearly drowned in the lake, cheated on Mike with Luke, and witnessed three drug traffickers taken out by the family, and then a sheriff blown away with a shotgun. It was as if she was starring in her very own horror movie. Only it wasn’t a movie. It was real life. Her life. And she couldn’t help wondering what would happen next.

  And then it struck her. Will she ever be able to go back to life as it was? Or like some soldiers returning from battle to the humdrum of normality, will she be traumatized for life?

  Possibly.

  But despite all that had happened, she felt relaxed after talking to Erica. She had an unwavering confidence in the woman’s ability to make everything right. And one thing was certain. She had to stay on Erica’s right side, because she would hate to have her as an enemy.

  She broke the long silence. “Can I ask what we are going to do about Mike?”

  Erica glanced sideways at her. “Just say the word and we can include him at the scene with the sheriff and the drug traffickers.”

  Lisa found it a little odd that Erica could joke so soon after killing a man. But when she glanced at her, she could detect no humor in Erica’s expression. Lisa gave a little nervous cough. “I mean, how are we going to get him to town if you are going to use the sheriff’s jeep to stage the scene.”

  “The way we originally planned, in the truck.”

  “But Billy said he has to go back in a week for the part.”

  Ed walked out to join them. “Maybe we could use the jeep’s belt. I’ll get Luke to check before they burn it.”

  Lisa looked up at him. “Will it fit?”

  “There might just be enough adjustment on the bracket, even if it’s only to get us into town.”

  Lisa grinned. Some good news at last. But there was something else bothering her. She turned to Erica. “Can I ask you something? When Harvey was pointing a gun at you in the cabin, what did he mean when he said if you want the supply of fresh girls to continue.”

  Erica shook her head slowly. “It was just Harvey being dramatic. He knew we appreciated the girls he brought out here helping us around the place, that’s all. Nothing for you to worry about.”

  Lisa smiled. “Okay, I’m not worried.” This wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t strictly true either, because Harvey’s comment had caused her a little uneasiness. But for now, she accepted Erica’s explanation.

  Erica stood up. “I’ll get the twins. They need to drag those bodies out of the pit before they rot.”

  She headed inside, but stopped when Lisa called out to her.

  “I just want to say thank you. I appreciate what you did for me, and I’m sorry for bringing all this trouble to your house.”

  Erica turned and exchanged glances with Ed before responding. “I just hope you remember what we’ve done for you two when we ask you to do something for us.”

  Lisa smiled. “Of course I will. I’m just sorry I couldn’t do what you asked with the sheriff, but I’ll do anything else I can to make it up to you.”

  “The house stinks of bleach after you and Summer cleaned the blood away. I want you to go over it again. You’ll find liquid soap under the basin.”

  Lisa nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.”

  While Lisa worked with the mop, Billy came in and watched her. After finishing, she stood the mop in the bucket and smiled at him. “I understand you’ve been here a few years, Billy?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Do you like it here?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “No reason, I was just wondering why you haven’t gone home.”

  “This is my home.”

  “I meant back to your own family.”

  “This is the only family I’ve known.”

  “What about your real mother?”

  “I never met her.”

  Lisa gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry to hear that. Were you adopted?”

  “I grew up at the facility where Erica worked. When she left, she brought me with her.”

  “Oh, I thought she said she found you wandering by the roadside.”

  “She just says that to avoid questions about the facility.”

  “I see. Will you get into trouble for talking to me about it?”

  “Only if I tell you what went on there, but I’m not going to do that.”

  Lisa decided not to ask any more questions.

  Billy stared at her with an intensity that made her uncomfortable. “Why are you looking at me like that, Billy?”

  “I heard you stripped for Luke and the sheriff. So I was just imagining what you looked like.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “Summer.”

  “Who told her?”

  “No one. She was spying on you. She spies on everyone.”

  Lisa glanced around. “Is she spying on us now?”

  “I don’t think so. I saw her walking off towards the lake. She goes there every day.”

  “Every day?”

  Billy nodded. “Can you show me too?”

  “Show you what?”

  “Your breasts. Show me your breasts.”

  “Billy, you shouldn’t ask a girl that.”

  “Why? The twins did, and you showed them.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Summer told me.”

  “Was she spying on me then, as well?”

  “No, Freddie told her. He couldn’t stop talking about you when he got back from the plane with your husband.”

  “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not showing you anything.”

  “If you don’t, I’ll tell Luke you wanted sex with me.”

  Lisa gasped. “Billy, that would be a lie.”

  “We know that, but he’ll believe me when I tell him you showed yourself to the twins.”

  “Why would he care?”

  “Because you and him are together now.”

  “That was just something we told the sheriff so he wouldn’t arrest me…” she hesitated. “Why am I having this conversation with a seventeen-year-old?”

  “I’m eighteen now.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since yesterday. It was my birthday.”

  “No one mentioned it.”

  “Why would they? We don’t celebrate birthdays here.”

  Lisa decided to call his bluff. “Tell Luke whatever you want. I won’t do what you ask. Apart from the fact that someone could walk in at any moment, I don’t owe you anything.”

  “I think you do. I walked all the way into town for that part and I have to go back again. And before I went, you told me you would be grateful if I hurried. Well, I hurried… for you… so you owe me. I’ll be around in the generator hut in ten minutes. If you want me to go back for that part for the truck, you had better be there.”

  “Don’t hold your breath, because we might not need the part. Ed said they can take the belt from the police jeep and use it on the truck.”

  Billy walked to the door, turned back, and grinned. “You’re lucky I’m not asking you to fuck me like you did Luke at the lake.”

  Lisa stared at him. “How do you—”

  He walked out and pulled the door closed behind him.

  Lisa s
tood rooted to the spot, her head spinning, her heart pounding, and her mouth as dry as dust. She took a few moments to gather her thoughts, then went to the basin and gulped down a full glass of water. Her emotions were on a rollercoaster ride from one extreme to another. She stared out of the window at Billy as he walked over and stood next to Luke, who was looking under the hood of the police jeep, no doubt checking the feasibility of swapping out the fan belt with the truck. As she watched, Billy looked over and pointed to his wrist. He wasn’t wearing a watch, but that was irrelevant. It was a reminder that the clock was ticking and she had less than ten minutes now.

  She poured another glass of water. Would he really do it? Would he tell Luke that she had tried it on with him? Would Luke believe him if he did? She wanted to ask someone for advice, but who? Normally she would always share problems with Mike, but that was out of the question now. For a minute, she imagined how that conversation would go. “Hi Mike, can you advise me what to do?”

  “Sure, Lisa, what’s the problem?”

  “Billy is blackmailing me to show him my breasts.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “Because I showed the twins my bra, and then I stripped for Luke. Oh, and by the way, I had sex with Luke by the lake last night.”

  That was one conversation she couldn’t have.

  Asking Erica would not be wise either, so this was a problem she would have to work out on her own. She slammed down the glass, shook her head, and picked up the mop and bucket to return it to the bathroom while telling herself to forget about Billy. She wasn’t going to be blackmailed by that little squirt. But as she crossed the room, she glanced up at the clock.

  Six minutes to go.

  33

  LISA

  Lisa washed her hands in the bathroom and returned to the main room. She intended to take a fresh glass of water out to Luke, but when she looked out at the police jeep, the hood was down and Luke was heading for the house. She waited for him to come inside. “Will it fit?”

  He glanced at her. “What?”