“A few hours ago.”
He tightened his grip again and shook her. “Why aren’t you with her?”
There had to be some irony that Rick was affronted that she wasn’t at the hospital with Heidi. “She needed a couple of things from the house.” No point in telling him they’d packed almost everything up before the fire. “She wants her stuffed bear.”
His hand released her so suddenly she fell to the floor. Laughter echoed off the walls as she crawled over to Quint. He was breathing, but it wasn’t deep. She grabbed a dishtowel hanging from the stove handle and pressed it to the wound on the side of his stomach.
“Can you hear me, Quint?” Gillian whispered. “Please stay with me. Please don’t die.”
He didn’t acknowledge her in the slightest. Didn’t even twitch at the pressure applied to the gunshot wound.
“Hang in there. I love you and can’t lose you. I just can’t.”
Rick laughter stopped abruptly. “It’s here? The bear is here. I could have had it and been gone?” He shook his head and waved the gun at Gillian.
Gillian swiveled her gaze toward Rick. What the hell could he want with Heidi’s toy?
“Get up. Go get it,” he yelled at her.
She ran down the hall and into Heidi’s room with Rick hot on her heels. She didn’t see the damn bear anywhere, but she knew it would be here. Heidi had begged her to come back and get it.
“Where is it?”
“I don’t know.” Her hands shook. “But it’s here, I swear to you.”
“Find it.”
“I’m trying.” She looked under the bed and in the closet. And found nothing. Where would Heidi stash it? She rubbed her throbbing temple. Think, think, think.
Wait. The bed was made. The entire time they lived in Quint’s house, the bed had never once been made. She ripped at the pillows and found the bear under the stack. “Found it.”
Rick yanked it from her. With way too much ease, he tore the off bear's head and produced a small cassette.
“What…”
“Becca thought she was so smart, trying to blackmail me into leaving her alone.” He shoved the cassette into his pocket. “She was still alive when I started that fire. I bet you didn’t know that. I wanted the cassette back and she wouldn't tell me. No matter how many times I shot her. She was tougher than she looked.”
Gillian’s covered her mouth with her hand as the bile burned the back of her throat.
“It wasn’t until I told her I’d go after Heidi that she finally admitted she’d stuffed the cassette in that damn teddy bear.” He pointed at the decapitated bear on the floor with the gun. “She hid it, though, too well. By that time, the fire had engulfed too much to keep looking for her. I figured the fire would take care of the bear and Becca’s threats.”
“You bastard.” Gillian lunged at Rick, but he was faster than she anticipated. He backhanded her with the butt of the gun, right across her cheek. She screamed out in pain but still she punched at him. Her cast glanced off his shoulder and he yelped.
“Bitch.” He shifted his stance and pointed the gun at her forehead. Her cheek had already swelled and blocked the left side of her vision. Not that she necessarily wanted to see the bullet before it entered her brain.
She’d always feared Rick catching up to her and killing her. The fear had been cloying at times and she’d jumped out of her skin at the slightest provocation. Coming to Paintbrush had been the best mistake she’d ever made. She’d been able to breathe and to just…live. And she’d lived so much. Fell in love for the first—and last—time. Watched her daughter blossom and fall in love as well. It wasn’t enough, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything. She didn’t regret one moment since the wrong turn landed her in the right place. She only wished she and Quint could have had a chance. Him offering to protect her from this nightmare was the best gift anyone had given her since Heidi.
She did have one regret. She never told Quint she loved him. If she had a chance to do it over, that was the one thing she’d have done differently.
It was too late, though. She held Rick’s gaze. If he was going to end her life she wasn’t going to go down as the coward who ran for so many months. Before Gillian could so much as pray for a swift death, the wail of sirens accompanied red and blue strobe lights pouring in from the front of the house.
“How the hell…”
“The police knew you were close. If some dumbass hadn’t cut the phone line while I was getting warned…” She shrugged. “It’s too late for you now too, I guess.”
He growled at her and dragged her back into the kitchen but the momentum of his shove made her trip over Quint and fall heavily on the floor. He scrambled over Quint himself and grabbed at her. “Get up. Get up now, dammit.”
His hand landed on her shoulder but she shied away from him. “You’re not going to get out of here.”
“If I don’t neither will you.” He pointed the gun at her. “Or your boyfriend.”
For the first time since she learned of her sister’s death by Rick’s hand, a peace came over her. “As long as you can’t hurt Heidi then I can live, or die, with that.” He couldn’t scare her any more. He couldn’t make her lie awake at night worrying that he might sneak in and hurt either her or Heidi. Her daughter was safely tucked away in Sheridan.
“You crazy bitch.” Spit flew from the corners of his mouth.
“Rick Damon we have the place surrounded. Come out with your hands up.” Sheriff Reese’s booming voice crackled through a speaker.
“Come here.” Rick finally managed to grab a hold of Gillian’s shirt. “How many police work in this town?” He fisted his hand in the material and yanked her to her feet.
“I’ve only met the sheriff. I think he has a deputy or two, but I’ve never seen them.”
“Two?” He scoffed. “Move to the back door.”
He pushed at her until she stepped past Quint and across the kitchen floor to the back door.
“Open it, you bitch.”
Her hand fumbled on the knob, but she did get it open. She hated leaving Quint, but if by getting Rick to vacate the house then someone would be in shortly to tend to him—as soon as they realized Rick had gotten out.
When they pushed through the door, a row of truck floodlights came on and blinded Gillian. Rick pulled her flush against him and shoved the gun into her neck.
“No need for that. Let the woman go.” It was Hank. Gillian couldn’t see where he was with the glare, but knowing he was there was—he could help Quint—was enough to give her the strength she needed.
“Let us pass by or she’s dead.” Rick spit on her as he hissed out the words.
“I can’t do that, son.”
“I’m not your son. And I’m not messing around.” Rick’s entire body vibrated against her. He might be a cold-blooded killer when it came to helpless women or unarmed men, but the man was a big, old weenie when it came to facing down someone ready for him.
“I understand. But I don’t want anyone getting hurt. You okay, girl?”
“I’m fine. Quint’s hurt though, Hank. Real bad.”
Rick put his mouth on her ear. “You know this yokel?” When she nodded he continued, “You get him to give us his truck and maybe your boyfriend might make it if they even have a doctor in this shit-for-nothing town.” He shook her. “Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
The sheriff was once again yelling from the front of the house at Rick. He pushed the tip of the gun so hard against her neck it choked her. “You better make him give us the keys. He takes too long to decide and lover-boy dies. You yell too loud and you die. Do you get me? Make it convincing.”
“Hank, I need your truck,” she rasped out the words.
“I can’t do that, girl.”
“Hank, let us go and you can get in there and help Quint. I don’t know how much blood he’s lost already. He needs attention now. Before it’s too late.” Her voice caught on the last sentence.
“Touching.”
“Fuck you, Rick.”
“Gillian…” Hank wavered.
He was close to giving in. He needed to give in. “Hank. Please. Don’t worry about me. Quint needs you.”
“Fine.” A dark figure disengaged from the truck.
Rick shifted to point his gun at Hank. Gillian leaned back into him, made his arm move. “If you shoot him, the sheriff will come running around the back with whoever he has out there. You won’t make it to the truck.”
“Shut up.” Rick lowered the gun to her side and barked out orders. “Leave the keys in the truck. Open the gate and come this way.”
Hank did as he requested and walked slowly across the backyard toward them. “Over to the side, old man.” Hank shifted to get right up next to the house as Rick tandem-walked Gillian to the truck.
“Gillian?” Uncertainty laced Hank’s voice.
“It’s okay, Hank. Please tell Quint I love him.”
“You can tell him that yourself.” Hanks voice quavered.
“Don’t count on it, old man.” Rick hurried her the rest of the way to the truck and shoved her inside through the passenger door. “You drive.”
Gillian got behind the wheel. She gripped at it with her right hand then laid the casted hand on her thigh. “You’re going to have to start it. I can’t.” She wiggled the cast at him.
“Useless bitch.” Rick tucked the gun at her side and leaned for the keys. “You better know a way to get us out of here.”
“I know how I’m getting out of here.”
Rick’s gaze darted to her. “What?”
Gillian swung her cast square at Rick’s face. He was too stunned to block the blow. At the same time, she pushed down on the horn with her other hand. Rick screamed out in pain as he brought both hands up to his face. In the process the gun went off and deafened Gillian. A burning spread from her shoulder, but she was not to be deterred. She swung at him again and again.
At some point he dropped the gun completely as he tried to protect his face, but that was okay with Gillian. She smashed her cast against his fingers over and over, ignoring the searing pain in her shoulder and her forearm until a pair of strong arms pulled her from the truck as someone grabbed Rick from the other side. “Hey.”
“Calm down. The sheriff has him. You’re okay.” Cade spoke in slow deliberate tones as he pinned her arms down to her sides and cradled her to him. “Gillian, can you hear me?”
Her breath heaved in and out of her lungs as she nodded.
Rick was still screaming on the other side of the truck as he was placed in handcuffs.
“Wait!” She broke Cade’s hold and rushed around to the other side of the truck. She ran up to Rick and shoved her hand in his front pocket and retrieved the cassette. “Dickhead.” She kicked him hard in the knee. The sheriff pulled Rick away before she could dislocate the other kneecap.
“Girl, you got gumption and then some.” Hank came up beside her.
“OHMYGAWD, how’s Quint?”
“The doctor’s in with him now. He’s lost a lot of blood but the boy’s a fighter.” Hank frowned. “Gillian, you’re bleeding.”
“I am?” She glanced at her shoulder. A dark red stain blossomed. “Hmm.” The lights suddenly shut off, blackening out the world.
Quint’s side was on fire.
Machines beeped around him and a stringent odor irritated his nostrils. Hospital was the first thing that came to mind.
Then the man’s face flashed through his memory. “Gillian.” He tried to sit up but it burned worse and stole his breath.
“Shh. You need to take it easy.” His dad’s voice was quiet and a little tense.
“Dad?”
“I’m right here.”
A hand settled into his. He tried to open his eyes but grit abraded with the movement. Finally, he pried on eye open. He was, in fact, in a hospital. “What happened?”
“You were shot.” His dad squeezed his fingers. Quint’s mother patted his arm and smiled with a watery smile. “But you’re doing good now.”
His dry mouth pulled down. “Shot?” He didn’t remember anything after walking into his home and finding that man—Rick.
“Where’s Gillian?”
“She’s fine. Her daughter was released this morning so she had some paperwork to fill out.” His dad draped an arm around his mom’s shoulder.
“Dad, you have to go find her. Don’t let her leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Gillian came into his peripheral vision. A dark purple bruise puffed her cheek and swollen eye.
“What happened?”
She laughed tightly. “You should see the other guy.”
Quint’s parents moved away and Gillian took their place. Her right arm had a purple cast and was trussed up in a sling. “What did I miss?” His eyes darted to the new cast.
“This?” She raised her arm slightly and grimaced. “I color coordinated it with my shiner. Though once this thing starts to turn it might clash.” Her other hand gingerly settled on her cheek before she took his hand in hers. “How are you feeling?”
“Confused.” Again he tried to sit up but the pain was too much. “Is Heidi okay?”
“Right as rain.” A warm smile tilted her mouth. “What do you remember?”
What did he remember? Ruby admitted to talking to Rick Damon and then he went to his house. “Not a lot. Rick was in town and we couldn’t find you so I went to the house in case you showed up there then… I got nothing.”
Gillian nodded. Her mouth pulled down. “Rick was there already and he shot you.”
Pain pricked his chest.
“I got there a little later.” She glanced away. “You were bleeding. I didn’t even know if you were alive or not.” Her hand tightened in his. “He wasn’t after Heidi. Just a toy bear she had back then when he and Becca were together.”
“Why?”
“Becca hid a video cassette in it. She’d been more aware of his business than I ever knew. She secretly videotaped him. I don’t know what she planned to do with it, but she didn’t anticipate him turning on her and killing her when tried to use it as leverage.”
“How did he know she still had the toy?”
Gillian shrugged. “I can only guess he was watching her and saw it at some point. That bear was the one thing she was never without as a child. He may have been just making sure he’d tied up any loose ends. I don’t know. I never knew about it.”
“Where is he now?”
“Sitting tight down the hall cuffed to the bed.” She wiggled her cast. “I kinda broke my cast over his face—several times.”
Quint smiled. “I knew you had it in you.” He groaned when he shifted too much. “Hey,” he whispered. When Gillian leaned closer to hear him, he asked, “What’re my parents doing here?”
“Are you kidding me? The minute they heard you were hurt they hopped on the first plane to Wyoming. They were here before you even got out of surgery. Had the staff making sure everything was right and ready for you. Makes your aunt look like a slacker. And your mom… Your mom and Heidi hit it off like you would not believe.” She leaned in closer and kissed his cheek. “He’s not such a bad guy, your dad. He loves you a lot.”
Quint snorted and instantly regretted it. He groaned with the sharp pain.
“Shh. You’re a tough guy, but you need to relax.” She kissed him again then stood.
She released his hand. He grabbed for her. “Don’t go.”
“I’m not going anywhere far. I have a job to get to. My boss is going to be doing a little remodeling and he’s asked me to help him design my new office. Not to mention my daughter has high school in the fall.”
“Really?” The zip that shot through him was anything but painful.
“Plus, my boyfriend is going to need some rehabilitation so I am going to be busy here for some time to come.” She kissed her fingers and waved. “I’ll see you in a bit. You need to talk to your dad. I love you, Quint.”
He smiled. “I love you.”
He wanted to bask in what Gillian said, but she looped her arm around his mom’s waist and the two were gone too quickly. His father was back at his side.
“You gave us a huge scare, son.” His father looked years older with his day-old stubble and dark rings around his eyes.
Quint couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his dad anything less than completely put together. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You have nothing to apologize for.” His dad ran his hand through his silver hair. “If anyone owes an apology it’s me.”
Jeffery Walters apologizing to his son. For a moment Quint toyed with the possibility that he was, in fact, dead. Luckily, the pain kept that thought on the outer regions.
His dad slid a chair up to the side of the bed and sat. “I, uh…” His voice cracked. “I was so afraid that when we got off the plane I’d get a call telling me we’d lost you. It was the worst few hours of my life.”
“Dad…”
His dad shook his head. “I love you, Quint. I know I haven’t acted like it over the last few years, but I do. More than you may ever know. If I was too hard on you it was because I loved you so much. I wanted you to be able to have anything and everything you wanted. I thought by having a job like mine it would afford you those things. But I can see now that you earned it your own way. And I am damn proud of you.” Tears rimmed his eyes. He swiped at his nose. “You are an exceptional son. And I wouldn’t change you for anything. However, we need to discuss you bullet-stopping ability.”
Gillian’s new cast itched like a sonofabitch. She was stuffing a straw down inside the end of it when Jeffery Walters walked into the waiting room. She yanked the straw out and tossed it into the trash. “What did the doctor say?”
She’d felt in the way when the family gathered with the doctor to find out about Quint’s injuries and the prognosis for his recovery time.
“He’s doing great. Nothing irreparably damaged.” He tucked his hands into his pockets.
Gillian stood. “I am so glad to hear that.” She headed for the door. What did you say to a man who nearly lost his son because of the madness that followed you? “I want to apologize. To you. I never meant for Quint to get mixed up in any of this. In fact, that’s why we were leaving town. I couldn’t risk anything happening to him.”
Wrong Turn, Right Cowboy: Paintbrush, Book 2 Page 22