Slightly Off Balance

by Kaylie Hunter

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. “She’ll probably watch TV in the living room. I don’t want her out alone while Morgan is still on the loose. She agreed to sleep on the couch tonight so I wouldn’t worry about her.”

  “You’re a good sister.”

  I snorted but didn’t explain our history. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure,” he answered, seeming nervous and looking away.

  “Why was Reel keeping you hidden out at his fishing cabin?”

  He opened my apartment door, holding it for me and closing it behind us. “Figured that would be your question,” he sighed. “When I got out of the Army, reality and make-believe got a bit confusing for me. I was captured the day I tried to kill their friend Kelsey. I was told she was a terrorist when, in fact, I was being played. If Reel wouldn’t have volunteered to bring me here and watch me, I’d probably be six feet under right now.”

  “Shit. I don’t know what I was expecting to hear, but the fact that you’re an assassin wasn’t anywhere in the top ten of the list.”

  I stepped back, not scared, but unsure of my instincts. I had felt comfortable around Leo the moment he stepped up to protect us. But what if all the crazy stuff going on in my life was causing signals to get crossed in my brain?

  “I know what you’re thinking, but I’m better now.”

  “Can I bet Darlene and Tansey’s lives on that?”

  “You don’t have to decide. You know Reel. He’d never leave me with you if he didn’t trust me.”

  “You’re right,” I nodded. “And if Reel thinks you’re well enough to integrate back into the real world,” I said stepping in front of him, “then I say, welcome to Pine Valley. I hope you decide to stick around for a while.” I reached my arms out and hugged him. He stood stiff, uncomfortable with the embrace, but made an attempt at patting my shoulder.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  When Darlene returned, she wasn’t alone. Aunt Carol followed her in with her overnight bag and knitting bag.

  “I heard there was a sleepover tonight,” Aunt Carol said, passing Darlene and heading straight for the bedroom. “I’m taking the bedroom. I’m the eldest. You girls can fight over the couch in here and in the guest room.”

  “I’ll sleep in the guest room. I’m going to read and then go to bed early. Tansey’s sick and already in bed. I’m feeling a bit worn out, too.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Aunt Carol said. “I’ll gather some of your things so you are more comfortable. Should I check on Tansey too?”

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. “Maybe later. Rod’s making her some soup.”

  “Well, Leo,” Darlene said, bumping her hip into his. “Looks like it’s just you and me fighting over the remote tonight.”

  “I don’t watch much TV.”

  “Maybe you haven’t been watching the right shows. Ever heard of The Real Housewives of Orange County?”

  Leo looked nervous but sat on the couch as Darlene turned on the TV. I followed Aunt Carol into the bedroom and gathered some clothes, a pillow, and a blanket. Aunt Carol stuffed a small bag into the pillowcase before carrying the pillow as she followed me down the hall. The office down the hall held an old green metal desk and a scratchy couch along one wall. What Leo didn’t know, but Aunt Carol did, was that it was the room that had the emergency drop-down chain ladder that Rod bought for us in case of a fire.

  “Alright, tell me what the hell is going on,” Aunt Carol whispered.

  “Morgan has Grandpa. I overheard Uncle Mike and Reel arguing about whether to tell me or not. Morgan sent a note saying for me to meet him. The boys are guessing the location and are hoping he shows, but they didn’t understand the message. Morgan was counting on me overhearing or being told and sneaking out to meet him.”

  “Why is he still so obsessed?”

  “The only thing that makes sense, is that I’m still the only witness,” I shrugged. “Maybe he figures that if I’m dead, a decent lawyer can get him cleared.”

  Aunt Carol fisted her hands and placed them on the top of her hips as she thought about my reasoning. “You’re probably right,” she nodded. “What’s the plan? You’re not seriously thinking of meeting him, are you? With no backup?”

  “What choice do I have? It’s Grandpa. I have to try to save him.”

  “Vince wouldn’t want this. He wouldn’t want you to risk your life for him.”

  “But he’d risk his life for me.”

  “As would everyone else in this town. How will I explain it if something happens to you? How will I live with myself?”

  “You will remember that I’m an adult and have the right to make my own decisions,” I said, kissing her on the cheek before pulling out the bag hidden in the pillowcase.

  “Where are you meeting him?”

  “I can’t tell you that,” I said, shaking my head.

  “I won’t tell your uncle, or Reel, or any of the rest of the men. Promise.”

  I didn’t want to tell her. But she’d never broken a promise to me before. “The old bakery. He said to meet him where I came closest to death. When he was holding me at gunpoint, I had told him that Mrs. Crookburn had come closer to killing me with her Buick than he had with his multiple attempts.”

  “You told him that?” she said, trying to hold back the grin. “Only you would be crazy enough to insult a madman.”

  I laughed and nodded as I pulled the guns out of the small bag. Aunt Carol had brought me a small gun with an ankle holster and a revolver with a belt clip. I changed my clothes and strapped the guns on. My shirt was long enough to hide the gun at my lower back, but Morgan would guess that I’d be carrying. Hopefully he wouldn’t suspect I’d carry an ankle gun as well.

  “Are those Reel’s bags?” Aunt Carol nodded toward the wall where several duffle bags were stacked.

  “Yeah,” I nodded. “And maybe Leo’s. He stayed last night too.”

  Aunt Carol walked over and picked the bags up, searching them. She smiled when she found what she was looking for, pulling it out of a duffle bag. “Flak jacket.”

  “You want me to wear a bulletproof vest?”

  “Humor me. I’m already agreeing to let you walk into the lion’s den. The least you can do is wear this.”

  “Fine. Help me get it on; I’m running out of time. And Leo’s going to get suspicious if you don’t return soon.”

  “No, he won’t,” Aunt Carol said, rolling her eyes. “Do you know how addictive The Real Housewives of Orange County is? He’ll be glued to the TV for at least six hours.”

  She helped me strap the vest on and then kissed me quickly on the cheek. “I refuse to watch you leave. Just get in and get out. And, damn it, don’t you die on us.” She hurried from the room, and I took a deep breath.

  Checking my watch, I saw it was almost 9:00. I pulled the emergency ladder out from under the desk and dropped it down the open window. The chain rattled, but it seemed louder outside in the quiet night air than inside the house. I threw one leg out the window, finding the first rung, before I turned my back and climbed the rest of the way out—remembering on the way down that I had told Rod I’d likely break my neck using the ladder.

  Miraculously reaching the ground, I wiped the sweat off my hands. I crossed the backyard, followed by the next two yards, until I reached the side street. I walked the edge of the street where it was the darkest until I came to the back parking lot. It was one long, but narrow, parking lot for employees and owners for all the Main Street storefronts. I crossed in the shadows to the other end until I stood facing the back door of the old bakery.

  I stood frozen, staring at the door, trying to force myself to walk through it. I had to be brave. I had to face Morgan and try to save my grandpa. But I was in over my head, and I knew it. I’d likely get both of us killed. And in the meantime, trained professionals were only a phone call away.

  I reached for my purse to pull out my phone, realizing for the first time, I hadn’t planned this out at all.
I didn’t have a phone. I was alone without a way to contact anyone. Even if I screamed for help, it would be unlikely anyone would figure out where the scream came from as the downtown businesses had closed hours before. I was totally screwed.

  “Chickening out?” a familiar deep voice whispered from behind me as a gun was placed tight to the back of my head. “Too late.”

  “I thought you were inside,” I laughed.

  “Still laughing at inappropriate moments,” he chuckled as I felt him pull the gun I had holstered to my back. “I figured I’d hide out here and make sure you came alone.”

  “Smart,” I shrugged, turning to face Morgan. “Wow, you look awful. Those bite marks must hurt like a bitch.”

  Morgan had a large bloody and yellow gauze patch on his left cheek, another on this neck, and several on his hands and arms. He was pale with a tint of yellow and had dark circles under his swollen eyes.

  In the shadowy parking lot, I could still see Morgan’s eyes flare in rage, as he nudged me with his gun toward the bakery door. “Inside. Now.”

  “My grandpa?”

  “Trussed up like a turkey. Though it’s not like that crazy coot would know he was even in danger. Sad really. He was a formidable enemy once upon a time. Now I’d be surprised if he knew how to tie his shoes.”

  Turning my back to Morgan, I hid my smirk as I opened the back door of the bakery and walked in. So, Grandpa was playing mental possum. That could be helpful. I grinned wider when I saw the old bakery prep table was still in the kitchen, covered with construction tools. With any luck, the shotgun was still in its cubby. I looked over at Grandpa, then glanced quickly over at the table. He blinked quickly before looking back at the floor and pretending to be distracted by the tiles.

  “Nice jacket,” Morgan chuckled from behind me.

  “I thought a bulletproof jacket looked good with my jeans.”

  “Doesn’t matter. I’ve been trying to decide between shooting you in the face or slitting your throat. Either way, the jacket doesn’t save you.”

  “Has anyone ever told you that you’re insane? I mean really, really insane?”

  He chuckled but grabbed a large knife that had been resting on a shelf.

  “Not out here,” I said, shaking my head. “The front room. I won’t let you kill me in front of my grandpa.”

  “What? No begging me to release him?” he laughed, following me through the swinging door into the front room.

  “I was an idiot to come here. When you found me frozen outside, that’s when it finally hit me. You’d never let him go.” I turned to face him. “You were going to kill us both all along.”

  “It was only a matter of time,” he shrugged. “Even if he is screwy in the head now, he still deserves to be punished for what he put me through years ago.”

  “My grandpa is loving, loyal, protective, and dedicated to his family. You’ve shown your own son none of those traits. You’ve left him in a cell to rot, even when you knew what he was doing the entire time. You actually hoped you could pin both our deaths on him, didn’t you?”

  “I’ll admit, it was convenient that he was targeting your grandpa,” Morgan shrugged. “Useless boy. Randall lacks the intelligence to survive in this world. It was no sacrifice to use him as my pawn.”

  “Now what? You think that my family, my friends—they’ll forget and forgive? That they will let you walk away after you kill me? Even if you don’t go to jail, they’ll hunt you down and torture you.”

  “You must be referring to your boyfriend. What’s his name? Ryan? But everyone calls him Reel?” he chuckled. “Him and his friends have bigger concerns right now.”

  His eyes were cold black, but the grin that spread across his face was the one I remembered from my nightmares. It was the same look that had me, as a little girl, running blindly through the blackened forest. Even now, as an adult, every instinct in me screamed to run. Telling me that he was pure evil.

  Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out a cell phone, holding it up.

  “I’m guessing they went to the cabin or the old house where I killed your father. Well, I left them a little surprise. Unfortunately, by the time they realize it—BOOM—they’ll be blown to bits.”

  He pressed several keys on his phone, and my brain slowly processed that he was talking about a bomb.

  “No, no, no, no,” I cried, grabbing a Tiffany lamp from a display table and barreling toward him, aiming for his head.

  He laughed as he dropped the phone and knocked the lamp out of my hands. He pushed me backward, forceful enough to throw me to the ground.

  “Too late. They’re gone.”

  “NO!!!” I screamed.

  I thought of Reel, Uncle Mike, and all the others. They didn’t deserve to die. They didn’t deserve for this monster to win. No longer caring what happened to me, I rolled onto all fours, turning my back to him as I climbed up from the floor, pulling the gun from the ankle holster. I stood, turned, and held the gun aimed at him.

  He laughed, still holding his own gun on me. “Déjà vu? I think the last time we were in this position, you shot me in the shoulder and left me being attacked by a badger.”

  “Looks like the badger is still working his magic on you. Those sores look pretty damn infected.”

  “I’ll live,” Morgan shrugged. “The question is, will you?”

  “I think she’s got a pretty good chance,” Grandpa said, walking through the door with the shotgun aimed at Morgan.

  “I’ll second that,” Tucker said, walking in through the front storefront door.

  “Better odds by the second,” Darlene nodded, entering with a Glock pointed at him.

  “Your odds seem to be decreasing rapidly though, Morgan,” Tansey said, holding a rifle.

  “What the hell?” Morgan whispered.

  “It’s called family,” Aunt Carol said, holding her favorite revolver on him and moving to stand next to me. “You messed with our girl. That wasn’t too bright.”

  The room rapidly filled with familiar faces. Faces I’d known my entire life: Mrs. Crookburn, Old Man Mackerel and his wife, Sarah Temple, Mr. Palmer, Buck Peaton, Loretta Hines, Betty Fergin, Eric Mickers, Casey Pritchard and so many more. And each one of them aimed a gun at Morgan.

  The store filled shoulder to shoulder with neighbors, friends and family. I looked out toward the window and saw that more townsfolk waited outside, fully armed.

  I walked up to Morgan, taking his gun from his hand. He knew it would be suicide to act now and gave it up willingly. I handed both our guns over to Tucker.

  “The bombs?” I asked Morgan, tears streaming down my face.

  “They’re all dead, honey,” Morgan laughed.

  “The bombs at the house and at the cabin? Shit,” Leo laughed, rolling his eyes. “Any kid that’s been through basic training could have disconnected those wimpy-ass things. Besides, I already called the boys, and they were on their way back to town as soon as you snuck out the window.”

  “They’re alive? Are you sure?” I asked Leo, running over to grip his shirt sleeves.

  Leo pulled out his phone and called Reel on speaker.

  “Tell me she’s safe, Leo,” Reel yelled into the phone.

  “I’m safe. How about you guys? Everyone okay?” I yelled over to the phone.

  “We’re fine. We’re a block from Main Street. Where are you?”

  “I’ll let Leo fill you in. I’m busy at the moment,” I laughed, turning to Morgan. I stepped forward, driving my leg up, and slamming my boot-covered foot into his testicles.

  “SCORE!” Loretta shouted, and everyone cheered.

  I laughed as he fell to his knees. I stepped back, looking down at him. “That was for threatening the people I care about.” I forced myself to take another step back. I wanted to inflict more damage. Wanted him to pay for what he had done to my father, my grandpa, my sister, my friends.

  “Don’t do it,” Darlene said, walking up beside me and grabbing my arm. “You�
�ll feel all guilty and shit about it tomorrow.”

  I glared over at her, then looked over at Tansey. Tansey shrugged. “She’s right,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You’d be all mopey and question whether you were a bad person or not.”

  “But luckily you have a sister who has a more relaxed view of the world,” Darlene grinned, right before she hauled her leg back and kicked Morgan in the face, sending him spinning backwards.

  Everyone cheered, and Darlene threw an arm over my shoulder and led me out the front door.

  “That’s so not fair. Why’d you get to kick him in the face and I didn’t?”

  “You mean he’s still alive?” Reel panted, jogging his way through the crowd.

  “He’s missing a few teeth now,” I shrugged.

  “And he’ll need an ice pack for his nuts,” Darlene said.

  “Sheriff is slapping cuffs on him. The party is over,” Aunt Carol said, walking up behind us with Tansey.

  I turned to grin at her, and Reel stepped up behind me, throwing an arm around my chest to pull my back into him.

  “Tweedle!” Colby yelled, running up and throwing his arms around me.

  If it hadn’t been for Reel bracing my back, I would have been flattened to the ground. “I’m okay, kid. No worries,” I said as I held him.

  Reel moved his arm to wrapped it around both of us. “Anyone hurt?”

  “Nope. The plan went off without a hitch,” I grinned.

  Several sets of eyes glared at me.

  “Okay, so their plan—to save me from my horrible plan—went off without a hitch.”

  “You are in so much trouble,” Reel sighed, kissing my cheek.

  “You better spank her,” Mrs. Crookburn yelled.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “This is by far the stupidest thing I’ve ever agreed to do for you,” Tansey whispered loudly, crouched over, sneaking down the side of the road beside me.

  “This is not half as stupid as the time we snuck into Michael Shanner’s backyard to peep in the windows to see whether he was making out with Suzy Zemple.”