“I can’t,” Alan said.
“We’ll work through it.”
“If you only knew.”
“Knew what?”
“It’s not just the boys, it was Kay too.”
“Why bring up Kay?” Dan asked.
“You really don’t know, do you?” Alan said with a sarcastic look on his face.
Dan’s face flushed at the mention of Kay’s name. It had always bothered him about the brakes, but it was a guilt he had to live with every day. That it was his fault his wife was dead.
“It was an accident.”
“Yeah, right, keep thinking that. I used to think you were smart.”
Dan lost control at that moment and grabbed hold of the gun. But Alan was too quick and hit Dan across the side of the head with the butt end of the gun. Dan went down. Alan kicked Dan in the rib cage while Kelly struggled to free herself, but could not break Alan’s hold on her.
* * *
Dan groaned in pain as he slowly came to. His hands were tied behind his back. He struggled but it was useless. The car engine starting out front and tires squealing caused Dan to sit up. Dan continued to struggle to free himself and finally he managed to get one hand in his back pocket. He pulled out the pocketknife. Opened it quickly and slowly managed to cut the rope.
Once free, he raced out of the house. He glanced down the street and saw Alan’s car turning the corner. He quickly got into the squad. Thankful that Alan did not have the fortitude to disable it as someone did on the Bayou earlier.
Dan sped through city streets and finally gained on Alan’s car. Dan could see Kelly in the passenger seat. She turned around and Dan saw the frantic look on his daughter’s face. He just prayed that Alan wouldn’t harm her.
Alan headed out of town. He took turns too fast, fishtailing almost out of control, but then regained control of his car. When he passed Murphy’s place the squad was bumper to bumper with Alan’s car. Dan was not letting Alan take his daughter anyplace without putting up a fight. The dust seeped into the car. Dan quickly rolled up the window as he coughed almost out of control.
Alan was driving to the tall pines, puzzling Dan, not knowing what Alan had on his mind. Suddenly the brake lights came on Alan’s car. Dan slammed on his brakes too and barely missed hitting the Seville.
Alan grabbed Kelly and dragged her out of the car. He yanked her down the path toward the tall pines. Kelly struggled with Alan while being dragged along the path.
All Dan could do was watch from a distance. Dan finally got out of the squad. He was not going to let Alan take Kelly anywhere without a fight.
Dan held up his hands showing Alan he was unarmed. “Let her go,” Dan yelled.
Alan dragged Kelly along the path. All the while Kelly struggled to get free of him.
“Stay there. I’ll let her go when I get to the woods.”
“Where do you think you’re going?” Dan yelled.
Alan shook his head. “Don’t matter. Any place is better than this hell.”
“You aren’t taking Kelly.”
Alan raised the gun at Dan. Kelly grabbed his hand as a shot rang out but it still hit its mark and grazed Dan in the temple. Dan fell to the ground while Kelly screamed and struggled with Alan but to no avail.
Alan turned and hit Kelly with the butt end of the gun. He tossed his keys into the field and then fired a shot at the squad car’s front tire. Alan walked up to the squad and fired a shot at the radio.
Dan was face down in the tall grass pretending to be dead. He waited a while until he was sure Alan was far enough away so as not to put Kelly in further danger. In the distance Alan turned around and yelled.
“I never meant to hurt anyone,” he said in his defense and then turned around and hurried to the tall pines.
Dan slowly got up while Alan disappeared into the woods. He hurried over to Kelly where she was motionless on the ground. As Dan reached down, she finally started to come to. There was a trickle of blood coming from her forehead where Alan struck her with the gun.
“You okay, honey,” Dan asked.
“What’s the matter with him?”
“He did some bad things.”
Dan helped Kelly up. Kelly looked up at her father and saw the blood dripping down the side of his face. “You’re hurt,” she said.
Dan ignored her concern. He had a job to do, but right then he had to make sure Kelly was safe.
“You’ll have to go back to Murphy’s place and get help.”
Dan hobbled over to the squad. He glanced inside at the radio and then grabbed his billy club from under the seat. He helped Kelly over to Alan’s car. He looked in and saw the car keys were gone. Dan was thankful it was an older model Seville as he opened the driver’s door and then reached under the dash. Dan quickly hot-wired the car. Kelly just stood by and watched her father.
“You’re bleeding,” she said.
Dan wiped the blood from his forehead. “Murphy’s place is just down the road.” Dan said, while trying to focus his eyes.
“Come with me,” Kelly begged.
“No,” Dan whispered finally. “I have to go after Alan. What I need for you to do is go get help.”
“Daddy, I’m scared.”
Dan got out of the car, he shoved Kelly into the driver’s seat, and then shut the car door. Kelly looked up at him with tears in her eyes as she finally put the car into gear and backed up. She stepped on the gas and spun away.
Dan started walking toward the tall pines. He winced in pain from where Alan kicked him in the ribs earlier. Dan turned to see Kelly driving off down the road. He took a deep breath. The pain in his side caused him to double up for a moment. After he recovered, he quickly hurried in the direction that Alan had run off in.
CHAPTER 18
Dan walked through the thick tree growth. It got denser and denser the further he walked in. Dan stopped and listened. A squirrel chattered in the branches above while birds fluttered about. The thick canopy of trees above barely let the sun shine through.
Dan’s shirt stuck to his back, the sweat and blood ran into his eyes. When Dan came to a fallen tree, he stopped. Brush and vines grew up all around the decaying trunk.
“Alan,” Dan yelled feebly.
Dan’s voice came out a hoarse whisper. He cleared his throat and got a firm grip on the billy club. Just as he rounded the trunk he heard a noise. Thirty feet away rutting in a patch of mud were six razorbacks. One of the boars had blood covering its right shoulder. Dan turned and made a quick retreat behind the trunk when something struck him hard on the back. Dan slid forward onto the ground.
“Why did you come?” Alan demanded.
Dan managed to look up. “Had to,” Dan said finally.
Dan felt around for the billy club. Alan walked toward him. Dan tried to wipe away the sweat and blood. He did not lift his head for fear the razorbacks would see him. The hogs pawed at the earth and rooted up the ground. It was then Alan saw them too.
“Jesus Christ!” was all he managed to say.
While Alan appeared momentarily distracted, Dan grabbed the billy club quickly and swung it at Alan’s shins and connected solidly. Alan yelled out in pain. He stumbled toward the razorbacks, yelling and hopping from one foot to the other. The razorbacks were puzzled at first. A few were frightened and ran off. The two old boars just looked up with a savage gleam in their tiny eyes. The sharp hooves pawed at the soft ground.
Dan tried to get up but had no luck. He got to his knees and saw Alan standing a few feet away. Dan made a turning, clumsy twist toward Alan, sticking out the billy club and managed to grab an ankle. Dan pulled and Alan tumbled down, dropping the pistol. Both men reached for it. Dan’s face was mashed into the forest floor while Alan kneeled on top of him. Dan tried to raise himself and throw Alan off, but he was hurting too bad. Alan’s weight had Dan pinned.