Standoff at Mustang Ridge (25 page)

Jordan glanced through the window at Timmy, her heart aching for the boy. “I understand your impatience,” she said. “But Timmy has undergone a terrible shock. It may take him time to open up.”

Miles glared at her. “I don’t have
time.
”

Jordan’s anger rose. “Then you’d better damn well find it, because the important thing here is that your son heal.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw, his eyes flaring with rage. “The important thing is keeping Timmy safe. This man Robert Dugan is a cold-blooded killer. He threatened me in court, he slit Timmy’s mother’s throat, and if he knows Timmy is a witness, he’ll probably come back to kill him.”

* * *

T
IMMY ROCKED HIMSELF
back and forth in the chair. He thought the lady said something to him. Something about horses. But he couldn’t make out her words. It was too noisy in his head. Voices...things crashing...the screaming.

And he couldn’t see any horses.

All he saw was the red.

Red blotches...black blotches...more red...more black...

Someone else was in the room with him, too. His daddy...at least he thought it was his daddy...

No, he was mad at him. He hadn’t come home...

His eyes blurred and then it was dark. So dark everything went black.

Like night all the time. Scary night.

Scary night when the monsters came...

He buried his head in his arms and rocked harder. Pushed at his ears to make the noises be quiet.

He didn’t want to see the monsters. They were bad. They were going to get him.

He had to run....

But he couldn’t run...he couldn’t move. Couldn’t do nothing to stop the noises and the dark from coming...

Or the red from splattering the walls...

Or his mommy’s cries...

ISBN: 9781460300961

Copyright © 2013 by Delores Fossen

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