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Post by udwe on Sept 1, 2021 19:54:51 GMT -6
More, please!
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Post by texican on Sept 2, 2021 9:31:47 GMT -6
bret, Your fans are asking. Next they will be pleading. Texican....
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Post by ydderf on Sept 2, 2021 17:41:08 GMT -6
Bret, a quick question if I may. How far arield do you go to find your cliffs? lol
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Post by papaof2 on Sept 2, 2021 17:57:11 GMT -6
Bret, a quick question if I may. How far arield do you go to find your cliffs? lol I checked with my source at TSA and bret has Frequent Flyer miles on every airline in North America...
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Post by bretf on Sept 3, 2021 10:53:32 GMT -6
Well, ydderf, here are a few of my favorites, not far from home: scenicusa.net/090812.htmlSections of this one are only about 45 minute drive. I've spent a lot of time there. exploringwild.com/bruneau-canyon-overlook/This one's a little farther, more like an hour and a half. And then this one, is more like two hours but well worth the drive. wildernessriver.com/the-owyhee-desert-river-desert-stories/I was sitting on the edge of this canyon one day, with my feet dangling over the edge, enjoying the view. I was feeling tired from a day of tromping, looking for deer and sage grouse, so I lay back. Next thing I knew, I woke up, feet still over the edge. I berated myself a bit, and vowed to look for a better place for a snooze from then on.
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Post by bretf on Sept 3, 2021 10:56:24 GMT -6
And since you asked:
Chapter 38
It took several minutes but eventually, Kevin regained his composure. When he did, he stood and looked intently at Deputy Reynolds. “So, tell me again. You were watching Cindy’s show and then the shed was on fire? You didn’t see anything, anyone else?”
Chagrined, the deputy dipped his head. Softly, he said, “No, I’m sorry, Mister Andrew. I didn’t see a thing except for the woman.”
Kevin stared at the young man shaking his head. Maybe the adage of wisdom coming with age was correct. He’d certainly enjoyed Cindy’s show but had been able to avoid the traps that would inevitably come with it. “So, it was arson?”
Again, the deputy looked vexed. “I assume so, but, well, we’ll have to wait for the fire investigators to go through everything.” The deputy looked at his feet and off to the sides. Anywhere but at Kevin.
Kevin shook his head, then turned it to look at a sheriff’s department car driving in and stopping near his carport. “Right. There’s no room here for my rig but they let that guy drive right in.”
He watched as the door opened and Deputy Katie Johnson emerged. He revised his earlier thought. “They let that gal drive right in.” His jaw tightened, preparing for whatever she was going to say.
When she was close, she said, “Kevin, I’m glad you weren’t home. And I’m sorry about what they did.”
“You sound like you know it was arson. So get over there and arrest them already.”
“We can only assume it was arson. But until we can prove it, we have no grounds to arrest them,” Deputy Johnson said.
“No grounds? No grounds? Just look at that!” Kevin sputtered, pointing at the smoldering remnants of his shed. “It looks pretty obvious to me.” His earlier emotion, fear and concern, and then relief over Jack and Jill had transformed. Now he was filled with raw anger. It burned for release. “Those people came here and violated my home. I was content out here minding my own business. But they brought their illicit business to me. And you’re going to sit on your hands and let them get away with it?”
“Kevin, please calm down.” Deputy Johnson looked around. “We can’t have this conversation out here in the open. Not where we have a chance of being overheard.”
“Oh really? So where would you suggest? Maybe in my house. You know, my house Tammy broke into. What do you suppose she was doing in there? Planting bugs or cameras so every move I make is monitored?” His anger burned like his shed had such a short time earlier.
“Walk with me,” she said, then turned and walked away. She didn’t turn back to see he wasn’t moving.
Kevin glared at her back for several seconds before he kicked the dirt and followed.
Deputy Johnson didn’t stop until she was well beyond his house and could no longer be seen from the smoldering shed. Or the neighbors’ house.
Kevin stopped, still glaring.
Deputy Johnson, looking uncomfortable, said, “I’m very sorry, Kevin. Deputy Reynolds filled me in. And we think you need to leave. You could be in danger if you stay.”
Kevin’s jaw dropped. “What? They come in and start this and I’m the one who needs to leave. I’ll say it again, go arrest them.”
“I’ll talk to the sheriff and see if he thinks we can get a warrant, but I don’t see it happening without evidence.”
Kevin fumed, shaking his head back and forth. He was startled by his phone ringing. Continuing to glare at Deputy Johnson, he fished it out of his pocket. It was Janice. Answering he said, “This isn’t a good time, Janice. I’ll need to call you back.”
“Kevin, wait, don’t hang up. Katie called me. She told me there was a fire at your home, and that you could be in danger. Is she there yet?”
“So, she called in reinforcements, huh. Well, forget it. I’m staying here. I’ll talk to you later.” He ended the call.
Glaring at Deputy Johnson, the phone rang almost instantly. He didn’t want to be rude to Janice but was in no mood to talk to her, or listen as she tried to talk him into abandoning his home. He raised it to silence it, glancing at the screen. It wasn’t Janice; it was Tammy. “So what the hell does she want?” he asked, silencing the ringer.
“What does who want? Deputy Johnson asked.
“The accomplice,” he snarled.
“Kevin, I really think —”
Cutting her off, he said, “Our state has a castle law, doesn’t it?” The rage consumed him, mixed with the dread he’d felt, fearing that Jack and Jill could be in danger. His misgivings about carrying a gun were forgotten. “They violated my home, my castle.” If anyone was a direct threat, he’d do all he could to protect his dogs.
The phone rang again. Tammy. He silenced the ringer and put the phone on vibrate so he wouldn’t have to listen to it.
“Kevin, please,” Katie pleaded.
“I wish Dave’s shop was open. I could use a different holster, one easier to access,” he said in response.
“Kevin, please listen to reason. These people are dangerous. You’re in jeopardy if you stay here. And it’ll only be worse if they see you’re armed.”
“Do we have the law or not? Can I legally defend my castle, my home?”
Katie sighed heavily and she blinked her moist eyes several times. “Yes,” she said softly.
Kevin nodded. “I need to go to the house. I think I’ve got Dave’s card in a folder.”
“But Kevin, your shed, everything in it, it’s not worth getting killed over. It was all just stuff. You can buy more stuff.”
His glare intensified. “Yeah, but it was my stuff. And what if they’d targeted Jack and Jill. They aren’t ‘just stuff’. They’re living and breathing and irreplaceable. Now I need to find Dave’s card.”
Deputy Johnson shook her head in exasperation. “Hold on you stubborn SOB,” she said, taking out her phone. She pushed a button, scrolled, then pressed the screen again. Holding the phone to her head, she said, “Hey Dave, yeah, it’s Katie. I’ve got a favor to ask.”
She completed the call and told Kevin, “For what it’s worth, I think you’re making a grave mistake. But Dave said he’ll meet you at his place in half an hour.”
His gaze softened, the first time he looked at her without the glare. “Thanks, Katie. I appreciate it.” Turning his face down to the dogs, he said, “C’mon guys. We’re going to town.”
Deputy Johnson watched him go, then quickly made another call.
Kevin and his best friends walked up the lane. The patrol car was still blocking it. He walked past and got in the truck without speaking to the deputy.
The radio was on in the truck as he drove but he ignored it. It was just white noise. And then what the reader said sunk in. The news story was about prison overcrowding and what the state paid to house prisoners out-of-state. And about the number of criminals released without completing their sentences.
“Early release. What a load of crap!” he stated and slammed his palms against the steering wheel. “If they have too many cons, they need to build bigger prisons.” Thug One and Thug Two came to mind, and how intimidated he’d felt when they’d confronted him on the lane. “Or bigger cemeteries.”
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Sept 3, 2021 11:45:55 GMT -6
Meek Men makes Mighty Warriors, when pushed to far.
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Post by bluefox2 on Sept 3, 2021 20:28:45 GMT -6
Meek Men makes Mighty Warriors, when pushed to far. Beware the quiet man for he is the most dangerous
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Post by ydderf on Sept 4, 2021 1:14:20 GMT -6
Thanks Bret
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Post by udwe on Sept 4, 2021 18:00:25 GMT -6
This is getting better & better!
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Post by texican on Sept 5, 2021 21:52:15 GMT -6
Well, ydderf, here are a few of my favorites, not far from home: And then this one, is more like two hours but well worth the drive. wildernessriver.com/the-owyhee-desert-river-desert-stories/I was sitting on the edge of this canyon one day, with my feet dangling over the edge, enjoying the view. I was feeling tired from a day of tromping, looking for deer and sage grouse, so I lay back. Next thing I knew, I woke up, feet still over the edge. I berated myself a bit, and vowed to look for a better place for a snooze from then on. [/b][/quote] bret, Yep, hanging your legs over the cliff may be fun to some, but not as a napping place. Just think, what your family and readers would have missed if you had tried to stand up from your nap. Be safe and keep being a father and hubby and writer. Texican....
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Post by bretf on Sept 9, 2021 5:44:43 GMT -6
Chapter 39
Kevin calmed considerably once he was in his truck. Jack and Jill sharing the seat with him were a soothing ointment to his frayed nerves. And for the first time, the weight of the pistol was a comfort. He wanted to admonish himself but couldn’t. His dogs were his family, and as he’d told Deputy Johnson, irreplaceable. The neighbors and their associates had violated his home, his castle, and placed his family in danger. He was finished playing the stooge.
As he drove home, a large, well-lit truck approached in the other lane of the highway. A firetruck. Close behind was a sheriff’s patrol car. He turned his head in disbelief as he went by the cop car. His anger returned in a flash. “So that’s it? The sun goes down so you all go home? Do you have anyone in the back of the car with handcuffs on?”
He slowed and turned onto his lane. And then he stopped. The anger, the raw emotion of the evening that’d faded during his trip to town had transformed. Although it was back, clear thinking accompanied it. And with it, trepidation. He’d seen one fire truck and one patrol car. Were they the last? Would he get to the end of the lane and find he was alone, alone with the thugs, the dope dealers, the murdering arsonists?
Although his pistol was in the new holster he’d just promised to pay more for than he could imagine for one square foot of tooled leather, he pulled the gun out and placed it between his legs. Driving with one hand, he rested the other on the pistol’s butt.
His home had a look of abandonment. Deputy Johnson’s patrol car and the second fire truck were gone. Left, was the burned-out remains of his shed. He let the headlights illuminate the wreck. A few charred boards stuck out of the soggy, ashen mess, along with the remnants of his garden tools. The inoperable rototiller was a blackened hulk. Gripping the pistol tighter, he pulled the truck into the carport and killed the engine.
All was deathly quiet as he got out. Rather than return the pistol to the new holster, he held it ready, looking at the neighbors’ place. It was as dark and quiet as his home. Still, he kept the pistol ready as he walked slowly towards the shed, giving his eyes time to adjust to the lack of light. At the burned ruin, he stopped and looked at it. It was impossible to tell if anything could be salvaged. It’d have to wait for daylight.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, he looked at the dark chicken pen. The eggs needed to be gathered and the night security door needed closed. But with the proximity of the pen to the fence, he couldn’t bring himself to go there. He turned and went to the house.
At the door, he hesitated. Maybe Deputy Johnson was right and he shouldn’t be there. Maybe someone was waiting inside. Why hadn’t a cop waited?
With a shaking hand, he got the key in the lock and swung the door open wide. Jack and Jill ran inside. Kevin let out the breath he hadn’t known he was holding. Surely, if someone was there, the dogs would let him know. He stepped across the threshold and clicked the lights on.
The kitchen was as he’d left it. If anyone had come in, he couldn’t tell. Walking through the kitchen, he went to his bedroom. He holstered the pistol and picked up his shotgun. Though he knew it was fully loaded, he checked to make certain, then returned with it to the kitchen. He looked for a place to put it; he wanted it handy but not conspicuous. He stepped back and leaned it against the backside of the entryway frame, then stepped away and scrutinized the location. It was a few short steps from anywhere in the kitchen but not visible.
Jack and Jill watched impatiently. In their form of communication, heads bobbing, whining, and pacing in front of their dishes, they conveyed the message he might have eaten but they hadn’t.
Allowing himself a grin, he said, “Oh, yeah, I guess you need to eat.” They didn’t seem concerned with anyone lurking. Hopefully, it wasn’t just because they were hungry and there really wasn’t anyone around.
He poured kibble into their bowls and got out of their way. They ate with gusto and were nearly finished when they stopped. Ears raised, they left the dishes and stalked to the door. Headlights flashed as a car pulled to a stop behind his truck.
Kevin’s heart raced and he stepped back into the shadows, the shogun at his side. His right hand rested on the pistol grip. Then he thought about it. The thugs wouldn’t be driving up. If it was them, they’d come in dark and quiet. It was probably Deputy Johnson returning.
Despite his reasoning, he jumped when knuckles rapped on the door and the dogs barked.
“Kev, hey Kev, I need to talk to you. Can I come in?”
Tammy. What’s she doing here? Oh, yeah, I guess I know. His face grim, he walked to the door and unlocked it. Standing clear of the door with his hand on his pistol, he said, “Come in.” Was she alone or were her compatriots behind her and ready to rush in? He eased away from the door to where the shotgun waited, resting his hand on the pistol the entire time.
Tammy stepped tentatively into the room. Jack and Jill faced her, growling. Tammy looked him up and down. Was that relief on her face?
“Kev, oh, I’m glad to see you.”
“Why? We were together all day?”
She closed her eyes and took a breath. Opening her eyes, she said, “I heard what happened. I was worried about you.”
Kevin’s nerves were raw and he was past being polite. “Really? So, how’d you hear? Was it the phone call you got before you dashed out? From your colleagues?”
She looked away, a tell.
“No, uh, I have a scanner. It picks up the police and fire department bands.”
“Is that right? And why would you need a scanner?” His jaw tightened and he nodded his head. “Oh, I think I know why you want to keep tabs on the cops.”
Her eyes moistened and she said softly, “Kev, it’s not what you think. Come to —”
She never finished. Jack and Jill leaped past her, snarling, their fangs bard and the hair on their backs standing up.
The door crashed open. Thug One lumbered into the room, his bald head gleaming. The dogs faced him, snarling. “I told you to control your freakin mutts!” he snarled and aimed a powerful kick at Jack. Jill leaped at the man’s leg. He produced a pistol, swinging it towards her.
“NO!” Kevin yelled and leaped for her.
He was too late.
Tammy acted fast and snatched the lunging dog by the collar. Kevin took the collar, pulling Jill as she fought to get to the thug. He backed slowly towards the doorway with the concealed shotgun. The pistol was too obvious. If he made a move for it, the thug would be sure to fire. But maybe the shotgun would be a surprise. Jack backed away with him, growling at the intruder.
Another man entered the room; Thug two.
Kevin continued to edge backward. He was close but still too far.
A third man entered, a man Kevin had only seen from a distance; Charley. Cindy bracketed him.
The small room was getting crowded and Kevin continued moving back. Jill fought to get away and attack the intruders.
Thug One and Thug Two moved to one side of the doorway, Charley and Cindy to the other. The view to the door was unobstructed. Kevin’s blood ran cold. Jack Randall the man who’d vowed to kill him stepped inside, his face twisted in a feral smile. The barrel of the handgun he held was pointed directly at Kevin’s chest.
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Post by sniper69 on Sept 9, 2021 5:55:57 GMT -6
Wow! That is a heckuva cliff to hang onto. Is Jack Tammy's brother, or somehow related to Cindy or Charlie? As texican would say only another chapter could tell. Thank you for this chapter. Now to hang onto the cliff some more.
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Post by bretf on Sept 9, 2021 7:29:30 GMT -6
Wow! That is a heckuva cliff to hang onto. Is Jack Tammy's brother, or somehow related to Cindy or Charlie? As texican would say only another chapter could tell. Thank you for this chapter. Now to hang onto the cliff some more. I can’t remember now, and I’m not going to go back and check, but did I tell you about our trip taking my son to college? It was a sixteen-hour drive so we broke the trip into two segments. The first day, we made it to Bryce Canyon National Park. We rode the shuttle and checked out the views, did a bit of hiking. The next morning, we drove through another section before hitting the road for the second half of our trip. It’s an incredible place! www.google.com/search?q=bryce+canyon&rlz=1C1EJFC_enUS893US893&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwirkP_c_fHyAhUcJTQIHVilC-IQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1536&bih=722&dpr=1.25It was also very inspiring. Just look at all those cliffs!
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Post by sniper69 on Sept 9, 2021 8:39:42 GMT -6
Wow! That is a heckuva cliff to hang onto. Is Jack Tammy's brother, or somehow related to Cindy or Charlie? As texican would say only another chapter could tell. Thank you for this chapter. Now to hang onto the cliff some more. I can’t remember now, and I’m not going to go back and check, but did I tell you about our trip taking my son to college? It was a sixteen-hour drive so we broke the trip into two segments. The first day, we made it to Bryce Canyon National Park. We rode the shuttle and checked out the views, did a bit of hiking. The next morning, we drove through another section before hitting the road for the second half of our trip. It’s an incredible place! www.google.com/search?q=bryce+canyon&rlz=1C1EJFC_enUS893US893&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwirkP_c_fHyAhUcJTQIHVilC-IQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1536&bih=722&dpr=1.25It was also very inspiring. Just look at all those cliffs! You did mention the trip and those cliffs.
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Sept 9, 2021 10:44:24 GMT -6
Dang it man that came out of the blue, I did not expect those thugs to act so soon.
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Post by sniper69 on Sept 9, 2021 11:19:30 GMT -6
Maybe Katie will be hiding and unannounced come in from behind. Then between her and Kevin - they can take out the trash... Trying to think of positive outcomes while hanging onto the cliff.
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Post by iamnobody on Sept 9, 2021 12:34:34 GMT -6
What a cliff! Now Bret has me hanging over the Grand Canyon. I will be screaming MOAR! every hour now. Mistake #1 Letting Tammy in with her crocodile tears – Now Bret will surprise me and have Tammy end up helping Kevin. Mistake #2 Not having the shotgun in his hands BEFORE opening the door. Mistake #3 Not jumping for the shotgun when the dogs jumped. Mistake #4 Not starting to shoot when the 1st thug came in. Would start with whoever had a weapon, one shot into each target starting from the left side target and riding the handgun's recoil up and to the right onto the next target. Most firearms have a right hand twist which causes the gun to rise and twist to the right when the bullet goes out the barrel.
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Post by udwe on Sept 10, 2021 20:31:49 GMT -6
Wow!
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Post by iamnobody on Sept 14, 2021 18:35:45 GMT -6
M O A R !
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Post by bretf on Sept 16, 2021 7:10:58 GMT -6
Chapter 40
Kevin was transfixed by the barrel of the gun aimed straight at him. From his viewpoint, it appeared huge, on par with the pipe he’d made the well bucket from. The hole from the bullet it’d blast through him would be bigger yet. I’m about to die. The dogs sensed his change and pressed in against him.
Like an old, freeze-frame video, his mind clicked to the news report he’d heard; overcrowding and early release. How could Randall have qualified? He was a violent man and minutes from becoming a murderer if he wasn’t already.
Randall dropped the wild animal smile and turned a crooked grin to Tammy. “Hey, Sis. I’m glad you were able to make it. Cin wasn’t sure that you would.” He turned to Cindy and patted her on her exquisite butt, chuckling. She beamed from the attention.
Some of what Randall said broke through Kevin’s fog. Sis? Tammy’s his sister? It was worse than he’d believed. Tammy hadn’t latched onto him to keep tabs on him due to living beside the place Charley and Cindy wanted to make their dope. It was much deeper, much more devious. They’d targeted him, she’d targeted him, getting close to make it easier for Randall to reach him and kill him. It was all an act, playing a concerned friend so Randall could mosey right in. Why didn’t I have the shotgun when I went to the door?
Randall grinned at Tammy. “So, Charley and Cin were telling me a hilarious story about this loser. They said Cin was doing everything she could to entice him and turn him into her personal sex slave. But the damn fool didn’t go for it. What a freakin loser. And they said you came on pretty strong, too. Did you get lucky?”
Tammy shook her head and said, “No. I thought I was getting close but something always got in the way. But, maybe not bagging him was getting lucky. He’s probably not worth the effort.”
Randall laughed at the jab and shook his head in disbelief. “I knew he was a loser, but turning down both of you? I sure as hell couldn’t keep my hands off of you two.” The hand that’d patted Cindy switched to caressing. She rolled her head back and sighed. “Maybe he likes boys better. He’d fit in good in the joint.”
Kevin stared wide-eyed, unable to grasp all he was hearing. But a foggy memory surfaced of kissing Tammy in The Watering Hole parking lot. That’s it? My God, Kev, I could get more heat out of a kiss with my brother. Her brother, Randall; it hadn’t just been a comment. There was history behind it. And to think at one time he was attracted to her. He nearly vomited, recalling the passion of their second kiss. His mind was close to overload. Tammy, Cindy, Randall, the huge gun pointing at him.
“Well, enough about his shortcomings,” Randall said, and laughed again. “I need to show him what happens to people that screw with me.”
“Right here?” Charley asked.
Randall shrugged. “Well, I might beat out of him where that bitch and her kid are since they started the crap. He’s gotta know. But I won’t kill him here. I know a better place where we won’t have to clean up afterward.”
Randall looked at Tammy again. “Have we got time before the cops get here?
She smiled and said, “Plenty of time. The one’s working the fire all clocked out and won’t be back until morning.”
Randall turned the animal look back at Kevin. “Great. Secure him and take his gun.” He fished into his left-hand jacket pocket, produced a long zip-tie, and tossed it to her.
“You got it,” she said and turned to Kevin. “Oh, Kev, you don’t know what you missed. Cindy and I could’ve taken you to levels of ecstasy you’ve never experienced before. Both of us together if you’d asked nicely, or maybe not so nicely,” she said with a wicked grin. “I’ll bet that would’ve really blown your mind. And now you’ll never find out how good it could’ve been. What a waste. I would’ve enjoyed training you. Now, put your hands behind your back.”
Kevin didn’t move, he was shell-shocked.
Tammy took his left arm and pulled it behind his back. She grasped his right arm. “Here’s a sample of what you’ll miss out on.” She planted light kisses on his neck, moving slowly up while Randall hooted at her. She paused at his ear, seeming to nibble. “Trust me,” she said so softly it wasn’t audible more than a foot away.
Though dazed from his predicament and what Randall had revealed, he registered what she said. Trust you? Yeah, right! Still playing your part right up to the end.
She held his right arm behind his back and nested it with his left. As she appeared to wrap the zip-tie around his wrists, she slipped her hand inside his pocket. Her lips were back on his neck. “Oh Kev, we could’ve had so much fun together. I’d have made you forget you ever saw my sister without her clothes on. Well, unless it was a threesome.” She pulled the pocket pistol free and placed it in his right hand, leaving the zip tie in its place. Kevin couldn’t keep the shocked look off his face as he turned and gaped at her.
Randall laughed. “Oh, gawd! The idiot finally figured out you’ve been playing him. He’s dumber than I thought.” He howled with laughter, the pistol in his right hand swinging wildly.
Tammy pulled the 9mm from Kevin’s new holster and stepped back and grinned at him. “Your loss.” Turning further so only he could see, the grin dropped and she mouthed, “Trust me.”
Turning back to Randall, in a loud voice, she said, “Alright, we’re set. Let’s do this.”
The room suddenly went black.
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Post by biggkidd on Sept 16, 2021 7:18:26 GMT -6
Talk about setting the stage!
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Post by sniper69 on Sept 16, 2021 8:23:25 GMT -6
Dang the cliff's. Hope I can keep hanging on - as this cliff is a big one.
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Sept 16, 2021 10:23:49 GMT -6
NOW YOUR JUST MESSING WITH US, But I like it that's the hallmark of a good story.
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Post by iamnobody on Sept 16, 2021 12:45:04 GMT -6
The room suddenly went black.
My vision is going black from holding my breath in anticipation!
The official forum rule is 24 hrs before being allowed to yell for more. But I have sometimes broken rules
So MOAR!
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