“Stop hitting me! Untie me and let’s fight this out on equal ground, or are you too fuckin’ scared that I’d beat your ass?”
“Shut. The. Fuck. Up!” Jaime ran out to the kitchen and came back with a large black flashlight. “I’m going to kill you just like I did that nosy bitch with the stupid dog. But this time I’m going to enjoy it.”
The bile she’d been forcing down surfaced and spewed from her mouth. The acid scorching her throat and tongue sickened her.Shit!Then behind the madwoman, she saw Walter coming in through the kitchen, his eyebrows squished together.Why’s he here? He’s here! I have help. Is he going to help me?Her thoughts were scattered as her heart drummed in her chest.
“Your cat’s outside. I was just checking to see if you…. What’s going on in here?” Walter’s eyes widened.
Jaime whirled around. “Get out of here! We don’t want you in here.” Walter kept walking in. She turned back to Raven. “You’re dead, bitch!” She raised her arm.
Before Jaime could smash her skull, Raven lunged forward and, with her freed hands, punched her captor in the belly. Jaime groaned and bent over. By that time Walter was next to the women, and he pulled the flashlight out of Jaime’s hand.
Raven untied her feet and stood up.Oh shit.She held her head between her hands and plopped back down on the chair.
“Let go of me!” Jaime struggled in Walter’s arms. Through clouded vision, Raven saw her kick Walter hard in the shin and he howled, releasing the crazed woman. Jaime ran off to the kitchen.
“She’s probably going to get a knife,” Raven said to Walter as he turned to follow her. “Be careful.” With her head still in her hands, she tried to get up, but searing pain ripped through her.I just want to lie down.Then she heard Jaime scream and a flurry of deep voices. She couldn’t even look up, the pain that bad in her head. “Walter?”
Heavy footsteps came toward her, and then black boots entered her field of vision.They look like Muerto’s boots. I must be getting delirious.Then she smelled the desert and the sunshine.Muerto!A beam filled her face.
“Oh, baby.” Warm, strong arms embraced her. She breathed in his fresh scent. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
He kissed the top of her head and she cried out. “That fuckin’ psycho did a number on my head. I think I may have a concussion.”
“The paramedics are on their way. I was so worried about you.”
“She said that you were her boyfriend.”
“She’s a very sick woman. When you feel better, I’ll tell you all about it.”
“How is she?” Sheriff Wexler asked.
“Her head’s smashed pretty bad,” Muerto replied.
“I’ll be okay. I just need to lie down.” She forced her chin up a bit and looked up. “She told me she killed Mrs. Kilpatrick. Beat her to death with a flashlight. How horrible.” Wet streaks dampened her cheeks.
“We’ll look into it. Your neighbor wanted me to tell you that he has your cat and dog. I guess that’s what alerted him that something was wrong.” Wexler looked toward the window. “Paramedics are here. I’ll be around later to get your statement.” He went behind her and opened the door.
As the emergency technicians loaded her into the ambulance, she saw Jaime sitting in the back of a police car, beaming at her. For a split second, she felt sorry for her, and then the doors closed and she shut her eyes, relaxing for the first time since the ordeal had begun.
