Page 103 of Nixon’s Promise

His friend was right. They’d jumped in McKenna’s truck and headed straight to Rick’s house. He needed to get back and talk to Mandy and Zack. He hoped to God, Zack had listened to him and stayed at his house. The last thing Zack needed to see was the state of their kitchen.

He nodded his agreement, suddenly unable to speak around the fear. How the fuck was this happening? Why was this happening?

There was only one man who was dumb enough to fuck with Nixon Swagger. Sheriff Dick Dillinger. He was the ‘who.’ And the why was simple—revenge. Retaliation for all the years Nixon had made his son’s life misery.

Calm fury radiated from every pore of Nixon’s body as he thought about that motherfucker touching his woman.

“The sheriff has her,” Nixon told Chasin as he veered onto his dirt lane, taking the turn at a high rate of speed. The truck fishtailed before Nix regained control and sped down his driveway.

“He hate you that much to risk his job and reputation?”

“Fuck yeah. I made it my mission in high school to fuck with his son as often as I could. And the times I wasn’t around, others followed my lead and made sure the pervert knew they were watching. Not only does he hate me, he’s been waiting for the day to destroy me. He’s found a way to bring me to my knees.”

“How the hell is this asshole the sheriff?”

“No one runs against him in the election. This town is run by the Good Ole Boys Club. Everyone knows he’s a dick, but they won’t go against him. If they do and lose, Dillinger will fuck with them, or he’ll have his cronies do it. Brother, I love this town, but there is so much fucked-up shit that goes on it’s unbelievable.”

Nixon pulled to a stop in front of his house and both Mandy and Zack met him in the yard.

“What’s going on? Where’s Micky?” Mandy asked.

Shit. Nixon hadn’t thought about what he was going to tell the kids.

Fuck. Shit. Fuck.

“Nixon?” Zack prompted.

“Amanda, do you know Becky and Rob’s phone number?” he asked.

“Yeah, it’s in my phone.” Mandy pulled her cell out, and with a shaky hand, she offered it to Nix.

“Where’s McKenna?” Zack demanded.

“She wasn’t there when we got there—”

“What do you mean she wasn’t there? Where’d she go?” Zack continued.

“I don’t know. It looks like someone broke in. There was a struggle—”

Before Nixon could finish his explanation, Zack took off in a full sprint toward the woods.

“Jameson! Grab him.”

Mandy whimpered and Nixon reached out and grabbed the teenager and wrapped his arms around her.

“I’m gonna find your sister, Amanda,” Nixon vowed.

“She’s all we have.” Mandy’s tears were the last straw.

Something deep inside of Nixon snapped. He was going to strangle Sheriff Dillinger with his bare hands. He wanted to feel the life drain out of the man as he gasped for his last breaths.

“I know she is. I’m gonna find her, I promise.”

“No! She. Is. It. You have to bring her back. Promise, Nixon. Swear it. We need her.”

Mandy sobbed in his arms, and when Jameson brought a livid Zack close, Nix tagged the boy and threw an arm around his shoulder, bringing him into the huddle.

“I’m gonna bring her home. I promise. Swear it on my life. I’m going to find her and bring her home to us. But I need the two of you here and safe while I do. Zack, can you do that for me? Stay here with Amanda and take care of her while I go look for McKenna?”