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As I had expected, the sheriff drew his own weapon. “Drop it, Jayce!” he commanded, holding the pistol in the two-handed A-frame position.
My hand remained steady as I kept my gun trained on the judge. “Can’t do that, sheriff. This ends here.”
Judge Benjamin slowly raised his hands. “Think about what you’re doin’, boy.”
“I am thinking,” I replied. “For the first time in my life, I’m thinking about whatshouldbe done. The corruption in this town ends today. All of it.”
“Corruption?” The judge frowned with confusion, but it was an obvious act. “We have no choice, Jayce. We’re afraid of the Copperheads.”
“Copperheads?” Charlotte’s idiot ex-boyfriend asked. “What do snakes have to do with this?”
Charlotte hissed, “Shut up, Scott!”
I ignored them and remained focused on the two men in front of me. “Don’t blame this on the Copperheads. Your corruption is every bit as bad as theirs. Worse, since at least Sid is open about being a piece of shit. Sheriffs and judges are supposed to uphold the law.”
“I’m gonna shoot you if you don’t put down the gun,” the sheriff warned.
“I really wish you wouldn’t.”
“Then put the gun down, Jayce!”
Someone to our left whistled. Both the judge and sheriff glanced over, and after a moment of hesitation I did the same. The window of Flop’s bar was open a crack, and the barrel of an assault rifle peeked out.
“Sorry to interrupt your discussion!” Flop yelled. “But I’m with Jayce on this one!”
A second gun barrel appeared out of the next window over. “Me too!” called Flop’s ex-wife, Sandra. “We need a new sheriff who’ll protect us, not extort us.”
“Count me on their side,” Mindy said as she came out of her diner. She wore an old revolver on her hip but made no effort to draw it.
“Thanks, Mindy,” I said.
Her withering glare swung toward me. “I don’t appreciate being made to pick a side right now. Be that as it may, I want to live my life without fear. I’m done payin’ for your protection, sheriff.”
“You’re outnumbered,” I said more calmly than I felt. The sheriff’s face went through all the emotions: anger, fear, reluctance, and then eventually acceptance. He lowered his gun, then carefully tossed it toward me. I picked it up and tucked it behind my belt. The wooden grip was cold against the skin of my lower back.
Mindy took the handcuffs off the sheriff’s belt and then cuffed his hands behind his back. “Now what?” she asked me.
“This is not acceptable,” Charlotte’s ex announced, as if he were making a town proclamation. “I cannot be a party to this kind of crime. Charlie, get in the car so we can get out of here.”
“Scott, you’re free to leave,” Charlotte spat. “Go back to Savannah while you can. Nobody wants you here!”
“I won’t let you remain with this… this…” He looked at me and gathered what courage he had. “Thiscriminal.Come on.”
He reached out and took Charlotte’s arm. She shook him off, and he tried to grab her shirt.
Wrong move, asshole.
I lazily swung my pistol in his direction. “Touch her again and we’re gonna have problems.”
Scott recoiled from the gun as if it would go off at any moment. “No, please! I only want to get her out of here…”
“You okay, Peaches?” I asked while keeping the gun on him.
“Who’s Peaches!” Scott stammered. “Please…”
“I’m fine,” Charlotte told me. “You can put the gun down.”
I did, but I continued staring daggers at Scott.
