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It splinters in a blast of rotted wood. Brian and I both enter with our guns drawn right behind Remy, and Daisy follows us, alert and ready to attack if threatened.
Ray.
Standing there like nothing happened.
Dressed completely in black and covered from head to foot in black soot from the fire.
But he’s not armed.
My gun goes back into my holster, and what happens next I don’t think I’ll regret in the morning.
I grab the other man by the collar and throw him across the floor.
Ray doesn’t fight, just lets me pummel him with every ounce of anger I have.
Hit after hit, I keep going until there’s blood flowing from the other man’s lip. I keep going even after I hear the definitive crunch of his nose breaking. By the time Brian pulls me off ten seconds after I started, the other man is bleeding profusely, but not once has he fought back.
“Why? You piece of shit. Why?” I heave myself up to a standing position, while Logan and the rest of the men file into the small cabin.
Remy steps in with a pair of handcuffs, rolling Ray over and securing his hands behind his back. “Raymond Jones, you are under arrest for arson, attempted murder, and murder. You have the right to remain silent—”
“She wasn’t supposed to be his. I had her first.” Ray tries to push himself up, but Travis steps forward and presses his shoulder so he falls on his face.
“You’re shitting me.” Remy laughs. “This dick pickle thought that she’d choose him over you? Fuck man, that’s just pathetic.” He whistles and Daisy moves forward, pushing her way through the men’s legs until she stands at his side. He scratches her ear. “You did good, girl. If you want to eat him, you can.” He smiles at me. “Just kidding. She can’t eat him. But I do have to start reading his rights all over again.”
“I’ll be surprised if she lives, you know. She begged me for help. To save her and that kid. And I just laughed. I’ll laugh when they tell me she died too. You’ll lose all over again.” I stop in my tracks, grabbing what remains of the doorframe to balance myself.
“I swear on everything… if Margot dies, I will get to you. My face will be the last thing you see, because if she’s gone, I have nothing left to live for.”
I walk away, forcing myself to stay calm until I get out of sight of the cabin. Then and only then do I break out into a dead sprint back to the school.
When I make it back through the woods to my vehicle, the fire is out.
I pull out my cell, both sick to my stomach and relieved at the same time that I don’t have any missing calls or texts. At least until I see Poppy’s name pop up on my screen.
“Jake. Tell me you got him.” Poppy’s voice is frantic when I answer.
“They’ve got him. I’m going to the hospital.” I take a deep breath, trying to work up the courage to ask if she has any news about Margot.
“I’m here. I haven’t heard anything,” she answers my unspoken question. “Just get here and take care of her.” She hangs up on me, and I stare at the phone in my hand as it starts to tremble.
I break down.
There’s no other word for what’s happening to me.
So much anger, so much pain, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m afraid to go to the hospital and wait. Scared they’ll tell me she’s gone. I know that I’m hyperventilating. I just don’t care.
My phone ringing drags me out of my pity party, and I answer it without looking.
“Yeah.”
“You better have a good explanation for why my daughter is in the hospital and I just got a call about coming down to make decisions.” Angela is justifiably pissed.
“I’m sorry, Angela.” The words are choked out of me. “There was a fire, and she went into the building to save a kid. She got hit by something. I’m on my way there now.” My voice is robotic, answering her with facts rather than emotion.
“You get your ass to that hospital. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’ll get your parents there too. Just get to our girl… now.” Her words drag me out of the stupor I’m in.
If anyone asks me later how I got to the hospital, I wouldn’t have an answer for them. One minute, I’m standing by the burnt building, staring at my phone. The next thing I know, I’m climbing out of the truck in front of the bright-red sign marking the Emergency Room.
