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I glanced at Judge Mathis, his face flushed from the sun, laughing at something his wife had said. They were lost in their own world, oblivious to the grim fate that was mere moments away.
I tightened my grip on the reins as we rounded the bend. My pulse roared loudly in my ears, drowning out the tranquil chirping of birds or the rustling leaves. I was part of a picturesque painting with a horrifying twist, and all I could do was hold my breath and pray for the strength to face the aftermath.
The scent of impending doom was heavy in the air, like a thick blanket threatening to smother us all. I looked at Judge Mathis, his mouth opening in mid-laughter, and Mrs. Mathis, her eyes crinkling, and a resolution took root in my heart.
I couldn’t do this.
I couldn’t kill innocent people.
I couldn’t.
I couldn’t.
“Stop!” I cut across Judge Mathis, my voice sharp and urgent.
He blinked, confusion clouding his mirth-filled eyes. “I beg your pardon, Clover?” I couldn’t afford to let him delay us any further.
“We need to go back. Now,” I urged, swinging my horse around to face the way we’d come.
Mrs. Mathis frowned, her gaze darting between me and her husband. “Is something wrong, dear?”
“No time to explain, just trust me,” I said, my heart pounding against my ribcage. I could almost hear the seconds ticking away, each one pushing us closer to the point of no return.
Without waiting for a response, I kicked my horse into a gallop, urging them to follow me. “Come on!” My voice carried the weight of my desperation.
Mrs. Mathis gasped, but Judge Mathis, with a stern nod, quickly followed my lead. Their horses sprang into motion, following the frantic rhythm of my own horse.
Behind us, I could hear the unsteady beat of hoofbeats gaining speed, the shocked exclamations of the judge and his wife blending with the wind. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a plea to whatever forces were watching us to delay Declan, to let us escape unscathed.
The horses kicked up a cloud of dust as they galloped, the wind whipping past us like a wrathful spirit. The trail seemed to elongate, time and space stretching unbearably as we raced against destiny itself.
I dared not glance back at the spot where Declan lay in wait, praying silently that we had left in time, that our hastily executed escape had thrown off his deadly plan. Fear and hope entwined, the grim dance of life and death etched onto the canvas of a seemingly perfect Texas trail ride.
I didn’t want to think about how I’d disappointed him.
There had to be another way.
After a long run that left our horses panting in exhaustion, we stumbled off our horses, our breathing ragged from the frantic ride. The world around us seemed to swirl into a chaotic mess as we stood there, a frantic knot of dread, shock, and disbelief. The horses, equally shaken, pranced and whinnied beside us, their eyes wide and wild.
“There was an . . . an ambush,” I gasped out, my lungs burning from the frantic pace. I looked at Judge Mathis, his face a mottled canvas of fear and confusion. “He . . . he was going to . . .”
“Going to what?” Judge Mathis snapped, his eyes darting around the property in panic.
I shook my head, a hollow feeling growing in my stomach. “It doesn’t matter now. Just get to your car and leave, don’t look back.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Judge Mathis shouted, his hands trembling. “You expect us to leave without an explanation? I’ll call the police, I’ll—”
“No!” I cried, a sick feeling roiling in my stomach. “You don’t understand, the police can’t help.”
Suddenly, the judge pulled out a silver pistol from his waistband, the sun glinting off the ornate engraving. It was an antique, a relic from the old west, yet in his hands, it was as deadly as any modern firearm.
“Now you listen here, young lady,” he said, aiming the gun shakily at me. “You better explain what the hell is going on, or I swear—”
“Judge, please!” I pleaded, my hands up in surrender. “This isn’t going to help!”
His wife was screaming, her hands clutching her chest as she watched the confrontation unfold. The world seemed to slow down, each second dragging into an eternity. My heart pounded in my chest, the metallic taste of fear coating my tongue.
“Just . . . just get in the car,” I said, my voice trembling. “Leave, and don’t come back.”
