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Mitch took a steadying breath before he pulled the trigger. His arms jarred with the recoil of his Sig Sauer, yet undeterred, he continued firing until all rounds in its magazine were expended. "My heart is pounding like crazy! What a fucking thrill!"
With my handgun at my side, a satisfied smirk crept onto my face as I witnessed his newfound enthusiasm. "See, I told you that you'd love it!"
"Yes! Absolutely!" He was enthused, his gaze still locked on the targets in front of him. "I can't thank you enough for bringing me here today."
Grasping my Glock, I shot off one round with perfect accuracy. "Don't congratulate me just yet," I said as a mischievous grin crossed my face. "We have plenty of time left on this firing range."
Mitch eagerly loaded yet another magazine into his weapon. Grinning, he followed my instructions as I described the subtleties of accurate shooting.
Under the constant threat of the unknown, we all had chosen to take measures to safeguard ourselves, having recently obtained our concealed carry permits. I had joined Red Wood a few months ago and was slowly convincing the others to do so as well, Mitch being the only one who had followed my lead thus far. As we took turns firing our weapons, our concentration was intense. The smell of gunpowder hung heavy in the air, and the sound of gunfire echoed off the walls as we emptied our magazines.
"Nice shooting," Mitch said, giving me a nod of approval.
Finally, when we had used up our ammo, my stomach growled, reminding me it was time for lunch. I gave Mitch a reassuring thumbs up as I packed away my gear and took off my hearing protection.
"Let's go get some grub," I said, clapping him on the shoulder before turning towards the exit. "Next time, we'll up the challenge."
Mitch nodded in agreement. His face lit up with anticipation. "We really need to get the other guys involved in this."
"You're damn right," I replied with a satisfied smile. "Let's go chase down some lunch!"
As we exited the shooting range and pulled up to a deli, I couldn't stop myself from finally asking Mitch a question that had been hovering in my mind for days. "Do you think this crazed individual is simply playing games with us? I mean, shit, there have been three murders, but..."
"I don't know, man. Meagan was a close call."
"After Meagan's therapy session, she believes Chelsea didn't want to kill her, even though she was scared shitless about her family."
"I understand where you're coming from, but it's still difficult to swallow. We can't know for certain what was happening in Chelsea's pea brain at the time. It's a game of wait and see. That's why I bought that chalet in Vail I've been looking at. It's an excellent place to hide and easy to secure. There aren't that many ways in and out of town, and my chalet is very private, built into the side of a mountain. "
"That's a good plan. We don't know what this person is capable of," I said solemnly.
Mitch shook his head. "Exactly. We need to be prepared for anything. But on the bright side, at least I've got a plan, and I'm learning how to protect myself."
"I've been so busy with Meagan that I forgot to ask you how that went."
"Oh yeah," Mitch replied, a sly smile suddenly stretching across his face. "It is amazing, the chalet that is.... and so was the chick."
"So, spill the beans. Just how amazing was this chick?"
"So, I hit up this swanky club and, lo and behold, I ran into this gorgeous bombshell named Nicole. She had legs for days and a smile that could light up a room. We flirted shamelessly all night long, and before I knew it, we were back at my brand-new, ultra-chic chalet, getting up to all sorts of mischief." His eyes danced with excitement. "I mean, the chemistry was insane, and we had a blast together. Looks like I'll be making a quick return trip to Vail ASAP."
"I don't blame you. But... a word to the wise. You're a wealthy, attractive man... the perfect bait for a gold digger."
My comment made Mitch raise an eyebrow in surprise. "What, you think Nicole's only interested in me for my money?" he asked, a hint of defensiveness in his tone.
I shrugged. "I don't know, man. It's just that you've had some bad luck in the past with women who were only after you for your cash. I don't want to see you get hurt again."
Mitch sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I appreciate your concern, but I think you're being a little paranoid. Nicole seems genuine, you know? And we really connected on a deeper level than just physical attraction."
I nodded, still not entirely convinced. "Just be careful, okay? I don't want to see you end up getting taken advantage of."
Mitch gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, my friend. I've got this under control. Besides, her daddy owns a ski resort. She is the manager." But even as he said the words, Mitch knitted his brow. Had a small voice in the back of his mind reminded him I might be right?
"Tell me about the chalet. I can't wait to get up there. Haven't skied in years."
"It's pretty awesome. The runs are great, the crowds usually aren't too big, and there's some excellent nightlife with lots of hot women, obviously.”
Mitch grinned. "You can thank me later," he said, laughing as we finished our lunch.
