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"Yes, sir."
"First, let me call an ambulance."
Everleigh asked. "Can you call Dr. Emily? Maybe she can search for Harper."
The sheriff huffed out a breath, pulled his phone from his pocket and called the department first. He asked dispatch to call Dr. Emily. Then he and Henry stepped to the side and had a conversation.
"What happened here?"
"Craig came looking for Everleigh. He's lost everything. He had nothing to lose. Gerard somehow knew he was here, I don't know how. You'll need to ask him that."
"Okay. So tell me what happened."
He retold his story, his eyes watching Everleigh and Gerard as he did. The sheriff didn't seem too bent out of shape about it all. He knew this was the likely outcome the way tensions were running too. Truth be told, there'd likely be few tears at Craig's funeral. He was an asshole, pure and simple. The bruises on his wife told that story well.
As the sheriff spoke to Everleigh, he called his dad. They likely heard about the shooting by now. But they knew better than to come guns running when the sheriff was here unless they were called.
"Are you alright? Is Everleigh?"
At the mention of Everleigh's name, his knees began shaking. He took a seat on a stool in the tack room. "My god Dad, seeing a gun pointed at her made me lose my training. I never want to feel that ever again."
"I'm aware."
He cleared his throat. "She's being interviewed now. I'm sure it'll take some time for her to settle tonight. And Harper burst from the barn. Dr. Emily is out looking for her."
"I can help with that. It'll help me burn off the adrenaline. I'll stop by later. Or, if I find Harper, sooner."
"Thanks, Dad. Tell Tate so he doesn't worry."
"He's in the living room right now with the others."
He swallowed the emotion that thrust up his throat. He had people who cared. A lot of them.
The instant the sheriff finished with Everleigh, he went to her and sat beside her. He placed his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and held her close as he watched Gerard speak to the sheriff.
He had heard Craig bitching at the men who'd come down here to work today. He beat on a couple of them until they finally told him where Henry and Everleigh lived. Gerard followed him. Good thing too.
Another truck pulled into the driveway and an ambulance crew entered the barn. Photographs were taken of Craig's body. The procedures were followed, and he was loaded onto a gurney and whisked from the barn. There was a small amount of blood on the apron of the barn. It was amazing how so little blood actually ever seeped from a bullet wound. Television shows made it look like there were gallons. In truth, very little actually bled from the victim. A gunshot wound was made by a hot round of metal. It seared the entrance, and exit if there was one, and basically cauterized it. So, unless it nicked a major artery, there was little. In this case, not much more than a tablespoon.
Henry stepped over to it and sprinkled the blood with lime. The lime would soak it up and, in the morning, he'd scrape it off with a shovel. They'd air out the barn to get rid of the sulfur residue that hung in the air. The horses had settled but he knew Everleigh wanted to calm them and would see that each one was okay before she went to sleep for the night.
With Craig's body gone, she began her rounds and he stayed by her side.
Footsteps approached with the telltale sound of a horse walking alongside. He and Everleigh turned to see his dad walking into the barn with Harper. He'd fashioned a rope around her neck and calmed her enough that she walked with him.
His dad nodded. "We just walked three miles. She was grazing down the road. Dr. Emily is on her way. She must have jumped the fence in her fright. You’ll need to check the fence tomorrow before letting them out."
Everleigh approached Harper slowly. Harper's eyes were wary, but she allowed Everleigh to pet her nose and snuggle next to her neck. After a few minutes, Everleigh led her to her stall and she entered without a fuss.
Henry looked at the stall door. She'd broken the latch, so he used rope to tie it for the night. First thing tomorrow, he'd replace the latch.
"Thanks, Dad."
"Happy to help. Are you both alright?"
He glanced down at Everleigh and she nodded. "We're good."
He hugged his dad, tightly. Tighter than he ever had. His appreciation of what it meant to have people you could count on had increased a thousand-fold tonight.
